And so it is with the natural world. Without the small things like the insects, bugs and spiders, none of us would be here. Often ignored, unnoticed, or even worse, gratuitously killed, they are the very foundation of life on earth.

Insects, bugs, spiders - "minibeasts" - provide any number of useful services within the environment. They pollinate our crops, recycle organic matter, aerate the soil and are a source of food for many other animals. OK so perhaps some aren't such 'good guys', but the majority do us no harm and are an essential part of any ecosystem.

I had cause to reflect on this when I was pulling up some Garlic mustard, whose common name is Jack-by-the hedge. It's a native plant that seeds very readily and sometimes needs controlling.

But as I went to pull up a plant, I noticed that there was an orange tip butterfly perched on it [right]. Its wings were closed, which provides excellent camouflage, but when open, the male has very obvious orange tips to its upper wings. This gives the species its name. The female has to choose the right plants on which to lay her eggs, so that the caterpillars have a ready source of food in their preferred leaves. Garlic mustard is one of their favourite plants. I checked for eggs and when I was satisfied that there weren't any, I pulled up the plant.

Having done that, I noticed that there was a frothy substance under 2 of the leaves, which I recognised as cuckoo spit. This is produced by the nymph (larva) of a bug known as a froghopper. also called a spittlebug.

According to the Natural History Museum, 'The nymph makes the foam by extruding the plant sap [it has sucked up] out of its anus and frothing it---a little like a cappuccino maker'! The foam stops the baby froghopper from drying out and protects it from predators. Froghoppers don't generally cause significant damage to plants and these incredible insects have such strong back legs that they can jump a hundred times their own length!!

And just as I was about to put the uprooted plant on the compost I noticed this sac spider. I've seen these silky pouches on the underside of leaves before, but never seen the spider. It emerged from the sac when I disturbed it and then went safely back in. These are spiders that hunt at night for things like woodlice, and spin these silky tunnels to hide in during the day.

An insect, a bug and a spider on just one small plant! I realise that we have to manage our garden and even some of our wildlife areas, but next time you're weeding look out for some of these small creatures that play a vital role in the environment and between them, make the world go round!

PS The leaves and their occupants were relocated to another patch of garlic mustard!

Words and photos: Denise Long

Friends of Portswood Rec, Southampton, UK