How your garden springs to life at night

Flowers, bees, moths … when the sun sets, there’s work to be done.

 Tom Oder

Some bats, like this one in Queensland, not only eat pesky insects but pollinate, too. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Have you ever wondered what’s happening in your garden while you sleep? It’s probably a lot more than you think. 

As the sun goes down and daytime pollinators and predators head to their nests, burrows, hives or roosts, the night shift of insects and other visitors takes over. As darkness slowly envelops your landscape, other strange things start happening outside your bedroom window, too. Leaves begin to change position and flowers that were closed during the day start to open and emit nocturnal fragrances. Think of it as nature’s evening song to lure and welcome the creatures of the night…