Wildlife Gardening - October

Help a hibernating hedgehog

Hedgehogs are declining across the whole of the United Kingdom, due to loss of habitat, busy roads and obstructions to movement. Neat and tidy gardens may not provide many opportunities for Hedgehogs to nest or hibernate, so you can help by building a Hedgehog box for them. This can be as basic or fancy as you like, just as long as it’s waterproof and well ventilated.

1. Build or find a wooden box of approximate dimensions 30 x 40 x 30cm high.
2. Create an entrance tunnel or hole in the side of the box approximately the same size as a CD case (13cm x 13cm).
3. Cover the floor of the box with sawdust or earth.
4. Cover the box with plastic sheeting to keep it dry and position it in a pile of leaves or logs near a compost heap or in a shady overgrown corner.
5. Leave some bedding material outside for hedgehogs to take into the box such as leaves or straw.

Hedgehogs need to travel a surprising distance to find food, water and mates. You can help them by creating Hedgehog corridors between yours and your neighbours gardens. Cut a hole in your fence, the same size as a CD case (13cm x 13cm). This will allow Hedgehogs to come and go easily.

Let Ivy thrive

Leave mature Ivy uncut if possible, as it is an excellent late source of nectar for insects.