By Annie Hill
The original article in Russell Lights | Ngā Mārama o Kororāreka, July 2025 edition

Look out for pollinators aka Save our Bees!

Considering that the mass of all insects on the planet is 1 gigatonne, compared with 0.06 for humans, it seems hard to believe that the annual decline of their biomass, of around 2.5%, is catastrophic. But because this figure compounds, it means that in 10 years there’ll be a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years they will all be gone.

Why should we care? Well, quite apart from the intrinsic value of every living being, insects maintain healthy soil, recycle nutrients, pollinate flowers and crops, and control pests. They also provide food for many of the birds on our motu, such as pīwakawaka fantail and tīeke saddleback.

Considering how feebly world governments are responding to the climate catastrophe, insects can’t expect much support from them, so in order to help our insects, we’ll have to work as individuals and groups. We can make a difference, especially considering that in this country, about 67% of rented houses and 90% of owner-occupied have gardens, which together constitute a large amount of land sustaining many insects. The world would be a poorer place without butterflies and bumblebees; by helping them, you’ll be giving all insects a boost.

So, what can we do as individuals? Quite a lot.

Turn off unnecessary lights and/or screen windows, switch off outdoor lights, or put them on a sensor. This not only saves you electricity, but will save lives: a third of moths flying around a light at night will die. Light pollution is a huge driver of insect declines, changing their behaviour and confusing their senses. At least, here in Russell, we don’t have to worry about street lights!

To entice and feed pollinators, PLANT NATIVES, which attract a great diversity of insects that have evolved alongside them, and which generally require less water and fertiliser. Even window pots or boxes with flowering native plants, can provide a valuable food source for pollinators. Examples are: hebe, mānuka, kōwhai, pōhutukawa, New Zealand flax harakeke, and lacebark hoheria.

POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY GARDEN PLANTS include foxgloves, echinacea, salvias, anise hyssop, lupins, Russian sage, hollyhock, dahlias and sedum autumn joy. Some of these, eg lupin, can become invasive, so be cautious where you plant them. If a pollinator garden seems too daunting, simply choose three native plant species that flower in each growing season, spring, summer and autumn, and plant them in their own area, providing insects with food and habitat through the year.

Kiwi gardeners are keen composters and these heaps provide warm, safe habitats for insects. COMPOST improves soil structure and fertility, sheltering and sustaining many garden insects.

One less obvious way to help insects, is to PROVIDE WATER: they will drink from a basin, puddle, pond or bowl. Many insects can’t swim, so you need provide ‘islands’ in the form of floating corks or piles of rock. Don’t try to keep the water too clean because there are important nutrients in decomposing leaves or algae. Your birds will also appreciate the water.

Is there any activity on the planet more futile than leaf blowing? LET LEAVES STAY WHERE THEY FALL (unless someone might slip on them); leaf litter is a crucial habitat. Raking up leaves reduces moth and butterfly numbers by 45%, beetles by 24%, and spiders by up to 67%. Save yourself work, while providing precious habitat.

Take CARE WITH ANTIBIOTICS AND OTHER MEDICINES: their overuse is one of the top five emerging threats to insects. We know about agricultural antibiotics sprayed on fields, but huge amounts of drugs for humans are entering ecosystems through waterways, negatively affecting many species. Only use them as directed, complete the course and never, never throw pills or medicine down the sink or toilet.

Larger gardens may be able to provide BUTTERFLY BANKS, a raised area of habitat, providing shade and natural variations in temperature throughout the day. They can provide refuge for butterflies from unpredictable weather extremes; an ‘E’ shape seems most effective. In smaller plots, try to provide plenty of shady patches, where insects can shelter when temperatures are abnormally high.

LIMIT ANTI-FLEA POTIONS to when your dog or cat actually has fleas. Many of the treatments are a disaster for wildlife, often leaching into waterways. One monthly flea treatment for a large dog contains enough Imidacloprid to kill 25 million bees. If you absolutely must de-flea, don’t wash your dog or let it swim, for at least a month after treatment.

Most of our NATIVE BEE SPECIES AND MANY OTHER INSECTS NEST IN THE GROUND. Our solitary bees need banks of fine soil or sand, or logs and branches with old beetle holes for nests. If you have a bank in your garden, it might be worth keeping some of it clear of vegetation. Native bees love kānuka and mānuka, but only fly about 100 yards from their nest, so need to be close to their flowers.

To help insects, ideally we should EAT ORGANIC FOOD, because the collapse in insect populations is largely driven by intensive agriculture and pesticide use. If you can’t afford them, but you have the time and space, try growing your own food without using synthetic pesticides, or get involved in a community garden.

Unlike natural fibres such as wool, silk and linen, a single load of polyester-containing laundry can shed 700,000 microplastic fibres, which reduce insects’ health and lifespan. They are probably the second most significant emerging threat to insects. Cotton is responsible for about 4% to 10% of the world’s pesticide and insecticide use, but natural fibres and organic cotton are expensive. Buy second-hand, if possible and try WASHING MAN-MADE FABRICS LESS OFTEN.

LEAVE DEAD TREES, FALLEN BRANCHES AND LOGS, as they all provide important food for invertebrates. By clearing them away, we eliminate habitats and nutrients, so if you can leave them safely to rot, it’s good to do so.

PLEASE, PLEASE DON’T USE GLYPHOSATE, if you can possibly avoid it. It significantly damages the immune systems of insects (and is likely carcinogenic to people). Pull weeds by hand and enjoy being out in the sunshine among all that life!

Lawns are rightly regarded as ‘green deserts’. LETTING THE GRASS, THE DANDELIONS AND DAISIES GROW UNINTERRUPTED, can be a big boost for insects and help birds and lizards. Encourage local authorities to plant berms with (fruit) trees, shrubs and native plants, instead of grass. Don’t concrete your drive: use paving stones with gaps or cut-outs, to allow for drainage, plants and more habitat for invertebrates.

SPRINKLE WILDFLOWER SEEDS ON VACANT GROUND. Even exotic seeds (as long as they don’t contain invasive pest plants) will help a lot of our pollinators.

BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST: put the iNature app on your phone and record the insects you see. All data is important and we can’t help struggling species without solid facts.

BE AWARE OF INVASIVE SPECIES: in Europe it has been found that a single colony of Asian hornets can kill 90,000 pollinating insects in just one season. DOC, the local council, and Biosecurity will all have details of what to look for and as we all know too well, once established, they’re hard to eradicate. As I mentioned a few months ago, wasps are one of our most dangerous invasive insects, but Predator Free Russell can help you eliminate them.

Although owls and bats feast on insects, they play a key role in regulating populations, including pests, and we should protect them. Where they disappear, farmers tend to use more insecticides, which kill indiscriminately. By supporting our local bat and owl populations, we can help insects.

Perhaps most importantly of all, REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. The heating of the planet is the biggest threat to insect life across the world. Stopping the worst of global heating, and saving trillions of insects, requires all of us to dramatically cut our use of fossil fuels.

Bee on a flower. Author: Evita Zarina