Monthly Top Tips: June
4th June 2020
Make your garden hedgehog friendly this summer with wildflowers, log piles and a water source.
With more and more people out in the garden during the UK lockdown, why not make a few small changes that will make a big difference for hedgehogs? The aim of the game is to provide access, food and shelter for hedgehogs.
Access
- 13cm gaps through or under fences, or ‘Hedgehog Highways’, ensure hedgehogs can access the garden.
- Speak to neighbours (from a distance!) to connect as many gardens as possible, as well as linking front to back gardens where possible.
Food
- A hedgehog’s natural diet is mostly invertebrates, so try to encourage creepy crawlies like worms, beetles and earwigs. Wildflowers as well as features such as log piles and ponds (with sloped sides or an exit ramp) are a great way to do this.
- Leaving a shallow dish of water out is also vital after such a dry May. This will benefit hedgehogs as well as other wildlife in search of a drink.
- You can also leave out supplementary food in the form of meaty cat/dog food or specialist hedgehog food.
Shelter
- Leaving a corner or patch of the garden to grow wild and undisturbed will ensure space and nesting materials for hedgehogs (as well as creepy crawly food).
- You can also build or buy dedicated hedgehog houses that provide a safe place for hedgehogs to nest.
If you’re not sure where to start, we recently put together a guide to wildlife gardening for beginners, which contains information about plants, garden features and a few added extras.
Extra tips for a hedgehog friendly garden…
Be extra careful of hedgehogs when using garden equipment like strimmers and mowers. Wildlife hospitals and hedgehog carers are reporting high numbers of injuries from such equipment.
Avoiding the use of chemicals like pesticides and rodenticides is also vital to ensure hedgehogs aren’t poisoned by them.
Ensure ponds have sloped sides, or an exit ramp to make sure they don’t get stuck.
If you haven’t already, why not download the free Hedgehog Street app, so that you can receive monthly tips and updates straight to your phone or tablet.
