Making Connections - Re-Wilding Hearts and Gardens, Frances Dismore/AGM November's meeting

 

This year’s AGM was followed by a wonderful talk from one of our very own members, Frances Dismore, which included amazing photographs of wildlife,  their habitats and insect houses to help support wildlife. 

Frances highlighted the problems that all wildlife is facing as a result of climate change, but also the problems that wildlife faces as a result of its habitats are being destroyed by development. However, we can ALL play a part in supporting the wildlife in our own gardens, by growing particular plants that attract insects, especially those we want to see in our garden. Insect houses, which are easy to build or can be purchased will attract a whole range of in insects, in turn this benefits your plants and bird life. By growing UK wild flowers and allowing an area of your garden to go natural you will encourage wildlife including solitary bees and a variety of butterflies. Nettles (grown in pots) are also ideal as caterpillars feed on them.

It was fascinating to hear about the stag beetle, Britain’s largest beetle, with its distinctive antler-shaped jaws. The stag beetle larvae lives in decaying logs for up to seven years, so their habitat must be undisturbed for the long term. I am please to have been involved in building a stag beetle loggery on Leyton Marsh last year organised by Frances.     

A big thank you to Frances for a great talk, which even included a questionnaire as the talk progressed. Frances asked us to take a pledge to introduce one new habitat for wildlife to our garden, allotment or window box to help wildlife flourish, I urge you take this pledge and do your bit!    

 British Wildflower Suppliers:

The Wildflower Nursery -  https://www.thewildflowernursery.co.uk

Naturescape - https://www.naturescape.co.uk