There are thousands of different insects in the world and most of the time we are
trying to get rid of them. I think we notice the insects that we don’t want around much more than the insects that we actually need. There are also many different creepy crawlies like worms, caterpillars, snails and centipedes.
Why do we want insects in the garden?
Insects have their special jobs in your wildlife garden so you will want to find ways to attract the good bugs. If you have read the article on attracting birds you will already know that some birds eat insects. That is one reason why you would want some in your garden. Another reason is because some of the good insects actually feed on the bad insects. An example would be the ladybird beetle that eats aphids.
What do insects need?
Insects also have their special needs and will need places to make their homes. An old, rotting log; a pile of stones; a heap of sticks and a mulch layer around your plants. These must be left and not disturbed otherwise you might destroy the homes made by the insects.
The insects will also need food. Some feed off plants, some eat pollen, some nectar and some will eat rotting plant material (your mulch layer or compost heap). Some insects will even eat other insects. Two that come to mind are the praying mantis and the ladybird beetle.
Water will also be welcomed by some insects such as butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Even bees will be found sipping water.
And the Creepy Crawlies?
The worms, caterpillars and centipedes will normally be found feeding off the plants
themselves and also in the ground and in the mulch layer. You will often find birds scratching in the mulch to find their dinner. You might not like the idea of caterpillars using your prize plants as food, but if you want butterflies and moths in your garden then you will have to live with a few caterpillars.
[pictures from PixaBay free images]