Garden wildlife jobs for June
There's plenty to do in the wildlife garden in June, from topping up bird baths to growing bee-friendly plants.
June is another busy month for garden wildlife. Birds are foraging for caterpillars to feed their chicks, while bees, moths, butterflies and other pollinators are making the most of flowering plants and sunshine. At night, hedgehogs scour our borders for caterpillars and beetles for their young back in the nest. Meanwhile, this year's amphibians will be leaving garden ponds for the first time, seeking cool, damp shelter.
More on gardening for wildlife:
- How to create a wildlife garden
- Wildlife homes to make
- 10 of the best climbers for wildlife
- What to plant in June
Browse our list of wildlife gardening jobs for June, below.
Keep the bird bath topped up
Keeping the bird bath topped up means birds can drink and bathe in dry weather. With clean feathers, birds are better able to regulate their body temperatures and fly from predators. Keep above ground if cats are around.
- Find out how to maintain a bird bath
- Choose a bird bath from our guide
- Buy Fallen Fruits Bird Bath on Amazon
Create a cool, damp spot for amphibians
Create a cool, damp spot for amphibians to take shelter by making a log pile in a shady corner. Half bury the bottom layer of logs and fill nooks and crannies with fallen leaves and moss.
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Avoid deadheading roses
Avoid deadheading all spent roses to let some develop hips, which will feed birds and small mammals in winter. Plant wildlife-friendly roses such as Rosa rubiginosa and dog rose (Rosa canina), and browse our list of the best roses for hips.
Grow bee-friendly plants
Grow bee-friendly plants such as foxglove and viper's bugloss, to provide essential nectar and pollen. Find out how to make your garden bee-friendly in summer.
- Buy Bee-Friendly plants from Crocus
Leave a few lawn weeds
When mowing the lawn, leave a section to allow 'weeds' such as daisies and dandelions to flower - an easy source of nectar and pollen during the summer. If you leave the grass to grow long, some species of butterfly and moth may start breeding here, while species such as green shield bug may take shelter. You may even attract grasshoppers.
- Which are the best lawn mowers to buy in 2021?
- Buy Gardena Comfort Hand Mower from Amazon
Leave mud for nesting house martins
In dry summers, house martins - which make their nests using mud - struggle to build and repair their nests. By leaving out a dish of mud (simply soil with added water), you can give them a helping hand. Keep the dish topped up with a fresh supply of mud for several weeks over summer, or until it rains.
What to do if you find a baby bird
If you find a baby bird sitting beneath a hedge or other part of the garden, leave it. Parent birds often leave their fledglings in a safe place, where they can continue feeding them. It's highly likely the bird will be waiting to receive food from a parent and your presence might prevent it from returning. If it's a poorly feathered or naked chick, it has a slim chance of survival and might have been rejected by the parents.
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