Torrevieja is stepping up its commitment to urban biodiversity with the installation of new nesting boxes for insect-eating birds, strengthening natural and sustainable pest control across the town.
The council has installed 30 new nesting boxes for swifts, with 15 placed on the side of the former Town Hall building and a further 15 at CEIP Inmaculada Concepción. The initiative supports two species commonly found in the municipality — the common swift and the pallid swift — both highly valued for their role in controlling flying insects.
In addition, 20 nesting boxes for house martins have been installed this month on the exterior of Hospital Universitario de Torrevieja, overlooking the Torrevieja lagoon, where colonies of the protected species were identified last year. House martins are migratory birds that return between March and September, coinciding with peak mosquito activity, making them especially useful in sensitive environments such as hospitals.
Councillor for Pest Control Diana Box Alonso said the project forms part of Torrevieja’s Biodiversity Promotion Plan, which uses nature-based solutions to complement traditional urban pest management. The installation of artificial nests helps offset the loss of nesting spaces in modern buildings while promoting ecological balance and reducing reliance on chemical controls.
