The insect hotel builder

Created: 01/21/2022, 18:00

Insect hotels by hand: The chairman of the AK Naturschutz Walpertskirchen, Hans Fertl, built numerous shelters for small creatures.

© Vroni Vogel

Hans Fertl (79) from Walpertskirchen built numerous insect hotels by hand.

They are to be installed in the municipal area in the near future.

Walpertskirchen

– Busy bees and creative: Hans Fertl from Walpertskirchen built numerous insect hotels by hand. Fertl, who will be 80 in August, has been the chairman of the nature conservation working group in Walpertskirchen for 40 years, has extensive knowledge of flora and fauna and is also an energetic handyman. The insect hotels were created in his open-air workshop in the garden and are soon to be installed in the community area.

Anyone who likes to be active with their hands can easily build an insect hotel themselves. Fertl provides brief instructions for use. It takes hardwood planks to drill around 110 to 200 different sized holes, three to four centimeters deep to form nest cavities, and spaced one to three centimeters apart. The holes should not be arranged in uniform rows, but in patterns, because that makes it easier for the insects to find their way around, explains Fertl, adding: "The hole walls must be smooth to avoid the risk of injury."

The houses should be placed on the south or east side of buildings. If you attach them at eye level, you can easily observe the residents. However, patience is needed until the insect hotel is occupied. "The occupation can last more than a year." Incidentally, the animal inhabitants are "not people with stabbing weapons", but mostly thornless. If the dwelling is exposed to the rain, it is a good idea to protect it with a small tin roof. The insect hotel builder advises that you should first build a few smaller houses for practice. According to Fertl, handmade hotels are a viable alternative to purchased accommodation, which is usually unsuitable and expensive.

With a view to the future of the working group, Fertl hopes to be able to hand over the chairmanship to younger hands this year, after having worked on a voluntary basis for environmental protection and species protection for half his life.

talks are ongoing.

The AK boss is pleased that more new members could be won and hopes that this trend will continue.

In 2022 there will also be an anniversary celebration that is inextricably linked to the founding father Hans Fertl: 40 years of the Walpertskirchen Nature Conservation Working Group.

Vroni Vogel