How to build a winter home for beetles
- BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Published: Monday, 8 July 2019 at 8:29 am
Keep garden beetles safe over winter by creating a winter shelter.
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Making a beetle stack is a way of providing beetles and many other insects with shelter through the winter. This stack is simple to make and costs next to nothing, but will make a world of difference to garden wildlife.
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You Will Need
- Straight shrub and tree prunings
- Bamboo cane, short
- Secateurs
- Raffia, or string
- Fallen leaves
Total time: 30 minutes
Step 1
Gathering winter prunings
Save straight prunings, up to pencil thickness, from shrubs and trees. Cut to 40cm long and remove any side shoots.
Step 2
Stacking the prunings together
Push a cane into the ground and build up four layers of prunings in a square around the cane. Tie them at the corners.
Step 3
Securing the frame
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Layer with smaller squares to make a pyramid and tie the corners as you go. Fill with leaves and secure frame to the cane.
Kate Bradbury says
Beetles will benefit from this shelter in winter, but why not leave the structure in place throughout the year? You’ll provide a home for a variety of insects, small mammals and amphibians, which will be on hand to eat garden pests such as slugs. Simply top up with leaves once a year.
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