World_of_Animals_Issue_46_2017

Gardening gone wild
Insects provide food for larger animals
and protect your plants from pests
Ladybirds
specialise in
feeding on plantdestroying
pests
such as aphids
While you may not spot them as easily as
birds and other larger animals, an abundance
of insects are likely to live in your garden.
These mini beasts form an important part
of the food chain, supplying numerous
animals with the nutrition they need to
survive. What’s more, several insect species
can serve as a natural defence against more
destructive pests, protecting your favourite
plants from the likes of slugs and aphids.
Ladybirds are some of the most familiar
garden insects and should be welcomed.
These charming red and black beetles are
brilliant at controlling aphid populations,
which can be a scourge on all kinds of
foliage. Ladybirds can be attracted by
plants such as dill and dandelions.
Other beneficial insects include
ground beetles (which eat slugs)
and dragonflies (which eat
mosquitoes). And while
they’re not technically
insects, spiders are a
fantastic first line of
defence against flies
and earwigs.
© Thinkstock;Gary K Smith /Alamy Stock Photo
How to attract insects
It’s well worth putting in a little effort in order to
build a bug haven in your back garden
Build a bug hotel
Include a pond in your garden
Leave some long grass and weeds
Avoid pesticides and insecticides
Choose insect-friendly plants
Don’t fear the weaver
Despite their portrayal as the stuff of
nightmares, spiders are useful guests
Before you brush away the next cobweb you find, stop
for a moment to consider the many advantages of
having these eight-legged hunters in your garden.
Along with other garden critters, spiders are
considered beneficial predators due to the nature
of their prey. While some actively hunt the likes of
woodlice on the ground, others spin a web and await
the arrival of pests such as flies and moths.
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