In the photo, there's a fallen tree and the WT beavers stacked logs around it to make a place for insects to live.
The sun had come out and seemed to be celebrating this new habitat.
Apparently, according to young Ben MacDonald, oak trees hold the record for supporting invertebrates. Something over 250 species rely on them. The second best tree for the bugs is the willow. Which got me all anxious about cutting them down again.
Ben McD also referred to the insect-on-windscreen effect. When I think about it, in summer, my windscreen used to be decorated like an abstract painting with yellow, red and black insect bits. These days... nothing. It happens over time so you don't notice. But the birds notice - hence the dramatic decline in insectivorous birds.
I was thinking about the insects when the wrens were nesting. Thank Bug they managed to find enough creeping and flying things to feed their chicks.
These days I leave dried mealworms out for the blackbirds and sparrows that hop around under my bamboo. I wonder what proportion of birds rely on bird feeders?
I'm sure my messy garden has more critters than most. I have a rather large pile of decaying branches, leaves and other matter not-so-hidden at the back. There's also a rotting tree trunk. I try to attract insects with lavender and the Mexican orange blossom, lilac, honeysuckle and cherry blossom.
I know I am blessed with many aphids.
But my garden is the size of a few tablecloths. I'm not going to save the world with that.
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