World’s Biggest Bug Hotel (2022)

We are absolutely delighted to announce that on Monday 28th March 2022, Highland Titles achieved a new Guinness® World Record for the world’s biggest bug/insect hotel, meaning that Highland Titles is “Officially Amazing®”

Our Nature Reserve manager, Stewart Borland, and our awesome team have been working on this for 6 months and the NEW WORLD RECORD is just reward for their hard work.

“We are thrilled about this,” says Stewart, who has personally welcomed thousands of visitors to the Highland Titles Nature Reserve at Duror, near Glencoe. “It’s a great way of getting the conservation message out there, and also a good use of the non-native Sitka which we’ve been gradually removing over the years. The sitka has undoubtedly been poor for biodiversity, so it’s nice to see the same sitka doing some good now.”

6 months of back-breaking work and 7 members of staff were required to complete this project, and the end result will eventually be home to millions of insects such as ants, ladybirds, beetles, bees and butterflies.

This, in turn, will help to feed other animals on the nature reserve such as bats, hedgehogs, birds and badgers.

Stewart, Fiona, Heather, Andrew and Joanne Brent from Guinness® World Records

The 199.9 cubic metre structure is made from felled sitka spruce, bamboo canes, masonry bricks, forest bark and wood chippings. In order to meet the stringent world record requirements, the size of the bug hotel was measured by a chartered surveyor and the presence of bug life confirmed by a local expert.

It is sure to prove a hit with visitors to the nature reserve, says Stewart.

“In 2019, we had more than 10,000 visitors to the nature reserve from all over the world. The pandemic really put a dent in our visitor numbers, so we hope that this – together with the new track which is just adored by cyclists – will encourage people to visit now that travel is opening up again. The more visitors we get, the more people can see the work that we’re doing.”

Stewart Borland – Highland Titles Nature Reserve Manager

The structure used felled non-native sitka spruce

Nature Reserve Manager, Stewart Borland

A growing list of achievements….

The successful world record attempt is the latest in a growing list of achievements for Highland Titles which include

• planting thousands of trees
• creating a 3-acre lochan
• building a hedgehog hospital
• working with local schools on education projects
• helping to reintroduce 3 endangered species to the area (the red squirrel, the hedgehog and the osprey)
• installing miles of all-ability access track so everyone can enjoy the nature reserve

Douglas Wilson, CEO of the company, is pleased:

“Our conservation work is funded by the sales of our gift-sized plots of land. I don’t know how many gift companies have created nature reserves or hold Guinness® World Records, but I’ll bet it’s not many. You can add this to the list of our achievements, none of which would be possible without the support of our community of souvenir plot owners – the Lords and Ladies of Glencoe™.”

Douglas Wilson, CEO – Highland Titles