Build it and they will come: grasshoppers check-in to a grassland bee hotel

Tim Gardiner,Kimberley Fargeaud

doi:10.3897/jor.27.28385

Abstract

A five-floor bee hotel was constructed using wooden pallets in an area of urban grassland in Ipswich, United Kingdom. Within one month of construction, two grasshopper species were observed using the hotel, with nymphs in shaded, uncut grass at the base, while adults were observed on all five floors and the roof. On the fourth floor, a stridulating field grasshopper, Chorthippusbrunneus, was sighted on two separate occasions. Further research is required to determine whether bee hotels may be an effective ‘shade’ refuge for grasshoppers in open grassland, while also providing an effective platform for stridulation.

Highlights

Bee hotels are considered to be part of the solution for reversing pollinator declines linked to loss of foraging and nesting habitats (Moenen 2012, MacIvor and Packer 2015)
The apparent use of bee hotels by other taxa is not well reported in the scientific literature. It is with this latter point in mind that the usage of a bee hotel by grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) was studied in an urban grassland in the UK
On 12 July (1600 h), less than one month after construction, a field grasshopper, Chorthippus brunneus, late instar nymph was seen in shade on the second floor and a lesser marsh grasshopper, Chorthippus albomarginatus, was observed singing from grass at the base of the first-floor pallet

Summary

Introduction

Bee hotels are considered to be part of the solution for reversing pollinator declines linked to loss of foraging and nesting habitats (Moenen 2012, MacIvor and Packer 2015). It is with this latter point in mind that the usage of a bee hotel by grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) was studied in an urban grassland in the UK. The hotel was in full sun for most of the day, with shade provided by overhanging vegetation (bramble, Rubus fruticosus) on a first-floor ‘gallery’ created by the base pallet being larger than those above.

Results

Conclusion