Relax... it’s time to go big on bugs
Bees and butterf lies are under threat as their vital habitats disappear, but you can help them by planting some nectar-rich magnets
WHEN I was young, my family lived in a small town close to the River Nene in rural Northamptonshire. During the summer holidays, my dad, mum, sister and I would often amble across the nearby fields to a bridge spanning the river, where we would enjoy a leisurely picnic in a beautiful floodplain meadow. Our favourite spot to pitch camp was rich in native trees, wildflowers and grasses and teemed with wildlife.
A few years ago I had an urge to revisit the place that I had last seen as a 12-year-old.
Alas, after a long drive I was appalled to find the natural landscape of my youth had been destroyed by a bypass.
But it’s not just my little patch of childhood paradise that’s gone.
Conservationists estimate that 97 per cent of meadows have been wiped out since the 1930s. Apart from their aesthetic value, meadows are an important habitat for pollinating insects, and their loss has taken its toll on bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies.
In fact, a report just published by
Butterfly Conservation warns that half of Britain’s 58 resident species are under threat of extinction due to the loss of natural habitats and other factors, while a study carried out by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology claims a third of our wild bees and hoverflies are in decline.
Fortunately, gardeners can help to make a big difference to the plight of these important insects.
Filling gaps in beds and borders with the right plants, providing places for them to hunker down and making some small changes to the way we maintain our plots will all help to attract and safeguard these creatures.
The first step for turning a normal garden into a haven for pollinators is to grow a mix of annuals, bulbs, perennials, climbers and shrubs that are rich in pollen and nectar. As a rule, British natives and ornamentals with simple, sin
gle flowers are much better than exotic species or those with fancy double blooms.
Make sure there are plants to keep bugs happy all year round.
Buddleia, lavender and hebe are summer favourites, with aster, dahlia and salvia magnets to pollinators in autumn. Mahonia, sarcococca and crocus are among the best winter plants, and daphne, primrose and pulmonaria are a good source of food in spring.
Taking a relaxed approach to the maintenance of your plot will make it more welcoming to pollinators. Consider hiving off a small corner and allow it to be taken over by grasses and wildflowers, and ignore the odd weed as their flowers are rich in nectar and some are food for caterpillars.
As far as I’m concerned, pesticides should only ever be used as a last resort, because those containing chemicals are non-selective and will kill pollinators as well as the pests you are trying to tackle. Swap for organic sprays and never use on plants in flower to avoid accidentally harming beneficial insects.
Pollinators will naturally shelter, rest or hibernate within plants or cracks in buildings, but with the modern change in land use it’s a good idea to give them a helping hand by installing a generic bug box. Fix to a vertical surface, 5ft8ft above ground, and the nooks and crannies will attract a wide range of creatures.
Another option is to support a specific type of insect. Garden centres and online wildlife stores stock loads of different havens, including bee boxes, lacewing chambers and ladybird houses. Butterfly nesting boxes have slits in the front to allow them access
to a snug inner chamber.