This beautifully created invertebrate hotel was hand made by one of our own staff at IPM using old pieces of wood and natural products put together for the wildlife.
With many different sections which will allow a number of different invertebrates to house inside will help with the biodiversity of one of our client's sites. Around the outside of the house was carefully laid logs to protect smaller mammals from prey and create a more natural appearance.
An average garden could hold over 2,000 different species of invertebrate. Many of these are very small, so are often overlooked. With all this diversity of life, it is good to know that very few creatures cause significant damage to our prized flowers, fruit and vegetables, the ones that gardeners call pests. Even better, there are many more creatures that help us control the pests. By providing the right habitats we can greatly increase the number of beneficial insects in a garden. Some wild invertebrates, such as bumblebees and solitary bees, are declining in numbers in the wider countryside, so by providing homes we can contribute to their conservation.
Many invertebrates like cool damp conditions, so you can site your habitat in semi-shade, by a hedge or under a tree. Putting the habitat close to other wildlife features, such as an overgrown hedge, a shrubbery or a pond will make it easier for small creatures to find it. Not all creatures like to be in the shade: solitary bees like a warm sunny spot, so put tubes for bees on the sunniest side of the habitat or put them elsewhere in the garden. Choose a level, even surface: the habitat may end up fairly heavy, so will need a firm base.
Some species of invertebrates are brilliant aerators of soil as well as creating it. In other words, invertebrates not only help us to grow food crops through pollination, but also help create and maintain soil quality. This is important for growth in agriculture, as well as in gardens and allotments.
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