Insects & bugs are as important as elephants (without the pin-head sized midge, cocoa flowers could not pollinate, and that means no chocolate). Like worms, insects can transform dead plants and animals into rich black soil. One in three mouthfuls of our food depend on insect pollination and without them, 90% of wildflowers would go extinct. According to National Geographic, without bugs – we might all be dead. England has over 25,000 types of insect (6 legs, 3 body sections of head, thorax and abdomen, and most can fly). Meet the locals:
Examining insects through magnifying glasses reflect sun rays, and kills them. If your child likes studying nature, GeoSafari Junior Binoculars are lightweight and comfy, with a wrap-around soft eye section to block out peripheral vision with ease. For 3 years plus.
- Bees. Bee houses are not good, as bees get covered in mites.
- Waspinator naturally deters wasps.
- Most spiders have never been outside, so are best left alone.
- Ants like protein foods and sweet foods, but disappear in cool weather. Anthills aerate soil, and ants provide food for birds by protecting caterpillars (due to sticky honeydew). Spraying anything will kill them, so grow mint in a pot, as ants dislike the scent. Don’t grow mint or other pet-toxic herbs near cats.
- Ladybirds, butterflies & moths are all insects.
- Woodlice are nice! Just leave them be, as they do no harm. They eat decaying wood and love compost heaps.
- Stag beetles are endangered, and also eat decaying wood. Use no-dig garden methods to protect them (the big grubs you find in soil are baby stag beetles!)
- Nocturnal Silverfish are found in damp houses, sheds and garages. To remove humanely, cover a glass jar with sandpaper for them to access, fill with flour, then move to outbuildings. Earwigs live outside in humid conditions, they eat decaying wood and leaf litter.
- Crickets & grasshoppers are insects. Did you know crickets can tell you the temperature? Count the chirps in 15 seconds, then add 37!
- Dragonflies (open wings), damsonflies (closed wings) & mayflies (three tails) are found near ponds. The latter is often confused with mosquitoes (attracted by stagnant water, so use a secure water butt that is safe for pets & children).
How to Read An Insect is a stunning illustrated guide to how insects behave, from elegant displays of courtship to brutal acts of predation. Learn how insects nest, feed, reproduce and defend themselves. The book also looks at the impact of the human world on insects, and how we can help prevent their decline. Learn of both exotic insects, and those found in your own back garden. Author Ross Piper is fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and a visiting fellow at University of Essex, who is the BBC expert on insects!
How to Naturally Deter Bugs
- Wrap and dispose of uneaten sweet foods and fizzy drinks.
- To avoid ticks, keep to paths and avoid long grass, and wear light clothing to spot them. Wear long sleeves and keep your shirt or trousers tucked in. Inspect dogs (and you) after walks (if you can’t pull out the head yourself with a Tick Twister, see your vet).
- Vacuum your mattress regularly, to avoid bed bugs. Signs of fleas, mites or bedbugs in animal fur and bedding are poo, crusting on fur, scratching, blood on the bed and an almond smell. Boil-wash everything, avoid essential oils near pets.
- Leave out bowls of water with citrus fruits or fresh mint (both disliked by bugs). Avoid essential oils near cats, ferrets, birds and reptiles. See other toxic houseplants to avoid.
How to Stop Getting Bitten
- Naturally Bug-Free includes 90 recipes by a herbalist to replace toxic DEET sprays. Make sprays and balms, herbal sachets to deter moths, carpet powders to repel ants/fleas and pantry repellents. Avoid essential oils and citronella candles near pets.
- Humane Critter Control is a guide to keep unwelcome visitors out of your yard, using intelligent tips that deter bugs without harm. The Humane Gardener is another book of solutions. See how to make your garden safe for pets, to know toxic plants and other hazards to avoid near animal friends.
- The Bug-Free Organic Garden is by Anna Hess, who sums up knowledge gained over 10 years in companion planting (certain plants deter bugs if used together), choosing bug-resistant plants and shielding plants with row covers.
The Hidden World looks at how insects (which outnumber us in their billions) are vital to keep us alive. Entomologist George McGavin takes a deep dive into the most enduring animal group the world has ever seen, and the unseen effects this vast population has on our planet, if only we care to look. He explores dragonflies (that can fly across oceans without resting) and beetles that lay their eggs in corpses. But also the vital lessons we can learn (like how therapy using maggots can save lives and how bees can help grow rich tomato yields).
