What do pollinators need?
How can I help?
The good news is that it’s not too late. Most insect species have yet to go extinct, and they can swiftly recover given the right habitat. We gardeners can do a huge amount to help, for there are 22 million gardens in the UK, together covering an area of nearly half a million hectares, a bigger area than all of our nature reserves. Gardens can be extraordinarily rich in insect life, as was shown by Jenny Owen, who spent 35 years cataloguing the life in her small garden in suburban Leicester. She managed to identify 2,700 different animals and plants, with nearly 2,000 of them being different types of insect. With just a few tweaks, every garden can become a haven for wildlife.
Growing the right kinds of flowers is a great start. In general, go for traditional cottage-garden flowers and herbs, avoiding double varieties and most annual bedding plants. There is plenty of detailed advice available, online or in books.
Avoid using pesticides, particularly insecticides. In a healthy garden, it is good to have a few greenfly and other pests; they provide food for the many natural predators that will keep them in check.
Try to be tolerant of ‘weeds’, such as buttercups, teasel, herb robert and cow parsley; these are beautiful native flowers, enjoyed by pollinators. The label of ‘weed’ is arbitrary; one person’s weed is another’s wildflower. I have all the above, plus thistles and ragwort in my garden, all smothered in insects when in flower.
Other wildlife-boosting methods include reducing the frequency with which you cut your lawn, planting a flowering tree, not using peat-based compost;
Gardeners can do a huge amount to help – there are 22 million gardens in the UK, covering a bigger area than all of our nature reserves
digging a pond; making a bee hotel; or a hoverfly lagoon. You don’t have to do all of these things, but do what you can – it all helps, and perhaps together we can ensure that our cities, towns and villages teem with bumblebees, butterflies, and other buzzing creatures for generations to come.
Dave Goulson is author of Gardening for Bumblebees; A Practical Guide to Creating a Paradise for Pollinators.
Turn to page 46 for Alan Titchmarsh’s 10 ways to attract wildlife to your garden.