Worcs Wildlife Trust

Insect Champions Needed

Are you ready to stand up and be counted for insects? Everyone, everywhere, is being asked to become an insect champion. Following on from a 2019 report, which stated that 41% We’ve drilled fence posts to provide nesting of our insect species are at risk of extinction, The Wildlife opportunities for solitary bees; you could install a bee Trusts have just published a new report that brings hotel. Our beetle banks are bare earth with sunny and together case studies and solutions from across the UK to shady sides - in your garden, you could leave patches of inspire us all to do something for insects. earth in flower beds that you don’t dig in order to leave One of the featured case studies is our own Lower Smite space for ground-dwelling insects. Farm, a 65 hectare mixed arable farm, which is managed to Basically, we can all do our bit to offer ‘The Big 4’ – yearincrease the diversity and abundance of insects. We don’t round food supplies, safe breeding and wintering habitat, use insecticides, slug pellets or livestock wormers. Our connectivity of habitat and removing causes of stress volunteers have planted 2km of species-rich hedges, created such as pesticides. If you don’t have a garden, why not 500m of beetle banks and built 50 log piles for insects. join forces with your community to make a difference for We’re not working in isolation. With a grant from DEFRA, insects in your neighbourhood? we run a Wild Pollinator Facilitation Fund that allows us Sign up to take action for insects and you’ll have access to to work with 50 farmers to share our combined learning even more information about helping insects where you live and experiences in order to encourage each other to try www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/action-insects new ideas to help insects and other wildlife. The group is not only helping to improve and create habitat on their by Wendy Carter, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust land but they’re building connectivity – corridors through the landscape that allow insects to move. These corridors, ultimately, connect our nature reserves and their farms with your gardens and other greenspaces. What we do at Lower Smite Farm can be done on a smaller scale in your garden and local community. We have plenty of nectar and pollen rich plants and when we mow a field, we leave wide margins that are full of flowers – these not only help pollinating insects but also allow species like crickets and grasshoppers to complete their lifecycles. A visiting farmer commented that it looked like we’d flower-bombed the farm! Not mowing all your lawn could achieve the same thing and you could give it a helping hand by sowing native wildflower seeds. Keep up to date with us:

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Photos: Grasshopper by Dave Merry. Hoverfly on daisy by Pete Smith. Background: Bumble-bird mix Lower Smite Farm by Wendy Carter