Beetle banks at Home Farm, Marshside

Beetle banks are simple, grass-sown raised strips providing habitat for the invertebrate predators of crop pests and other farmland wildlife.
At Home Farm, Marshside in Kent, beetle banks have been built and seeded with a specific grass mix including species such as cocksfoot, Yorkshire fog and timothy mix.. The conditions provide tussocky grass-nesting areas for birds such as skylarks and grey partridge. They also provide breeding and feeding areas for small mammals and insects, feeding areas for owls and other birds of prey, and overwintering refuge for beneficial insects and spiders.