Community Group Creates Bug Hotel from Gabions

Wire Fence was contacted by St James Church Eco Group, who pitched us with the idea of creating a bug hotel using our gabion cages. We were delighted to support them with their project by supplying the products needed for the project for cost price. 

“Wire Fence provided the gabion cage very promptly once the order was confirmed. The company gave us a very pleasing discount and wished us well.”

 

About the Project

St James Church Eco Group had the innovative idea to build their own bug hotel using gabion cages as a base for the project. The structure was assembled and constructed by Philip Staddon, and filled by community groups with materials collected by the charity. St James Church Eco group coordinated the project and sought advice from organisations and individuals with the appropriate knowledge regarding the enhancement of the range of species that may be tempted to use the constructed environment. 

The materials used for the project were coconut shells, broken flower pots, roof tiles, different sized pebbles, lengths of bamboo and straw, terracotta drain pipe, various dried plant stalks and seed heads. All materials were organic and non-toxic.

 

The gabions were assembled and filled with the materials, creating the possibility to be inhabited by beneficial insects. The gabions were then topped with soil, turf (turned upside down) and a thin layer of well rotted manure, where nettles and wild flowers were planted by the group. There is also a patch on the top of the cage reserved to attract caterpillars and butterflies. 

 

The area around the structure was left untouched and is designed to act as a conservation area protected from mowing and strimming. The reason for this is encouraging biodiversity and natural processes. 

 

The Result

“The Gabion Cage Wire Fence supplied St James Church Eco Group with is now the proud residence of an ever enlarging population of diverse bugs! Exactly what we hoped for. Local townsfolk and visitors including the church community are very impressed with the result. Thank you!”

– Brendan Skelton

Upon finishing the project, St James Church Eco Group provided some promising updates, suggesting that the project was successful.