World Record Holders
World’s largest bug hotel built at WWT Martin Mere in Lancashire
WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre has been awarded a Guinness World Record for creating the world’s largest bug hotel at 18.46m3.
The hotel’s residents already include leafcutter bees, mason bees, spiders, moths, a peacock butterfly, a frog and even a bat.
It took just one month for visitors to Martin Mere to fill 720 25cm square cubes with materials such as bamboo, twigs, straw, wood, pine cones, leaves and material from their gardens. The boxes, made of corrugated board, were supplied by DS Smith’s UK Packaging Division.
WWT’s Nick Brooks, said: “We have broken the current world record by over eight cubic metres. This has been a fantastic community achievement. Local schools and businesses got involved as well as thousands of our visitors. The bug hotel has proven to be a great attraction as well as a new home for wildlife.”
The measuring of the hotel was witnessed by members of local councils, and Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Liverpool World Museum and Conservation Contracts North West came along to confirm that insects are living in the hotel and that it is fit for purpose.
Nick continues: “We are providing a safe place for insects and other animals to sleep, breed and hibernate. All life needs water and nearly all of it needs land too at some point. More than 100,000 species of animal rely on freshwater ecosystems alone (half of which are insects!). This bug hotel is going to play a vital role in increasing the already amazing biodiversity of Martin Mere’s wetland habitat.”
David Richardson, Managing Director at DS Smith’s Burscough site, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for the Centre to be awarded the Guinness World Record and testament to the commitment and hard work of both the Centre and our local community. We’re proud to have had the opportunity to support this project, and to be able to provide shelter for animals and insects using versatile and sustainable materials.”
Martin Mere is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 9.30am to 6pm during summer months (and until 4.30pm during the winter) and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations. Visit the website http://www.wwt.org.uk/martinmere/ to find out what’s on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight WWT Wetland Centres.
