Welcome insects back with a sheltered space, expert says

Greenhouse and gardening enthusiasts can welcome back insects to their outside space after winter with some simple steps.

That is the opinion of Sarah Raven, who wrote in the Daily Telegraph that creating a sheltered site protected by a wall, hedge or fence can bring hoverflies, butterflies and bees flocking in.

Once that area has been established, it is then vital to pick the right flowers, she continued, with nectar-rich varieties the key ingredient to attracting insects.

"For maximum nectar, a good general rule is to avoid double flowers. Double begonias, busy lizzies and bedding geraniums may look showy, but they’re pretty useless as far as insects are concerned," Ms Raven explained.

It is also important to choose a variety of shapes, as butterflies like large open flowers to land on, whereas bees like sunflowers.

While insects can be a welcome addition to a garden, slugs can be a pest, but can be effectively combated with nematodes, Linda Fort revealed recently in the Wokingham Times.