A NETWORK of mini-beast mansions have been opened up at a group of south Cumbrian and north Lancashire holiday parks.

The Holgates group wants to encourage beneficial insects to its sites, in order to ensure that their large bird populations have plenty to eat.

The insect homes have been installed at the group's flagship Silverdale Holiday Park as well as its five other nearby parks.

"The habitats are open-plan and filled with roosting material such as leaves, hollow stems and moss, and reveal the awe-inspiring activity of the insect world," said director Michael Holgate.

"Being close to the sea, we have an amazing variety of resident and visiting birds, many of which get their protein from bugs – and our aim is to ensure they don't go hungry.

"This is especially important in winter when the mini-mansions also act as an over-wintering space for some species such as butterflies and solitary bees.

"We knew we had a hit on our hands when both youngsters and grown-ups started posting pictures of the insects on social media along with more traditional holiday snaps!"