sorting out the wild area in my garden, really pleased with myself

[Hedgie Lover]

So this morning, I I placed the new hog house, in front of a big brash pile, in which Huffy last summer made his own nest, and has been used temporarily (a couple of nights at a time) by other hogs but they seem to prefer the wooden hog houses.

So I put the new house, almost in front of it, but to the side, and the house sits inbetween two trees. I left a 5 inch gap at the right side, and that leads onto the hog made nest (that Huffy made) and then I put a brash pile on top of the new house, and left long sticks, which has created a roof for a tunnel inbetween the back of the new house, and the brash pile, (Huffy’s nest is to the right. And the tunnel of brash (which has been made naturally by the hogs), wraps around the tree, to the left of the new house, out out towards the communal garden, and the school fence, where most hogs come underneath.

I still have Sweetpea’s cardboard box (release box) – and someone went in there last, night, and someone has been tonight. And also someone has been in the new hog house in which the release box is facing it.

Crossed fingers it’s Sweetpea, Sweetpea and her new friend on monday night, spent a lot of time at the back of the hog house, so I thought I’d make it more special by putting a stick roof on it.

So what the upshot of this is, the natural nest to the left and at the back of the new house, has extra protection from predators now, as a predator would have to move the wooden house, which they cannot as it has a big stone on, and I piled up the sticks so high, that they’d never be able to move it.

So even if the hog house doesn’t get used too much, at least they have the natural nest which is a lot safer now.

Hope they appreciate the new updated wild area.

I have also cleared out a sheltered spot directly opposite, and thinking about making a giant bug hotel, just need to find some log parts that will rot down a bit, as I’ve realised sticks and branches don’t seem to attract insects.

Might have to go to a wood, and see what stuff I can find.

[Nic]

Hi Hedgie Lover

If you pile the sticks and branches contained by something (could just be between 2 bushes, even) so that the pile won’t collapse, it should attract insects/spiders. It’s best you wait until they are no longer sappy, but apart from that it should be o.k. Even sappy ones would eventually dry out.

Probably best not to take materials from a wood – you might accidentally be destroying some natural habitat there. Someone is bound to have some susitable materials from their gardens which they might be willing to let you have.

[Hedgie Lover]

Great advice about the wood – I didn’t think of that. I will have to wait until the lockdown is over, and ask the environmental conservation centre I’m involved with to give me some untreated wood, they are constantly making stuff and constantly have woodworking session, so they treat the wood themselves as it depends what they are making, and all there wood comes from sustainable sources. So they constantly have a pile of offcuts of wood – which just gets burnt on bonfire night (but during the day for visitors).

And they have already said, take what I need. We create huge bug hotels using natural things for primary schools, so that’s what I’m thinking of doing for the sheltered space opposite the hog house.

The sticks I have used have already dried out, however, there was tons of cobwebs amongst the existing brash pile which the hogs have been using – that brash pile is just fallen bits of confer leaves, and has been left there over the years, so it’s not green anymore, and mulched up, but I’m glad i didn’t get rid of it when I moved in.

[Hedgie Lover]

The twigs are inbetween two tall confer tree trunks, so it should be okay, will check each morning – like I do with the original hedgehog house, as I also put a pile of brash on that, twigs, and the odd leafy, part of a confer branch.

So I each morning I check if everything is in place, and will do the same for the new house.

Anyway, good news, there is someone currently in the tunnel behind the new house, the same place where Sweetpea and her male buddy were hanging out on the first night of her release. I really hope it’s Sweetpea, she’s doing a lot of rustling, but no hufing, so I think it’s a hog by him/herself. It might be Sweetpea making a nest for the night,

That place is safer than the actual hog house, as there is a 5inch gap to the left of the house and the confer tree, then the tunnel is at the back, which is surrounded by brash (from the confer leaves), with long sticks and branches for a roof. So if it is a female, and she is going to raise her hogs there, it would be a safe bet.

It will keep fairly dry, as even when it downpours, because of the confer trees, it doesn’t get wet. So it’s a really good sheltered spot. Ideal for a summer nest. then when it gets to winter, the can pop round the front and use the wooden house.

It does mean, that I definately cannot disturb the new house, and will have to put a camera up in beginning of april, for a while to check if there is anything behind it. That’s the issue.

[Author]

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