Caring for Wildlife in the Summer

Birds, bugs, butterflies and blooms

Caring for Wildlife in the Summer

Occasionally, we are blessed with a sunny spell or two!

We may enjoy basking in the glorious rays of sunshine, sipping on ice cold drinks and feeling the heat on our skin – but our wildlife can struggle during a heatwave. The high temperatures and scorching sunlight can cause havoc in your garden for plants and wildlife alike, but do not worry – we will go through a list of ways you can help your green space this summer.

Keep bird baths clean and full of fresh water!

Providing garden birds, a safe and clean space to bathe and drink is vital during the summer months. Birds must keep their feathers in excellent condition and dampening their feathers helps loosen dirt and grime, making it much easier for them to preen. Bird baths and water dishes also provide drinking water for our birds. This is particularly important for birds who eat seeds as they get no water value from their food so must find hydration elsewhere. It also helps to keep them cool in the glorious sunshine.

Robin

(Erithacus rubecula)

"I love to be able to cool off and refresh my feathers!"

Keep the Bees Buzzing and the Butterflies Fluttering!

Our garden plants are the perfect patch for pollinators like butterflies and bees, by keeping our plants well-watered we can help keep food sources plenty for these critters. Make sure you are watering your plants when the sun has gone down and the air is cooler, otherwise you will risk burning your leaves!

Use Sheltering Plants

Trees, shrubs and climbing plants are perfect for providing shelter for wildlife. Nesting birds can use climbing plants like honeysuckle and evergreens like heather to settle down in and provide a safe place to shade away from the sun. Shrubs like hawthorn allow shelter and house a perfect mixture of insects!

Common House Spider

(Parasteatoda tepidariorum)

"I quite like hiding in cool and dark spaces like under the hedges"

Perfect Ponds

Water is always essential to wildlife, but a pond can be a super-home for wildlife if planned and maintained successfully! Ensure your pond has one gradual slope so thirsty hedgehogs and other mammals who explore it can get out if they accidentally topple in! Ponds can invite a whole host of different visitors, from frogs, newts, and insects.

Common Frog

(Rana temporaria)

"Lots of delicious bugs love ponds, yum!"

Keep feeding the birds!

Some people believe that birds do not need to be fed in the summer, but this is incorrect. Although birds can find their meals of worms, insects, and berries, sometimes poorer or dry weather conditions can limit their success of finding their next meal. Providing high protein foods in your feeders like mealworms, wax worms and kibbled peanuts are the best summer snacks! – soaking your dried mealworms in water also adds an extra kick of hydration for thirsty birds.

High Energy Supreme

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"This seed mix gives an extra punch of much needed protein!"

To go the extra step for wildlife, consider leaving part of your garden or green space ‘natural’ and avoid mowing and pruning! Wildflower seeds are a great way of rewilding your space and creating a pollinator paradise for our bees and fluttery friends!