While some may squirm when they think of bugs and insects, these miniature creatures are in fact incredibly important to our environment. Of course, there are some species that are known for being a nuisance, whether they are guilty of nibbling away at hostas or destroying delphiniums, but many of our insects help pollinate flowers and crops, signify healthy environments, and keep pests at bay.
“Insects are a core component of our ecosystems and crucial for maintaining the integrity, diversity and richness of green spaces,” comments Eric Michels, Head of Pro at Vivara and CJ Wildlife. “With our planet facing a climate emergency, the urgency of combatting the closely intertwined issues of climate change and biodiversity loss is increasingly recognised, and looking after the bugs in your own back garden is a small but significant way that everyone can help out.”
To help make caring for Britain’s insects easy, wildlife expert CJ Wildlife offers a wide range of habitats that will make the perfect home for all kinds of small but mighty species.
Alboran Insect Hotel – £19.99
The beautifully designed Alboran Insect Hotel is perfect for an array of small insects including solitary bees. Made from spruce wood and bamboo, this hotel is the ideal location for bees to collect pollen, depositing it in the bamboo tubes where they will then lay their eggs. Once the eggs have hatched, the pollen provides a vital source of food for the young bees, before flying off to begin pollinating even more plants. Simply position the insect hotel in a sunny spot amongst nectar-rich plants and wait for it to become a hive of activity.
Insect Hotel Majorca – £34.99 – featured in image
CJ Wildlife’s Insect Hotel Majorca provides the perfect home for a wide range of species. It features a bumblebee nest in the centre and a variety of shelters designed to attract solitary bees, lacewings, and ladybirds. Insects are an integral part of a balanced ecosystem, and providing shelter for these species will help to control pests such as aphids as well as pollinate flowers and crops throughout the garden.
National Trust Build Your Own Dana Butterfly House Kit – £19.99
Kids love getting outdoors and playing eye spy for insects, so why not give them their own insect house to look after? CJ Wildlife’s new National Trust Build Your Own Dana Butterfly House Kit is the perfect activity to get children involved in caring for nature in their own back garden. The kit contains everything needed to build a beautiful butterfly house so that little ones can offer a safe space for butterflies to rest.
Once built, the house can be decorated with wildlife friendly paint and positioned in a sheltered spot in the garden near nectar-rich plants for butterflies to enjoy.
Salina Insect Hotel Yellow – £34.99
Provide a home for a variety of bugs and bees with the new WoodStone® Salina Insect Hotel. Available in two colours, this attractive hotel is made from a blend of concrete and FSC® certified wood fibres, creating a breathable and durable structure with a more consistent internal temperature, and replaceable bamboo tubes. Solitary bees such as mason and leafcutter bees are the most likely to visit this unique hotel, depositing pollen in the bamboo tubes and laying their eggs. Simply place the stylish hotel in a sunny area of the garden surrounded by pollen-rich flowering plants.
Cuba Mini Insect House on pole – 4 pack – £22.99
Dot insect hotels around the whole garden with the Cuba Mini Insect House on pole – 4 pack. Designed specifically for bees, spreading the Cuba Mini Insect houses throughout the garden will help ensure tired bees have a place to rest and lay their eggs. Positioned in a sunny spot and surrounded by insect friendly flowers, these charming hotels will ensure your garden is buzzing with activity in no time.
“Insects are vitally important to a healthy planet – humans and other life forms could not survive without them. The food we eat, the fish we catch, the birds we see, the flowers we smell and the hum of life we hear, simply would not exist without bugs,” comments Paul Hetherington, Director of Fundraising and Communications of Buglife.
“Buglife’s Bugs Matter Citizen Science survey is showing that bug numbers across the UK have fallen by 60% in the last 20 years. It is essential that we all do what we can to reverse these declines – adding a bug home and planting some bug friendly plants is a great start.”
Insects play a vital role in our ecosystem, so it’s important to provide a variety of shelters and food sources to help them thrive. With CJ Wildlife’s extensive range of bug hotels, butterfly houses, and bee habitats, it couldn’t be easier to support the creepy crawlies living in our back gardens.
Browse the full range and learn more about how bugs benefit our gardens at www.birdfood.co.uk
