I made a hedgehog house out of a small plastic storage box with a door cut in the front, small air holes in the back, and stuffed with a bag of hay. It is secured by a heavyish piece of wood on top, and is behind a shed on gravel. It has been continually in use for the 3 years of its existance, and I start leaving food out from September until hibernation. Incidentally it has not yet hibernated.
I love all these comments they are most interesting. Im trying to get a hedgehog that came into my garden this year and want him back in 2011 so im going to make my own box and hope that he comes back to stay
It's worth persevering with bee-boxes and the like. I've had a bee-box in my garden for several years and each year it's well used by leaf-cutter bees. I've got a fuchsia bush just beneath the box which they use to line the bamboo tubes. I never tire of watching them flit to and fro and cutting a circular piece of leaf in seconds, which they then fly back to the box with.The first bee has emerged today, several weeks earlier than normal and I can hear the others still enclosed, munching their way out,so am looking forward to a month of activity around the box. Please rush out and get one in place now, as the bees are active throughout june and will absolutely fascinate you !!
on our allotment site i have a neighbour whose birdhouse is a bumblebee house, they colonised it on their own. bumble bees are very particular where they want to nest, for example they don't like full sun or they'd bake in their nest, their exit should befacing east, keep entrance clear etc...this birdhouse isn;t ticking any of there criteria and yet it's populated.....my bug box is fuill of solitary bees and ladybugs, the butterfly house is only a shelter for rainy days and then i'm not there to see it being used ;-)
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bumble bees are very particular where they want to nest, for example they don't like full sun or they'd bake in their nest, their exit should befacing east, keep entrance clear etc...this birdhouse isn;t ticking any of there criteria and yet it's populated.....my bug box is fuill of solitary bees and ladybugs, the butterfly house is only a shelter for rainy days and then i'm not there to see it being used ;-)