20 nests and thousands of mosquitoes a day

Who will really be working above Torrevieja’s hospital

In Torrevieja, 20 artificial nests have been installed on the façade of the University Hospital, next to the lagoon. Officially, this is part of the city’s Biodiversity Promotion Plan. In practice, the city has invited a small but highly efficient aerial team to help.

The species is Delichon urbicum, the common house martin — those swift silhouettes crossing the summer sky.

Now they have new housing in Torrevieja.

A house martin measures about 13 centimetres and weighs around 18 grams. Yet in the air, it is remarkably effective.

A single adult can consume between 500 and 1,000 flying insects per day. During breeding season, even more.

If even part of the 20 nests are occupied, that could mean thousands of insects being removed daily around the hospital and lagoon.

No chemicals.No heavy machinery.Just wings.

Across Europe, similar initiatives are expanding. In the UK, “Swift Streets” install dozens of nest boxes. In Edinburgh, nest modules are built directly into buildings. Spanish universities are adopting comparable measures.

Torrevieja is now part of this ecological movement.

And what happens next?

Soon they will return.From Africa to the skies above the lagoon.

First one. Then another. Then a pair.And the warm air will fill with movement again.

If all goes well, these 20 nests will mark the beginning of a new urban colony.And every summer, above the hospital, there will be the soft sound of fast wings.

Sometimes big changes start with very small things.In this case, with 20 nests and just a few grams of feathers.

And that, truly, is good news.

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