SAD to say, but in our quest to have more colourful gardens and a more productive countryside, there's a touch of genocide going on.

Bugs, bats, bees and butterflies that have happily crept and crawled for generations without ever really doing much harm, are being wiped out by the modern predeliction for sprays, insecticides and the rest of the stuff you can find on gardening centre shelves.

Only last week it was announced butterfly numbers are decreasing and may one day face extinction.

However, it's not just the butterfly that has a battle on its hands. Lots of species are also lowering in numbers, from moths, bats and bumble bees, to grasshoppers, insects and various bugs. They are all struggling to survive.

But help is at hand, because a petcare company has launched a range of products aimed at the type of wildlife that sometimes gets forgotten.

How about, for example, a ladybird tower. This has a central insulated chamber and access holes drilled in an upward direction towards the top of the tower. The ladybird tower makes an ideal habitat for ladybirds during winter, helping to increase their chance of survival through the cold months. It's also a perfect natural home for garden insects and comes complete with a ground pole for easy assembly.

Then there is the ladybird attractant, a food attractant that will guide ladybirds to their prey, and provides an economic and natural aphid control system.

Slightly less glamorous is the bug box, an insect habitat ideal for all sorts of garden bugs. Correctly sited, it can also be used by solitary bees that pollinate in the garden. The bug box has a twin chamber which acts as a home to lots of insects and the well insulated construction of the oak and solid wood base also provides an ideal winter home for ladybirds and lacewings.

Bumblebees have been in decline over the last 20 years, so providing a dry and safe habitat is essential. The bumblebee box has an overhanging lipped roof which has been specifically designed to provide a dry home and a glass viewing panel means you can view the progress of your bees easily.

Bats are also an endangered species in Britain and the provision of a safe habitat is vital. The bat box has enough room for several bats to roost and its thick timber provides excellent insulation for the bats in your back yard.

Finally, the butterfly station comes in bright yellow to help attract more of our fluttery friends. Butterfly numbers have declined seriously over the past 100 years, so much so that five of the UK's species have already become extinct. The station is an ideal way to encourage them into your garden.