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Although insects can be found in virtually any environment, if you're stuck for places to look when you're in a macro mood, consider looking for local streams in your immediate area and work the 100m strip either side.

Waterside edges, a great place to find a lot of insects.

Why Water?

The thing about water is that plants need it in huge quantities. It's the key ingredient that makes one gardener's garden 10x lusher than the next guy's.

Indeed, plant, tree and shrub growth in areas where there are a lot of streams and rivers nearby tends to be much more vigorous than in areas where the water supply is poor.

So this means that the plants are bigger and there are more near water, which is great for insects as they all need certain plants to breed, sleep, eat and mate in.

And if the plants are better near the water that's where they'll be.

Other Water Benefits

In addition to better plants, water areas have a unique ecology that means certain species are more common there.

Also, the young of various species live in the water before they transform into their final stage, so once they change they're more likely to be near that water.

Dragonflies, damselflies and mayflies are some of the creatures that you're much more likely to see in a water habitat.

Pests Near Water

Of course there are also other insects near water that you might not be so enthusiastic about near water. For example mosquitoes require water to complete their life cycle.

Water has a lot of insect species, including some that don't generally inspire too much enthusiasm.

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