We should all be welcoming insects into our garden, pollinating our plants, keeping the food chain going and boosting biodiversity. There are thought to be as many as 22,400 species of insect across the UK with fewer than 1% of this total considered problematic by gardeners, although some might make you do a second take. In the run-up to Insect Week, which celebrates insects in all their forms and spreads the message of their important role in maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem, RHS entomologist Josie Stuart selects five fantastic beasts you may see in your garden.
1. Lobster moth (Stauropus fagi) This moth gets its name from its funky-looking caterpillar. The red, lumpy body shape resembles a crustacean and is probably intended as a deterrent to predators.
If disturbed, the caterpillar will put on a menacing display to match its faux-spines, rearing up on to its hind legs and throwing its head back. Strange habits: When first hatched, the caterpillar of the moth feeds entirely on its own eggshell before nibbling on a range of deciduous trees such as birch, hazel and oak. After turning into the rather less spectacular looking fluffy brown moth, it will set about pollinating plants, mating and serving as a delicacy for larger garden visitors.
2. Cockchafer beetle (Melolontha melolontha) Perhaps one of the clumsiest insects to be spotted in gardens in late spring and early summer, the cockchafer grows to 50mm in length, making a whirring noise when in flight and can be forg.