"A helping hand" (Photo courtesy of Nature's Home reader, Lesley Burton-Brown) It’s been one hell of a month. The Amazon’s been burning for weeks, HS2 is almost underway, it’s raining plastic particles in the Arctic and teenage activist Greta Thunberg is sailing her way to the US to campaign for change. It can be hard to focus on the positives or feel like we’re making an impact when it feels like huge steps are needed to change the state of the Earth. But, it’s important to keep doing our bit for nature and to remember that the little actions add up. Whether it’s feeding the visitors in your garden or building new homes for wildlife to thrive, even the smallest actions help to build a sustainable and natural future. People power is a vital force to protect our natural habitats and sustain wildlife for years to come. This week’s photo of the week serves as a reminder to care for even the littlest members of the natural world. This gorgeous shot was sent in by Nature’s Home reader Lesley Burton-Brown, who rescued this gypsy moth from her camping kit when unpacking her car boot. It is estimated that there are roughly 2,500 moth species in the UK, in a range of shapes, sizes and colours. It’s often taken for granted, but moths are an important link in the food chain for many species and are important pollinators too. However, there has been evidence to suggest that the UK moth numbers are declining, which in turn could really affect the populations of many bat and bird species. So if you’re looking for advice on caring for wildlife or if you’re interested in building some new green spaces to help out our struggling wildlife, the RSPB has many guides on how you can build homes for nature; from moths and butterflies, to mice, frogs, toads, hedgehogs and birds. Selecting plants that are butterfly-friendly encourages a wealth of wildlife into your garden and can help increase the diversity in your patch starting from the ground up. You can read here for a step-by-step guide on how to grow flowers to attract moths, butterflies, bees and other insects, and which seasonal flowers are best for the job. English lavender, Ivy and Michaelmas daisy are all common plants that are relatively easy to grow and maintain that are a haven for butterflies and other pollinators.
Do you have any amazing wildlife photos you want to share with us? Please send them to natureshome@rspb.org.uk