How to build a winter home for beetles
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.
You Will Need
- Straight shrub and tree prunings
- Bamboo cane, short
- Secateurs
- Raffia, or string
- Fallen leaves
Total time: 30 minutes
Step 1
Save straight prunings, up to pencil thickness, from shrubs and trees. Cut to 40cm long and remove any side shoots.
Step 2
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
Layer with smaller squares to make a pyramid and tie the corners as you go. Fill with leaves and secure frame to the cane.
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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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