Mini beasts or bugs of all kinds help nature to thrive. They are food for larger creatures such as birds or toads. They help clear away dead plants and leaves or wood and recycle it back into earth. Some, such as ladybirds and lacewings, even eat garden pests and help protect your flowers and vegetables!
How to build mini beast houses:
You can easily build a variety of bug homes for your garden using mostly recycled materials, or things found in most gardens. Here are some ideas:
Fill an old flowerpot – any size – with stones and bark chippings or dry leaves – push 2 or 3 dead branches or old twigs into the pot.
Create a log pile – a stack of decaying logs or branches tucked away in a corner of the garden makes a wonderful home for lots of fascinating mini beasts.
Tube-stations for insects – wash out a steel food can with the label and both ends removed (be very careful of sharp edges). Fill this cylinder with hollow stems, such as lengths of bamboo poles – and hang up – a great way to re-use broken or old garden plant supports!
Become a mini beast expert!
By watching carefully, see if you can find out which insects and other small creatures are moving into your bug homes. Make a list or draw the animals you see and use a guidebook to find out their names.
Did you know?
Famous naturalist and scientist Charles Darwin’s last book was all about earthworms, which he studied in his own garden!