We’re Going On A Bug Hunt
This week is National Insect Week so there is NO better time to get outdoors and go on a bug hunt. Not sure where to start? Well, read on to find out how to go bug hunting and some great kit to use…
A bug hotel, there’s got to be LOTS of bugs living here!
What you need:
- A clear container to pop your bugs into for a closer look
- A net to catch some flying bugs
- A spoon to help dig for bugs and a brush to gently get them into your jar
- A magnifying glass
- A notepad and pen to help keep note of what you have found
My lil sis Tilda loves to go bug hunting too!
Where should you go?:
Bugs can be found pretty much anywhere. Have a look in your own garden and you will find all sorts of things from butterflies to beetles, lacewings to ladybirds, slaters to snails. Head off to your local woods to see if you can find something different lurking deep inside. Or I LOVE to visit Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre which is great for bug hunting and pond dipping.
A brush can help you gently get a bug into your jar to look at
What to do…
Well, remember to be quiet and gentle when you are bug hunting so you don’t scare any bugs. Also, be careful where you are going so you don’t get stung by any plants or bugs. Under stones and old logs are great hiding places, look under leaves of plants and in their flowerheads and have a dig in some soil.
Look under old logs for bugs
Things to think about…
- What colour is it?
- What size is it? Is it as big as a coin?
- How quickly does it move around?
A magnifying pot is perfect for a closer peak
- What do you think it likes to eat?
- Does it have wings?
- What sort of creature is it?
- And what is its name? I like Leia the Ladybird.
Nets are great for helping catch flying bugs like butterflies
Consider making a home for some of the bugs you find. Bug hotels are great fun to make with lots of materials you will probably have lying about the garden.
You can do a lot of bug hunting using old spoons and containers from your kitchen (remember to ask your parents before you start digging in the soil with their best silverware!)
Remember to takes notes and draw pictures of what you find
My favourite items to go bug hunting with are from Big Jigs Toys:
Magnifying Glass, £8.49*, perfect for taking a closer look at all those bugs
Magnifying Pot*, £3.99, A great way to keep bugs safe while you have a good look
Bug Net*, £7.99, great for catching flying creatures like butterflies
Bug Box*, £5.99, perfect for looking closely at those flying creatures
If you are interested in reading more about bugs then visit our other blogs:
Happy bug hunting everyone!
Lulu xx
*Price correct at time of publication
Ladybird Love
People often say dogs are man’s best friend but not if he is a gardener. I reckon a gardener’s best friend has got to be the ladybird. I love them ‘cos:
a. They are pretty
b. They are fun to draw
c. They eat lots of bad bugs in the garden
In my latest blog I will regale you with lots of interesting facts on ladybirds, tips on how to encourage them into your garden as well as a cool craft project featuring our spotty friends. And I will even tell you about some funky ladybird flowers to grow…
Did you know:
- There are over 5000 species of ladybirds worldwide.
- Most ladybirds feed exclusively on aphids (greenfly, blackfly etc.) which is why we gardeners love them so much. They can eat up to 5000 in a life-time! That’s a bug banquet!
- Ladybirds are more effective than poisonous chemicals.
- Their vibrant colours not only make them pretty to us but also acts as warning to predators.
- Not all ladybirds have spots – some have stripes!
- A common myth is that the number of spots on a ladybird’s back indicates its age. The most common ladybird in the UK has seven spots.
How to encourage ladybirds into your garden:
- Incorporate plants that ladybirds love into your garden. Plants such as tulips, lillies, fennel, dill, geraniums, angelica and cosmos are favourites.
- Make a ladybird house and a ladybird feeder. We will blog about how to do this soon.
- You can buy them online! Whatever next?! Wonder if you can add them to your grocery list?
Make Your Own Ladybird
You will need:
- Paper plate
- Card
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Scissors
- Glue
- Red and black paint
I added seven spots to my ladybird, the
most commonly found type in the UK
Add pipe cleaners to make the legs.
I do love a googly eye!
Hello little ladybug!
I am gonna do something funky
involving upcycling with these seeds.
So, there you have it. All the why’s and how’s of having a ladybird in your life.
Do You Do Room Service?
Everyone likes a nice, comfy home and bugs are no different from the rest of us. Many are happy to set up home under a pile of leaves or logs. But why not go a step further and create your own bug version of Gleneagles in your very own back garden with a 5 Star Bug Hotel? Here’s how to make a bug hotel…
A stunning bug hotel from the Chelsea Flower Show
Many of us like to have a neat and tidy garden and by doing so we often eradicate the natural habitats bugs can call home. Or in a new garden with lots of hard landscaping and container planting there may be limited places for invertebrates to set up home. Bug hotels are purpose built structures which can be as simple or grand as you like.
A bug hotel on Seil Island with a green roof
Designing A Bug Hotel
The first rule of creating a bug hotel is to incorporate a variety of materials and different shapes and sizes of nooks and crannies. Different bugs have different requirements so in order to be diverse and encourage as much wildlife as possible into your garden make sure you use a wide array of materials. Offer everything from single rooms up to penthouse suites with a spa thrown in for good measure!
[[image:blog/blog-roomservice-3.jpg=A stunning bug hotel from the Chelsea Flower Show using lots of different materials]]
If you can, do a rough design of what you want your bug hotel to look like. Most bug hotels are made from reclaimed material thus making them cheap and easy to build as well as good for the environment. You could use some old pallets which are easy to get hold of to create the different layers of your bug hotel. Or if you are feeling adventurous you could create a real focal point in your garden by building a tower similar to the fantastic work of art at the Chelsea Flower Show a few years ago.
Building A Bug Hotel
Building a bug hotel is a wonderful project to build with children and you can encourage them to collect the materials you are going to use. Many of these you will have lying around the house and you can ask friends and family to donate to your hotel. Ideal materials include:
- Bamboo canes
- Egg cartons
- Pieces of slate
- Straw
- Logs (drill the ends for even more places for bugs to set up home)
- Broken terracotta pots
- Old bricks
- Old roof tiles
Pack the various materials into different sections of your “hotel” and soon you will have created a home which looks interesting and will have wide appeal.
A pallet incorporating a bug hotel at RHS Cardiff Show
Bug Central
So what sort of bugs might pack their bags and move into their new home? Well , common sights include mason bees, woodlice, ladybirds, spiders, beetles and centipedes. By encouraging these bugs into your garden they will help you combat the pests which eat your plants and ruin your grass. Great guests to have and ones which always be welcome back! Wonder if you get Trip Advisor for beetles…
Lots of bamboo canes make an ideal home
If you want advice on building a bug hotel or other ways of turning your garden into a haven for wildlife please get in touch.
For more information on making your own bug hotel please visit our blogs Make Your Own Bug Hotel and How To Make A Bug Hotel.
All at Vialii