Insects need our help. Across the world, insects seem to be declining, which is why they could do with our help. A new study suggests that the insect population has declined by 25% since 1990. Therefore, in just 30 years, the insect population is believed to have declined by one fourth.
There are ways that we can help insects and stop their decline in the near future.
We are going to look at several ways that you can help insects in your garden. Even just doing one of these things can help insects survive and thrive.
Putting A Source Of Sugar Water In The Garden
Putting a source of sugar water in the garden is a great way to help bumblebees.
This is a great way to help bumblebees when they are tired. Tired bumble bees lack energy and the sugar water gives them a source of energy that can help save them.
The Bumblebee Conservation charity estimates that if you make sugar water for bumblebees you should have about 70% of it which is water and about 30% of it which is sugar. You can put the sugar water on the ground for the bumblebee, or in a small-cap, you could even put a lid somewhere in the garden which is full of sugar water. If you put a lid in the garden which is full of sugar water, then please put some clean stones in it, the stones will prevent the bumblebees from drowning and help them get out of the lid once they are ready to fly away.
Creating An Insect Hotel
Creating an insect hotel can be a great way to help insects.
Insect hotels are a way to give insects in your garden shelter and a place to stay. They can provide shelter for all kinds of insects. An insect hotel is usually made up of several layers, which is usually made out of wood, but sometimes they are also made out of twigs and old plant pots.
Insect hotels come in different sizes, they can be big or small, or they can be built at home. The RSPB has a guide on how you can make your own insect hotel, you can find that - here. There is also the option of buying an already made insect hotel. You can buy these on the RSPB website too, or on Amazonās website (you can see insect hotels on the ad below).
Putting Up A Bee Hive/House
Another way that you can help insects in the garden, is by helping bumblebees themselves. One of the main ways that you can help bumblebees in the garden is by putting up a beehive or a bee house in your garden.
Putting up a bee house or beehive in your garden is easy, as you can buy ready-made bee houses and beehives in places like the RSPB shop or on Amazon.
Put Up A Butterfly House
Putting up a butterfly house can help these beautiful insects. Butterfly houses give butterflies a place to shelter in your garden, not only will help be helping these colourful insects, but you will also brighten up your garden with having them in your garden, as they are one of natures most colourful animals.
You can buy butterfly houses which are already made with butterflies in mind. You can buy butterfly houses in the RSPB shop, some of them even come with butterfly seeds which gives you seeds to plant in your garden which attracts butterflies.
Planting Seeds Or Flowers Which Attracts Insects
Planting seeds or flowers can attract insects like bumblebees and butterflies into your garden. There are several flowers which are more preferable to these insects.
If you want to know what the best flowers are for bees, you can go - here.
And, you can find what the best flowers and plants for butterflies are - here.
Please Avoid Using Harmful Chemicals
Lastly, one final major way that you can help insects in the garden is by not using harmful chemicals in the garden - like pesticides.
Harmful chemicals like pesticides are probably the main reason why insects are declining so dramatically. A study last year said that 40% of insects were at decline and at risk of extinction, the study said that the main reason why almost half of all insects were in decline was because of the use of pesticides.
Pesticides are not just harmful to insects, they are also harmful to other wildlife as other wild animals can ingest the pesticides through drinking water where the pesticides have entered or by eating plants that the pesticides have been sprayed on.
Conclusion
There are many different ways that we can help insects. Just doing even one of these things can make a huge difference to insects.
Thank you! š
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