WE know bees, hoverflies and other insects provide a welcome sight for gardeners in spring and summer, but these valued species need protection in the winter.

As part of Wild About Gardens Week from September 18 until September 21, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) are urging people to do more to help pollinators.

RHS senior entomologist Andrew Salisbury says: "By being a little less tidy, particularly around the base of hedges and in garden borders, creating bug hotels and log piles, we can provide overwintering sites, giving pollinators a head start in the spring."