It was always the plan that we would have a 'bar' for insects made from beer barrels and filled with a variety of flowering plants - including cowslip, evening primose and ragged robin - which would then attract everything from bees and butterflies to ladybirds. In addition to this, the much talked-about 'insect hotel' is close-by, providing shelter close to this abundance of food.
However, proving that you can never predict what nature will do, something rather exciting - and totally unrelated to insects - happened this week.
As I was eagerly explaining to a visitor on the reserve just how easy it would be for them to construct a hotel like ours in their own back garden (this being the point of our particular garden) and how this would attract a plethora of fluttering, buzzing and creeping creatures; right before our eyes, a weasel appeared out of nowhere. It crossed the path, and hopped accross the newly seeded wildflower meadow and came to the insect hotel. It didn't even stop to think as it flew inside, ran up to the second story and poked its head out from in between two roof tiles!
So is it to be a weasel hotel? And if so, how will our guest mix with the other residents? All thoughts on this gratefully anticipated!