At the Marimurtra Botanical Garden, we continue working to make the biodiversity around us more accessible and easier to understand. Recently, we have renewed the information panel at the insect hotel located next to the vegetable garden, an element already present in the Garden but which now features clearer, more visual and educational signage.
This new panel helps visitors better understand what an insect hotel is, which species can find shelter there and the important role this space plays in the ecological balance of the Garden.
What is an insect hotel?
An insect hotel is an artificial shelter built with natural materials —such as canes, small logs, hay, pine cones or terracotta pieces— that mimic the microhabitats where many insects and other small arthropods live. These spaces allow them to shelter, reproduce, lay eggs or overwinter under suitable conditions.
In managed environments such as botanical gardens, these shelters become especially relevant, as they help compensate for the loss of natural habitats that many species experience outside these spaces.
What is it for?
The insect hotel at Marimurtra hosts beneficial fauna that contributes directly to the proper functioning of the Garden. The new panel explains three major groups of insects according to the function they perform:
Pollinators, such as some solitary bees or hoverflies, essential for the reproduction of many plants.
Detritivores, which break down organic matter and help recycle nutrients in the soil.
Pest controllers, such as ladybirds, lacewings or spiders, which help maintain the natural balance of the vegetable garden and the Garden.
A small element with a great impact on biodiversity
With the renewal of this panel, Marimurtra reinforces its commitment to sharing the importance of biodiversity and the ecosystem services provided by smaller fauna. The insect hotel is not only a shelter, but also an educational tool that invites observation, understanding and appreciation of nature from a more attentive perspective.
 |  |