Insect Numbers Are Plummeting: Here Are Eight Easy Ways to Help

Planting
for
pollinators
can
give
pollinating
insects
the
food
and
habitat
they
need
all
year.
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/
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Insect
numbers
are
plummeting,
with
the
recent

The
Bugs
Matter
Citizen
Science
Survey
finding
that
bug
splatters
in
the
United
Kingdom
have
fallen
63
percent
since
2021.

There
are
things
you
can
do
to
help
with
the
bug
crisis,
and
when
you
support
insects
they
will
help
your
garden
thrive
by

pollinating
your

plants
and

flowers,
devouring
pests,
improving

soil
health
and
attracting

songbirds.

Here
are
some
easy
ways
you
can
help
protect
beneficial

insects
around
your
home
and

garden.

Turn
Off
Unnecessary
Lights
at
Night

Artificial
light
is

detrimental
to
insects,
interfering
with
their
navigation,
reproduction
and
feeding.
If
you’ve
ever
watched
a
moth
flying
around
your
porch
light
or
lamp
in
the
window,
you
have
witnessed
their
disorientation
while
trying
to
navigate
using
the
moon
and
stars.
Researchers
have
estimated
that

a
third
of
insects
trapped
orbiting
artificial
light
sources
will
perish,
reported
The
Guardian.
Consider
what
lights
you’re
using
and
if
they’re
really
necessary.
Turning
them
off,
putting
them
on
a
timer
or
shading
windows
are
options
to
reduce
your
share
of
light
pollution.

Let
the
Leaves
Lie
and
the
Grass
Grow

Decomposing
leaves
make
perfect
habitat
for
beetles,
spiders,
bees,
moths,
butterflies
and
many
other
insects,
so
leaving
them
undisturbed
is
a
great
way
to
help
out
the
beneficial
bugs
in
your
garden.
On
the
other
hand,
raking
leaves
can
reduce
spider
numbers
by
as
much
as
67
percent,
butterflies
by
45
percent
and
beetles
by
24
percent,
according
to

research.

Allowing
fallen
branches,
logs
and
dead
trees
to
rot
and

fungi
and
microorganisms
to
move
in
also
provides
food
and
shelter
for
insects.
Likewise,
having
a
shagging
lawn
of
uninterrupted
grass,
especially
one
peppered
with
wildflowers,
can
boost
insect
populations
with
little
to
no
effort.

Plant
Pollinator
Flowers
Using
the
‘3
x
3
x
3’
Method

Planting
for
pollinators
can
be
as
easy
as
one-two-three!
Choose
three
native
flowering
plant
species
for
each
of
the
three
—
spring,
summer
and
fall
—
growing
seasons.
Then
plant
three
of
each
in
their
own
area
of
the
garden.
They
will
give
pollinating
insects
the
food
and
habitat
they
need
all
year
round.
Adding
some
rocks
to
your
garden
also
makes
great
habitat
for
bees.

When
choosing
which
plants
to
add
to
your
garden,
keep
in
mind
that
certain
plants
are
keystone
species
that
many
pollinators
need
to
survive,
particularly
when
they
are
in
the
caterpillar
stage.
In
fact,
90
percent
of
North
American
caterpillar
species
depend
upon
just
14
percent
of
native
plants.
The
National
Wildlife
Federation
provides
a
regional
list
of

keystone
plants
on
its
website.

Water
Is
Life

Soaring
global
temperatures
and
drought
conditions
are
tough
on
insects.
Providing
water
sources
—
whether
it’s
a
basin,
bowl
or
pond
—
can
help,
but
be
mindful
of

bees’
inability
to
swim
and
make
sure
they
have
a
rim
or
an
island
they
can
drink
from.
The
water
doesn’t
have
to
be
absolutely
clean,
however,
as

research
has
shown
that
“dirty”
water
containing
algae
or
leaves
can
provide
bees
with
important
nutrients.

Start
a
Compost
Habitat

Creating
a
compost
pile
is
a
great
way
to
help
insects
while
improving
soil
health.
Composting
provides
food
and
a
safe

habitat
for
garden
insects
that
can
help
get
them
through
tough
times
like
drought
and
cold
winters
by
providing
moisture
and
shelter.

Support
Organic
Regenerative
Farming
Practices

The
collapse
of
insect
populations
across
the
globe
has
been
linked
to
the
use
of
toxic

pesticides
and
intensive
agricultural
practices.
Buying
organic
foods
supports

farmers
who
are
growing

fruits
and
vegetables
without
synthetic
pesticides,
giving
insects
the
healthy
habitats
they
need
to
recover
and
thrive.

Use
Less
Plastic

According
to
a
recent

report,

microplastics
are
the
second
biggest
emerging
threat
to
insects,
reducing
their
health
and
lifespan.
Synthetic
fabrics
like
nylon,
spandex,
polyester
and
acrylic
are
made
of
plastics
and
shed
millions
of
tiny
particles
as
they
are
worn
and
washed,
contributing
to
microplastic
pollution.
On
the
other
hand,
natural
fibers
like
wool,
linen
and
organic
cotton
do
not
shed
these
insidious
plastics
or
pesticide
and
insecticide
residue.
Reducing
the
use
of
plastic
bags,
bottles
and
packaging
also
helps
contribute
to
a
plastic
free
world,
protecting
insects
and
other
animals,
including
humans.

Pull
Weeds
by
Hand
Instead
of
Relying
on
Herbicides

One
of
the
most
beneficial
things
you
can
do
for
your
health
is
to
get
out
into
nature,
even
if
it’s
just
working
in
your
own
garden.
Chemicals
like

glyphosate
—
one
of
the
most
common
herbicides
in
the
world
—
have
been
proven
to
damage
the
immune
systems
of
insects.
Gardening
and
weeding
by
hand
not
only
avoids
the
use
of
these
deadly
toxins,
but
has
been
shown
to

lower
anxiety
and
depression
while
increasing
physical
health.

Taking
a
moment
to
step
outside,
survey
your
home
and
garden
and
make
small
changes
can
have
a
big
impact
on
the
insects
who
make
up
the
foundation
of
our

ecosystems.

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