Photo: Rowse/PA.
“Think about things like verbena, asters, dahlias and sedums, as well as honeysuckle.You find it naturally in the UK growing in woodlands and hedgerows but there are many varieties you can buy in the garden centre.”
Select open flowered varieties
“When you are choosing varieties which are beneficial to insects, open flowered types are a must so that the nectar can be easily accessed. Often, flower breeders will breed for beauty, not for nectar, so you get these amazing, beautiful flowers with lots of petals folded on to themselves, but the bee can’t get to the nectar because there are so many petals to get through. “Ornate, convoluted roses aren’t that valuable to pollinating insects, whereas things like buddleia or verbena, where all the florets are very apparent, add a lot of value.The more we change our native flora to appease our aesthetic standards, the more we lose that foraging ability for our insects.
“If you have enough space, create areas of wildflowers and hedgerows. Early spring-flowering plants such as hawthorn are also very important for bees and other insects.”
Create hibernating areas
“Having hibernating areas is important. Honeybees don’t need that much attention because they are often looked after by a beekeeper, or will have their food sources if they are wild. But hibernating insects like rough areas, such as tall grasses and log piles. Don’t be tempted to clean out your shed in the winter, because butterflies hibernate there.”
Avoid pesticides
“Try not to use any pesticides because that can have a lethal effect – it may kill them instantly – or a sub lethal effect, where you may spray a plant which the bee feeds from, which can make it become disorientated. It may not be able to find its way back to the hive or forage properly.
“There are lots of natural alternatives you can use, which may be biological, or it may just be soapy water. But try not to use insecticides willy-nilly because it really does have a detrimental effect.”
mccarthyholden.co.uk | 67
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software