Other Insects

Non-bee pollinators and insects

Although bees are vital to pollination which is necessary for us humans, there are many other insects that are important and are pollinators! Some of these include: wasps, beetles, butterflies, and moths. Relying on one type of species to carry out such a vital task is risky, since if that group of insects are hit with a virus or something that will affect their population size (like global warming!) we would then be left with no pollinators for our crops. In some areas the total work done by the non-bee insects is more than what the bees themselves do! Therefore, here you can find information about other creatures that are important to our plants and crops.

Wasps

Yes, we all despise wasps, they attack you for no real reason and unlike bees they do not die after stinging someone. They are very vigorous. However, they have a vital role in the environment. Not only do they get rid of pests as it is a predator, but they too pollinate just like the bee. Without them we would have many more annoying pests by our crops and plants. You could call them your little pest control agent! Unfortunately, since they are very aggressive you may not want so many in your garden (especially if you are allergic!). You can use natural ways to get rid of wasps such as placing simple wasp traps with bait (use savoury bait so bees aren’t attracted), or hanging false nests so they are attracted there rather than your garden.

Beetles

Beetles such as stag beetles are in fact an endangered species that gravely need our help. As mentioned, they are also important and harmless! They spend a great deal of their lives underground as larvae and as adults they mainly only come out to mate during late spring and summer. To help stag beetles what you can do is have some in your garden in the summer. They're very nice to watch and don’t bother you. What you can do to help them is to leave any dead wood in your garden as they tend to feed on that. You should also fend off any predators like cats and magpies.

Butterflies

Many people like butterflies because of the pretty patterns on their wings. The monarch butterfly is a well-known butterfly, (one may even call it ‘iconic’) that many people marvel over. Sadly, they are in danger (not endangered) because of the use of pesticides that are harmful for them. To help butterflies like these there are multiple things that you can do. One simple one is to not use pesticides that are harmful for (your local) butterflies. You can also plant plants that are beneficial and preferred by the butterflies in your area. You can place way-stations for them to lay eggs and wood too.

Moths

Moths are the less popular friend of butterflies, as you may know that moths come out at night and are attracted to light. Moths are important because they provide as food for many other insects. They also help plants by pollinating them and when they eat the leaves, they help the plants develop chemicals that make them less appealing to caterpillars. So, it would be handy for you to have some in your garden. Like many insects, many species of moths also are declining in numbers. Usually to help critters such as moths you need to do less! To help them you should limit trimmings. If you have hedges you should minimise the amount you trim to once every few years. A lot of the time our meddling can ruin wildlife as they are meant to be wild, not tamed!

Generally, it is best to not use a lot of strong pesticides and to let your garden be a little messy! That means it’s okay if you are a little lazy every now and then 😉

All of our sources may be found on the sources page of our website.