08/31/2026
Two Hanover Junior Girl Scouts have combined their love of nature and community service to complete a special project that will benefit local wildlife for years to come.
The project was created by Girl Scouts, Laura Blankinsop and Libby Lowe, from local Junior Troop #80727. They affectionately call themselves “The Pickle Pals” because of their shared love of pickles. Their friendship and teamwork played an important role in planning, building, and completing their project.
As part of earning the Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest achievement available to Girl Scouts at the Junior level, the girls designed and built an insect hotel that now resides here at Strawberry Hill! The project demonstrates leadership, teamwork, and a commitment to improving the local environment.
The Bronze Award encourages Girl Scouts to identify a need in their community and develop a sustainable project that creates a lasting positive impact. Rather than completing a simple one-time service activity, Bronze Award recipients are challenged to plan, research, and carry out a project that continues to benefit others after the work is finished.
For The Pickle Pals, that need was supporting local pollinators and beneficial insects. “We wanted to create something that would help insects and teach people about nature,” said Laura and Libby.
What Is an Insect Hotel?
An insect hotel, sometimes called a bug hotel, is a human-made structure designed to provide shelter for a variety of insects. These hotels are built using natural materials such as bamboo, hollow stems, wood, pinecones, bark, and drilled logs. Different insects use different spaces within the hotel for nesting, overwintering, and protection from predators and harsh weather.
While many people are familiar with honeybees, insect hotels are often especially helpful for solitary native bees, which do not live in hives. Other beneficial insects that may take up residence include ladybugs, lacewings, and certain beetles.
Why Are Insect Hotels Important?
Insects play a critical role in healthy ecosystems. Pollinators help flowering plants reproduce, which supports the growth of fruits, seeds, and native vegetation. Other
insects help control pests naturally, recycle nutrients, and serve as food for birds, amphibians, and other wildlife.
Unfortunately, insect populations have declined in many areas due to habitat loss, development, and changes in land use. Insect hotels provide additional nesting and shelter opportunities where natural habitat may be limited.
By creating safe spaces for beneficial insects, communities can help strengthen local biodiversity and support healthier ecosystems. A single insect hotel may become home to dozens of insects, each contributing in its own way to the balance of the natural environment.
A Lasting Benefit for Strawberry Hill
The insect hotel created by The Pickle Pals will become part of the educational and ecological resources available at Strawberry Hill. Visitors will be able to observe the structure and learn about the important role insects play in nature.
Through research, planning, construction, and installation, the girls gained hands-on experience in conservation while helping to protect local wildlife. Their project serves as a reminder that even small actions can create meaningful environmental benefits.
