Half term has been thoroughly heart warming with the number of families we have had visiting the reserve to take part in the making homes for nature event we held in the Discovery Centre. The visiting families were all really eager to make a frogitat or toad abode to take home to give nature a home in their gardens. We had some very talented and creative children produce some fantastic and very stylish homes using plant pots and natural materials for frogs, toads and newts. The children also added a sign to welcome any potential visitors they might have and some very imaginative names were thought up for the homes.
As well as being a very attractive addition to any garden these homes will be extremely beneficial for garden wildlife. Hundreds of frogs, toads and newts now have a safe, dry and warm place to choose to hibernate in when the weather becomes really cold. The entrance to the frogitats was made fairly small to allow the frogs, toads and newts to squeeze under and to stop any potential predators entering through the same gap. It will be lovely to hear of any occupants the frogitats made at Minsmere have and I know I will be keeping a close eye on the one donated by a child to RSPB Minsmere.
A huge thank you to Ellwood Nursery of Knodishall, Notcutts of Woodbridge and our volunteers for the donation of the plastic plant pots.
Frogs, toads and newts are not the only wildlife who will be benefitting from the homes for nature event. As a team each day the children taking part in the activity and volunteers put together a hedgehog home made out of recycled wood and reeds from Minsmere’s reedbed. We will be donating these homes to local schools within the next few weeks for hedgehogs to use as a cosy and safe place to spend the winter. It has been really pleasing watching these hedgehog homes progress as the week has gone on because hedgehogs are a species in dire need of help and a species very close to my heart. They are such incredible creatures with very charismatic personalities and also very useful in the garden! In the last decade their numbers have declined by a third. Hibernation is a risky time for them because they have to ensure that they have enough fat reserves before hibernation to last them the winter but also they are defenceless against predators, extreme weather such as flooding, mowing machinery and bonfires once they have entered hibernation. I am really hoping to hear of success stories involving the donated hedgehog boxes being used and hedgehogs managing to survive the winter. I wait with great anticipation!
If you would like a few ideas of how to help hedgehogs in your garden then I have listed a few below.
Make/buy a hedgehog hibernation box
Make an access hole for hedgehogs to get in and out of your garden; they can’t visit unless they can get in!!!
Don’t use any pesticides or chemicals such as slug pellets that could be ingested.
Clear your garden of litter which could damage the hedgehogs or be ingested
Check areas you are going to mow/strim
Check bonfires before lighting them
Leave some cat food (meat varieties, no fish) out for visiting hedgehogs to help them build up their reserves before hibernation.
Leave a saucer of water for them to drink NO MILK!
As a treat you could also leave out some meal worms!