What Are the Most Common Garden Insects?
If you're thinking of buying a bug hotel to turn your outdoor space into an insects garden, it's helpful to know which minibeasts might take up residence - and which you want to encourage!
Bug houses are an excellent opportunity to install a safe, warm space for friendly creatures that will keep unwanted pests under control and enhance the ecosystem in your garden.
Here the AllPetSolutions team explains which insects are your preferred bug hotel guests!
Bug Houses for Ladybirds
Smart red and black ladybirds often visit a bugs house and can live up to three years.
This tiny powerhouse of an insect is a great bugs hotel visitor since every larva that hatches eats up to 5,000 aphids.
Ladybirds also eat red spider mites and turn a bugs hotel into a protective system to defend your flowers.
Helping Bees With a Bugs Hotel
Fluffy bees are a welcome sight but are in danger due to the loss of natural habitats. In the UK, you can find up to 200 types of solitary bees, all of which need bug houses to shelter.
Having bees in your bugs hotel is good, since they are brilliant pollinators and offer considerable benefits to gardens.
Inviting Butterflies and Moths to Your Insects Garden
Delicate butterflies and dusty moths are another welcome bug hotel guests. Although caterpillars can be a nuisance, their parents make up for it by pollinating flowers and bringing beautiful colours to your garden.
These tiny bugs are also positive for an insects garden since they are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem for birds and bats.
Choosing a Ground Beetle Bug Hotel
Beetles might not be the most elegant creatures to have in your insects garden, but they're amazing predators, snapping up slugs and snails before they can cause havoc!
Ground beetles are nocturnal and cannot fly, so if you want to control the slug population, choose bug houses at ground level, shaded by leaves or stones to keep them settled.