It may not always seem as though your garden is full of wildlife but you would probably be surprised to discover just how many animals call your garden home. Some can only be seen at night, other are buried beneath the ground and many reside within the trees and bushes. Foxes, owls and even Squirrels are active at night and early into the morning when you are fast asleep. Even in the winter, when your garden is covered in frost and snow wildlife is present. Gardens are an important habitat for many animals who rely on the shelter that many gardens provide. Many people simply take the wildlife in their garden for granted, or they are just unaware of the regular visitors to their backyard. It's easy to get closer to the wildlife in your garden, all you have to do is pay attention. It also helps to know what types of animals live in your garden so you know what to look out for. Instead of watching TV all day or browsing the internet get outside and witness the wonderful collection of animals in your garden. If you are interested in bringing more wildlife to your garden there are several ways you can attract animals to visit. If your garden is perfectly kept with a neat lawn and you use pesticides to protect plants then you probably won't see much wildlife. However, you can still keep your garden looking great and attract wildlife at the same time. Gardening in an organic manner will make your garden better suited for wildlife. The two main things that will keep wildlife coming back to your garden are food and shelter. Insects can be attracted by flowering plants and birds by a supply of bird food as well as shrubs growing berries. Nestboxes are also great for attracting birds, they will nest as long as there is a plentiful food supply. Compost heaps can provide somewhere for toads and Hedgehogs to hibernate as well as bringing lots of insects and invertebrates. Piles of logs will also appeal to a wide selection of insects and wildlife who will use them for shelter. Another thing that wild animals look for is a fresh supply of water so consider getting a bird bath, a pond or both. Here is a small selection of the different animals you might see in your gardenInvertebrates and insects
- Worms
- Slugs
- Snails
- Centipedes
- Millipedes
- Woodlice
- Spiders
- Insects
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Flies
- Ants
- Beetles
- Newts
- Frogs
- Toads
- Snakes
- Lizards
- Badgers
- Foxes
- Moles
- Hedgehogs
- Shrews
- Mice
- Voles
- Squirrels
- Weasel
- Bats