“Insects, worms, and other small animals that carry out vital functions for life on earth have declined by 45 percent average over 35 years, threatening human, water quality and food supplies…”
– Steve Connor, “Vital invertebrates decline 45 percent, study finds,” independent.co.uk, July 2014
Research Proposal
In order to protect the depleting population of insects, I propose to create a functional habitat, or “insect hotel”, for permanent display in a park. The wooden structure must also utilize the elements of design and be pleasing to the human eye.
Research of Insect
I am designing my insect hotel solely for the use of spiders. I focused my research on spiders local to Wisconsin and studied their appearance, habitats, and seasonal habits. Some spiders have overwinter habitats like rocks, loose bark, foliage, and woodpiles. Spiders are cold-blooded, so it is key for these breeds of spiders to have a warm habitat in order to survive the cold weather. Common spiders, such as the Brown Recluse and the Barn Funnel Weaver, are oftentimes found in human homes during the winter. However, any environment warm enough to “hibernate” is suitable. There are also species that have an annual life cycle. Species such as the
Yellow Garden Spider creates egg sacks in the winter to hatch in the spring. There are also spiders that reside in dark, humid habitats year-round, such as the Hacklemesh Weaver, Barn Funnel Weaver, and Brown Recluse Spider.
Initial sketches
I scrapped my original sculptural design to focus on a more cozy, enclosed space.
However, I still wanted to maintain a sense of unpredictability and sharp angles. I saved these elements for the interior and the opening. The design is also inspired by the Yellow Garden Spider. The females have an intriguing pattern on the top of the abdomen that I tried to mimic with the design of the opening. I plan to have the 2 hotel freestanding (either on the ground or a stand). Inside the hotel I want the separate compartments to be filled with foilage, rocks, and wood chips. The shelves holding the material will be asymmetrical, contrasting to the symmetrical exterior.
Final Reflection
Creating the final product was a journey that required many tweaks to the original design. First of all, there was not enough wood to create full 2’ long sides. I also removed the extra pieces as shown in the Sketchup model, choosing to cut each of the sides’ edges using a custom sled. The slatted bottom is another alteration made due to the amount of material on hand. In addition, the evenly-spaced slots allow extra moisture to escape the enclosure. The most notable part of the hotel is the copper roof; I created a frame and bent the copper sheet over it in order to achieve the angles I created in my cardboard model. Inside the hotel, there are only two “shelves” instead of four. This alteration was made to conserve space and provide more room for the habitat. I included foliage, small logs, and biodegradable material as nesting space for spiders.
All in all, I wanted to create a unique habitat for spiders, and I believe my visions were exceeded. I hope my creation will benefit the local environment, insects and humans alike.