Beneficial wildlife such as ladybirds, lacewings, bees and hoverflies are a very welcome sight here at the garden smallholding. I put a great deal of thought and care into attracting these wonderful little pollinators and pest munchers, it made perfect sense to include a safe haven for them to hibernate during winter or just escape a sudden heavy downpour.
Ideally the bug box should have been put in place during autumn just before the onset of winter, bit late I know but it’s already being occupied! Putting a bug box in the garden was on my to do list that I never actually got around to doing, I bought this lovely pre-made box to get a head start. I fully intend on making some boxes of my own, I have the raw materials to hand and some ideas from books and the internet to keep our bug friends safe and snug this autumn. Bugtastic!
The Garden Smallholder 
Good idea. We bought a home for solitary bees last year, but too late for it to be colonised, so we’re hoping for residents to move in this Spring.
LikeLike
That sounds interesting Karin, where did you buy it from?
LikeLike
I think that these are a great idea!
I grow all sorts of flowers on the plot so get lots of bees, hoverflies and ladybirds, and there’s a log pile for various insects to overwinter in. Flighty xx
LikeLike
I have a log pile too, hoping that newts and toads will use it or perhaps hedgehogs. I plan on growing more flowers than I did previously, especially sunflowers!
LikeLike
I’ve seen frogs in my washing up bowl pond which is near the log pile.
Good for you, I grow lots of flowers on the plot which this year will include six varieties of sunflowers. Last year I had parakeets chomping through the flower heads of the giant singles!
LikeLike
So lovely to see you here in blog land again! I love ways to attract native bugs, they are wonderful pollinators, and create a beautiful balance in the garden. I need to get one of these up some day! I plan on planting flowers in the veggie garden this summer to get them moving among my plants.
LikeLike
Ooooooooh! That is such a cool bug box!
LikeLike
Karen, we bought it at the Hampshire Green Fair last year, from a young man who makes them for a living (or maybe to supplement his income).
LikeLike