I am currently skipping when a bug hotel comes up for review as I don’t know what to think about them. They decompose over time, i have worked in horticulture and seen many over the years, most will decompose. Some have a sturdier shell that will last a bit longer if looked after and refilled with smaller stuff inside, cleaned, maintained. But I’m still unsure if these can be classed as permanent. Also if insects used niantics maps then making them a poi would be great for them, but for people not so much, they are pretty common and hardly a talking point these days.
What is the consensus on these?
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I think theyre permanent enough - the temporary rejection criteria is designed for things that are only ever supposed to be there for a season or a few weeks, like a travelling fair or christmas decorations. Things that are intended to be temporary
Something that will decompose in a few years if not mainted is not temporary for me. Especially since maintenance can mean it doesnt decompose.
I’ve found them easy to get accepted, both of my attempts were accepted first time. I think they are good for gettting people thinking about the environment and the importance of insects, so part of the explore critieria
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Thank you!
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I rarely accept these. Most are easy to purchase and not distinct imo. There can be some with educational materials posted nearby, but otherwise, I don’t see how they inherently meet the exploration, exercise, or social criteria. The nomination has to be very convincing for me.
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Thank you!
I have nominated and enthusiastically voted positively on many of these locally, however it might be beneficial to have examples of what is considered a bug hotel here because it looks like the types, attitudes and how they’re being meant to be interacted with can vary regionally quite a lot. In my own neighborhood one of them provides a literal focal point for education and mason bee observation (with literal little doors that can be opened to see the bees and larvae). If something goes wrong with it, it would be repaired or maintained by the community. This is fairly common in my part of Central Europe.
I don’t see how eg. the one in my profile pic would not be permanent or interesting to explore 
It goes without saying that this does not concern nonpermanent store-bought variants, those found on private residential property, or those otherwise not meant to be visited by community members.
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Thank you!
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This is the first time I’m hearing about bug hotels. Never gotten one while reviewing and never seen one in my community before.
I have just one Bug Hotel in Lightship, but it’s the educational sign and not the actual structure that I nominated. I like bugs and bug domiciles, though, so I will always stop to check out what the residents are doing! They’re fascinating little micro-worlds.
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You’re in the US right? Less common there, sounds like.
Yep, US, and less common. I think the closest I’ve seen to these are wooden bee hives that can be bought and installed near gardens; typically their sold in the garden sections of stores.
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The first “insect hotel” I came across was just a few months ago — well I was intrigued and had not seen one before . It is within an “edible” community garden. Visited by students from a nearby school as I understand.
Anyway – I nominated it and it was accepted – straight away – ML.
Haven’t seen another in or out of game until this post …
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This is how many of the wooden bee hives in the US look like, but with the wooden tubes closer together. Being that many can be purchased at a garden store and are put up in private home gardens where I live is why I don’t see them much, especially with a sign explaining their importance.
Some of our pollinator gardens mau have these, but typically there’s a sign for the garden with additional information. I have nominated and gotten accepted pollinator gardens, so I can see these bug hotels as being similar in nature.
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As @Xenopus, I’m also a fanatic of bug hotels. I love to review them or to be able to nominate them (I didn’t have too much luck finding ones to nominate). I can’t speak for other continents but, from my personal experience reviewing or visiting other European countries, they are more or less common in some countries. I don’t think they necessarily need an information sign or something similar explaining why they are important. I feel and think they inherently meet criteria unless they are located in SFPRP or nonpermanent.
Here are all my bug hotels (one is still pending of being nominated)
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I like bug/insect hotels as Wayspots.
In the UK, they will often be at holiday sites like the ones at CenterParcs and Forest Holidays above. There’s even one at Puzzlewood (where things like Merlin, Doctor Who and Star Wars have had sections filmed) which I need to appeal, so thanks for reminder.
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I’d say they are likely not bee hives bee hives shouldn’t be interacted with too much since if humans provoke bees there is risk of being stung, or getting in the way of a migrating hive is likely not a good idea either.
The type of bee that happily lives in tubes in store-bought and publicly maintained insect hotels (locally it’s mason bees) doesn’t form hives and doesn’t sting. Doesn’t make honey, either, but is an absolutely essential pollinator. So these houses are likely more for this type.
I think that’s maybe the confusing part for some people, it’s for bees (other insects too!) but not hive bees.
Completely agree that signs help, but one shouldn’t be required if the purpose is clear, imo.
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Thank you!
Yes, my understanding is that solitary bees use bug hotels and particularly like bricks with holes in if we can provide those. Definitely not a hive - its about supporting other species that have less attention given than regular honey bees
I wish I could build something like this at my place but I just dont have a suitable location since we face due south/north and on the side of a hill, so its far too exposed and lacking a sheltered spot with the right conditions.
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Exactly! Yep location matters as well, in my understanding.
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