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Bees, Bugs & Butterflies Festival
Did you know that every mouthful we eat is all thanks to pollinators? Our food depends on these insects to ensure it makes it to our tables; bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and beetles all do the important work to pollinate your favourite dishes.
July sees the beginning of our Bees, Bugs & Butterflies festival here at Bell Plantation, where we aim to shout about the importance of our insect biodiversity. We should by now, all know how vital these creatures are to our planet and eco-systems… but if you don’t, we’re here to help! By using this month to educate our customer we hope to encourage people not to be so quick to squish creepy crawlies, because they actually contribute to our lives so much more than we think!
Every garden and part of land is vital to our insect biodiversity. It is though that insect number could have dropped by 50% or more since the 70’s, which means we have hard work to do to increase that number. Luckily, there are small steps you can take in your garden to encourage more wildlife; here are our suggestions…
What Can I Do To Help?
Create a wildflower patch
Choose a patch or part of your garden to scatter some wildflower seeds in! Watch the wildflowers grow and the insects follow.
Give the mower a break
Consider giving the lawn mower a break and skipping mowing the lawn for a month or so, this can really benefit lots wildlife and create habitats.
Create a leaf/ log pile OR bug hotel
Create a log/ leaf/ stick pile by gathering garden logs and leaves into a pile, this will in turn create a cosy and safe space for all kinds of creatures.
Alternatively, create or invest in a bug hotel – this will create a home for lots of species.
Grow a range of plants
Different plants will attract different species, so in order to encourage wildlife into your garden its great to plants a range of flowers.
Tip – try and grow native plants as this is more attractive to British wildlife.
Start a compost heap
Creating a compost heap will attract loads of wildlife that will feed off of it and use it as a home, or a safe space to hide.
Build a pond
Ponds are fantastic for so many different creatures, you can attract dragonflies, damselflies, water beetles and even frogs, newts and grass snakes.
