An Autumn Clean Up Will Clear Out Any Lurking Pests

Whether it be for the benefit of bugs, birds, or bees, a good clean up in the Autumn will help lay the foundations for a more productive spring in the garden. In this blog we'll identify some key areas worth cleaning out this autumn.

Beepol Bumblebee Villas

Our Beepol Bumblebee Colonies will have come to the end of their natural life span now and the new queens that were produced will already be hibernating for the winter. The wooden villas we provide for them should now be cleaned out and put away for the winter. One of the foes of the Bumblebee, the Wax Moth, is rather adept at using these villas for overwintering in. So to ensure that no pupa remain stuck to the inside, or burrowed into the wood, use a wire brush to dislodge them when cleaning.

Our Beepol Bumblebee Villas should be cleaned out now bee colonies have reached the end of their life spans. This will ensure no Wax Moth can overwinter inside the villas.

Bird Boxes

Bird, Bat or Owl, boxes could also do with a clean out, to help prevent a build up of parasites and mites before the birds look to use them again in the spring. Check out our range of bird boxes, and other natural habitats, under our 'Gifts' section, or by clicking here.

As the temperatures drop, also remember that food supplies for wild birds will dwindle, so start topping up bird feeders.

Bird Boxes, such as our Barn Owl Box, or our Bat Box, should be cleaned out before feathered, or furred, residents seek to inhabit them again next spring.

Greenhouses

Even a greenhouse can provide a handy home for some less welcome insects in the winter. If you leave any greenery, such as weeds, in a greenhouse, even an unheated one, this can provide a nice overwintering spot for Whitefly, Aphids, and Thrips.

So a good weeding session now can significantly reduce pests transferring to your new plants in the spring. The odd sticky trap will also give you a good warning of early pests or help catch any unwelcome lodgers in the winter.

Consider also our Garlic Greenhouse Smoke. This fumigator releases a natural based garlic smoke which acts as a dispersant to pests while also enhancing the natural resistance of your plants to pests and diseases. 

After you've finished weeding, use our Sticky Traps and Garlic Greenhouse Smoke to help cleanse your greenhouse of pests. 

Make Sure Not To Be Too Tidy Though!

However, don’t be too tidy in the garden! A pile of logs makes a good habitat for Ladybirds and beetles, and a pile of leaves might provide useful materials to a Hedgehog looking to build, or add, shelter for their hibernation homes.

Piles of leaves can provide useful materials for hedgehogs looking to build shelter, and logs can be great habitats for Ladybirds.

Whatever conditions arrive this winter, it's best to help create suitable environments in our gardens for bees, birds and bugs – we need them all!