Conservation of Insect Diversity in Urban EnvironmentsConservation of biodiversity is a major issue in today's increasingly urbanized society. In particular, insect diversity is threatened in urban environments.
Insects are an important part of the ecosystem, playing roles such as pollination and material circulation. See photo (1) below. Insects are responsible for pollinating not only the flowers and grasses we see, but also vegetables and fruits.
Effects of Urbanization on Insect DiversityUrbanization can have a negative impact on the structure and diversity of wildlife communities. In urban environments, habitats for insects are being lost due to the reduction and fragmentation of green spaces and the increase in man-made structures. The use of pesticides and the invasion of exotic species also have a negative impact on insect diversity. As a result, the number of species and populations of insects in urban areas is decreasing, and the balance of the ecosystem is being disrupted.
If insects disappear, naturally the natural environment cannot be maintained, and people will not be able to eat vegetables and other foods.... This is where the concept of "bug hotels" comes into focus. Bug hotels are an attempt to preserve insect diversity in urban environments by providing a home for insects. This article describes how to utilize bug hotels in Japanese gardens.
Role and Use of Bug Hotels (Insect Hotels)
Bug hotels (insect hotels) can contribute to the conservation of insect diversity in urban environments by providing artificial habitats for insects. Bug hotels are structures made of timber, bamboo, bricks, and other materials that insects can use to lay eggs, rest, and overwinter. See photo #2. Even the limited urban environment provides a valuable habitat for insects. Compared to the bug hotel introduced earlier, this is a somewhat simpler structure, but with a little ingenuity and consideration, it is possible to create a comfortable living environment for insects.
When installing a bug hotel, it is important to select appropriate materials and structures to suit the local climate and environment. It is also important to make not only the bug hotel but also the surrounding environment attractive to insects. Planting native plant species and providing water features can further increase the diversity of insects. There are a number of species of insects native to Mie Prefecture that have a high potential for entering bug hotels.
Various taxa of insects are thought to utilize bug hotels, including spiders, praying mantis, grasshoppers, stinkbugs, flying foxes, butterflies, borers, and bees. However, the type and number of insects that enter the bug hotel depends largely on the environmental conditions of the installation site, the surrounding vegetation, and the season, so localized measures are needed.
Spiders native to Mie Prefecture: Diptera, flatback spiders, mannequin spiders, asybuthid shiny spiders, and asybuthid spiders. Spiders prefer crevices and burrows, making them suitable for bug hotel structures. Praying Mantis: Harabiro's mantis, praying mantis, and praying mantis. Mantis often mimic tree branches and stems and may be attracted to bug hotels made of wood or bamboo.
Grasshoppers including the grasshopper tsetse, ussuri, cercopithecidae, cercopithecus, and cane fly. Grasshoppers prefer thick vegetation, so vegetation around the bug hotel is important. Camelids often hide behind plant stems and leaves, but they can also get into the crevices of the bug hotel. Caddisflies include the caddisflies Cogtails, Bearded Stinkbugs, Kawamuranagara Stinkbugs, and Ningyot Stinkbugs.
Larvae of the caddisflies are aquatic, but adults hatch on land and may use bug hotels. Butterflies include the Imokibe Moth, Cohosothorax japonicus, Ichimonji ciceri, Uragus nipponensis, and Monk butterfly. Most butterflies are plant-dependent, but may be attracted to bug hotels because they may rest in bark crevices or under dead leaves.
Coccids include the blue-headed greenbirds, flatworms, and jawed bonnetworms. Although borers use a wide variety of habitats, species that prefer decaying wood and soil are more likely to be attracted to bug hotels. Bee species include the Japanese bee, minnows, minnows, black ants, and chiaroscuro bees. Some species of bees may use bug hotels because they nest in wood or soil.
The type and number of insects that enter a bug hotel depends largely on the environmental conditions of the installation site, the surrounding vegetation, and the season. A combination of different materials and structures, as well as the surrounding environment, will attract a wide variety of insects. It is also important to regularly observe bug hotels and monitor their use. Effectiveness of Bug HotelsBug hotels may help protect native polinators (pollinators), but further research is needed to determine their effectiveness. Although they are a promising tool that may contribute to the conservation of insect diversity in urban environments, it appears that not enough research has yet been conducted.
Therefore, we would like to clarify the relationship between the design of our bug hotel and its effectiveness - by thoroughly investigating the effects of materials, structure, location, and other conditions on the use of insects. To this end, we will work on the following points in the future.
●Establish optimal bug hotel design guidelines for the region and environment.
Long-term monitoring
Long-term tracking of changes in insect species and populations before and after the installation of bug hotels.
Evaluate the impact of bug hotels on the conservation of insect diversity in urban environments. Citizen Participatory Research
The general public will install bug hotels and collect data on insect observations.
Using citizen science methods, large-scale data collection and analysis will be conducted.
Through these studies, it is expected that the effectiveness and optimal use of bug hotels will be clarified. It is also important to increase the interest and understanding of citizens regarding the importance of insects in the urban environment and the significance of biodiversity conservation through bug hotels.
As a side note, we are currently conducting a study of the natural environment of the biotope at Daiwa House Industry's Mie Plant in Mie Prefecture, Japan, with the participation of local citizens to examine its relationship with the local nature.
As with the Bug Hotel, it is very important to verify the effectiveness of our activities not only to objectively grasp the effects of our activities, but also to share the survey results with the participating citizens. We feel that by clearly communicating the effects of our collaborative efforts, we can gain understanding and sympathy for our activities, and this is one of the factors that encourage continued participation in our activities.
Please feel free to use any of the materials below.
[About downloading PDF files
Please feel free to use our blog article "The Appeal and Use of a Small Ecological Bug Hotel (Insect Hotel) in Your Home Garden" as a PDF file.
We hope you will share the information about the installation of bug hotels and biodiversity conservation with as many people as possible.
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