I have written before about using old tree protectors as bug hotels. I am not sure if this is a totally good way to reuse them as eventually they will break down into microplastics throughout the woodland. However while I am pondering what to do longer term it seems like a good idea to put them to use.
This year's development of the bug hotel design is to fill the cavity of the inner tube with twigs to give it that sheltered homely feeling:
The overall design remains the same: tubes cut in half with 4 placed one inside the other to give plenty of crevices to crawl into. Reused tree stakes hammered in to give the support and reused chicken wire to wrap the whole thing to make it stable:
It is important to put a windproof backing so that is snug and warm:
I will pile brush and leaves on top throughout the year to make it a good hibernation place next year.
There is a recycling scheme for green tubes run by Tubeex which looks good, but they only recycle their own tubes and there is a minimum of 6 'bunny bags' for collection at £39 per bag - so it is designed for a large scale than my woodland. Maybe I need to find a nearby commercial planting who also want to recycle.
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