Bug hotels are increasing in number of stations across North Yorkshire thanks to a workshop that started back in April.

Undergraduates originally started the project as part of their ‘Year in Industry’ working for Northern. The project is now run by the Bentham Community Rail Partnership.

The scheme has been designed to educate biodiversity to school children so that they are made aware about the importance of looking after local habitats and how to help them thrive.

Gargrave Primary School in North Yorkshire is the latest school to participate in the workshop, which also includes the building of bug hotels.

The young students have been working together to construct a home for insects that is to be erected at the local railway station.

The many species of insects and bugs like a range of conditions. Considering this, they use wood from dismantled wood pallets to make bug hotels.

Once this is complete, it is filled with other natural materials such as moss, sticks, and leaves which are sourced by the school children, before the hotel is ready for installation on the platform at Gargrave station.

The new bug hotel was put in place last week, and so far it has welcomed its first guests.

Many schools across North Yorkshire will undertake similar projects during the remainder of this year. Each bug hotel contributes to keeping the number of bugs at a stable level.

In some cases, they can be a haven for some of the most endangered species. Although small, they help with the regeneration of the eco-system, whether that is through eating decaying wood or leaves to be turned into soil, to pollinate the plants, which produce the fruits and vegetables that we all consume. They are small but mighty creatures and they need to be protected.

“We are committed to making a positive contribution to the environmental sustainability of the areas in which we operate.

“Bug hotels like this one at Gargrave are small but practical interventions we can make to increase biodiversity at our stations.

“We’re grateful to the students at Gargrave Primary School for their help with this first ‘bug hotel’ and we’re confident of five-star reviews from its guests.”

David Gray, head of energy and environment at Northern