From the 8-14th August, it’s National Allotments Week, and this year the theme is Bugs, Bees and Broccoli. As it’s so important to garden with wildlife in mind, we decided to share some creepy crawlies which do a lot of good for your garden, and for the planet.

Spiders

While they’re not everyone’s favourite, spiders play an important part of the ecosystem in your garden. They keep the pest population down by catching small flying insects in their webs, so your plants stay protected. Make sure you’ve got somewhere they can build – like a hedge or trees. When you see a web, make sure not to tear it down so they can keep on helping you out.

Butterflies

Not as creepy as the other crawlies on the list, butterflies are extremely important. As caterpillars, these creatures might eat more of your plants than they help. As adults, however, butterflies are amazing pollinators. This means your plants will keep growing and reproducing. Butterflies love sunshine and flowering plants, as they drink the nectar.

Hoverflies

Hoverflies can sometimes be mistaken for wasps, but don’t worry, they don’t sting. When they are young, they eat small aphids which would normally eat your plants. As adults, they pollinate your garden, keeping your plants growing. They love strong-smelling plants and flowers, so be sure to add some roses or sweet peas to your garden if you want to attract them.

Ladybirds

These small creatures are always hungry! They eat lots of other small bugs which would usually damage your plants, like aphids, mites, mealybugs, and whitefly. This makes them a huge help to your garden and to keeping your plants alive and healthy. This means that you can use way less chemicals and insecticides on your plants, which makes them healthier for you and the planet.

Centipedes

Another creature which can be disliked for its looks, centipedes play a very important part in your garden. Centipedes hunt and eat a range of garden pests like slugs and woodlice. If you’re not a big fan of them, don’t worry, they tend to hunt at nighttime and hide away under rocks or logs in the day.

Top tips to attract wildlife

To attract a variety of different creepy crawlies to help your garden, you need to add lots of different types of plants. It could also be useful to add a water source, like a pond or bird bath, to make sure they keep coming back. Make sure that you’re careful around insects and try to be careful around their homes and habitats.

So, you see, not all bugs are pests! These tiny creatures play a huge part in your garden and beyond. If you don’t have an allotment, why not try growing windowsill plants or putting some up in your garden? Remember to welcome these small creatures in!

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