Shop Bought Bug Havens

[Shallot Man]

Animals don't go wild for your garden shelter: Mrs Tiggywinkle and co shun shop-bought havens
By Sean Poulter
Last updated at 11:58 PM on 31st October 2010
Comments (0) Add to My Stories Fears that bees and other beneficial creatures are on the decline have prompted many gardeners to try to offer a helping hand.

They have bought expensive shelters for butterflies, bees, ladybirds and other animals such as hedgehogs in the hope of increasing their numbers.

However, research suggests that their efforts may be a waste of money.

The £69 Hoggy Home hedgehog shelter: 'Expensive and unnecessary', says Which?

Hedgehogs are able to build their own shelters as long as they have a supply of nesting materials
Which? Gardening magazine found the shelters are shunned by the creatures they are designed to help and may be ‘ineffective and unnecessary’.

In a year-long trial, not a single butterfly was seen to use the Gardman Butterfly Haven (£14.99), no lacewings were seen visiting the Chapelwood Lacewing Chamber (£22.95) and just one ladybird checked into the Crocus Ladybird Hotel (£9.99).

Which? tested six wildlife homes in ten gardens, mostly in and around Sheffield, with an expert monitoring and inspecting the sites regularly until August 2010.

The expert deemed the Hoggy Home hedgehog shelter (£69) ‘expensive and unnecessary’.

The Hedgehog Preservation Society argues that hedgehogs can build their own shelters as long as there is a supply of nesting materials, such as leaves, grass and straw.

Not a single visitor seen in a year: The £26.00 Wildlife World Bumble Bee Nester

Not a single bee was seen visiting the Wildlife World Bumble Bee Nester (£26.99).

The Which? expert was concerned that instructions for the shelter advised users to capture a queen bee in early spring and trap it inside for a couple of days.

Which? Gardening editor Ceri Thomas said: ‘Gardens are extremely important to wildlife, and many gardeners enjoy observing the many creatures that visit them.
‘But there are many other ways to attract wildlife, and people shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that these shop-bought abodes are worth the price tags they come with.’

Which? recommends that conscientious gardeners should build a log pile to attract insects and hedgehogs looking for a place to nest, and start a compost heap to provide insect food for birds, hedgehogs and toads.

Gardeners should use hedges instead of fences to provide shelter and nesting sites, and grow plants with berries and flowers.

Wild creatures also appreciate piles of leaves, nettles and weeds in a corner, and a pond with a gentle slope on one side for easy access.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z141A4E2Fc

[PLUMPUDDING]

And remember to check the bonfire before lighting it as hedgehogs will find it an ideal home if it has been being piled up for a few weeks.

[glallotments]

I'd agree with this for most creatures but our bird nesting boxes are regularly used - although the blue and great tits tend to set up home in the sparrow boxes.

With houses having new soffits etc. with no access under the eaves and few large trees with holes for these birds to nest in I think nesting boxes are good value but a cheaper plain or homemade box attracts birds probably far better that a gaudily painted bird mansion with thatched roof!

As for bonfires - piles of leaves, wood etc can also house lots of other creatures such as frogs and toads.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Hi Gallotments,

I quite agree, we need to keep areas of the garden undisturbed, with plenty of leaf litter etc., and not cut down all the hollow stemmed herbaceous plants too. I've found lots of hibernating ladybirds in the leaf litter when I was sweeping the path. If we aren't too tidy the creatures will find their own places.

I've noticed that lots of insects use the empty bird nest boxes, and the blue tits pop in for a snack on spider nests etc.

[Nature's Babe]

Sensible advice shallot man, I agree, nature's creatures do find their own homes, log piles, leaf litter,under wooden structures like sheds, and decking, old rodent holes, hollows under stone slabs, in dry banks, rockeries etc. It doesn't need to cost the earth to help them. leaving some areas undisturbed and not being too tidy and manicured helps though. I do leave seedheads then later add old hollow stems in bunches around the garden, like teazle stems and pampas grass stems, some among the logpile, but this costs nothing and is just recycling for their benefit, it doesn't need to cost anything. That said, I did see a wasps nest in a bird box ! Siting of these things can make a difference, and recycled natural stuff is often more appreciated than pretty expensive offerings from garden centres.

[Colin_M]

Nice one Shallotman, there's a bit of a cottage industry churning some of these weird & wonderful devices out.

One item that I have found working successfully are Masons Bee nests. No need to go and trap any queen bees - the Masons seem to find them quite happily on their own.

These are a lot easier than a full scale beehive, but still bring a valuable pollinator into your garden or allotment. We've had ours around 8 years now, so they work out reasonable value too.

[Monika]

We are lucky to have lots of dry stone walls around our garden and the allotment and we find that bumble bees often live in there, probably in a disused mouse or vole nest. This year the centre hole of our "sparrow terrace" was taken over by wasps and one of the other blue tit boxes by a bumble bee, so, as has been said above, animals will find their own speces they like.

And I certainly agree with not clearing herbaceous vegetation until a warm day in spring when the insects can move onto other places. Hollow lovage stems and fennel stems always attract the ladybirds, I find.

[oldherbaceous]

Forgot to report earlier in the year, the honey bees are back in the Church roof again for the second year on the trot.

I would imagine they have quite a large nest, by all the activity.

[Parsons Jack]

That's good news OH. Just be careful when you're poking about up in the roof

[Parsons Jack]

Another thing to remember with shop bought insect homes, is that most have to face the right direction. If not, then the insects will not use them.
On our allotment wildlife garden, the people that constructed it went to a lot of trouble drilling numerous holes in an old branch and erecting it upright in the ground. The idea was to attract bees, but sadly it was placed facing the wrong way so has never been used in the 4 years it has been there. I must get it sorted out as soon as I can, and hopefully it will get used next year

[Shallot Man]

Parson Jack. Which way should they face.

[Parsons Jack]

Parson Jack. Which way should they face.

South facing and point slightly down so the rain can't get in.