Look out for a prickly customer warns Sheffield wildlife expert

Peter Wolstenholme sent a photograph of a fine looking hedgehog in his garden and this was a timely reminder of the need to prepare for the winter ahead.
HedgehogHedgehog
Hedgehog

Hedgehogs love piles of twiggy rubbish under which they can nest or in winter, hibernate.

So, when rewilding your garden, it is worth using cuttings of woody shrubs and the like to form low, dry mounds which can be covered with green herbaceous material over the top.

Your local hedgehogs will love that.

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You can buy a pre-made ‘hedgehog house’, but the brash pile is cheaper and equally or more tempting for would-be residents.

However, there is a word of caution if you feel a dash of autumnal pyromania coming on.

If you have any piles of garden waste that you might be tempted to burn, rather than to compost, which is altogether better, then do check for frogs, toads, newts, and, above all, hedgehogs before you do.

For a rewilded garden, strategically placed untidiness is a good thing and autumn is the ideal time to plan this for the coming season.

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Similarly, any major constructional work like pond-making building should be planned now to be implemented during winter.

Prof Ian D Rotherham, a researcher, writer and broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues, is contactable on [email protected]

Follow his Walk on the Wildside blog at ukeconet.org

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