DIY
Fall Shelters for the Animals
Last week, I noticed that the yard was littered with leaves, and I thought, “Why should I clean it all up?” I had read that leaves, twigs, pinecones, and bark aren’t trash, but building materials for all those little creatures that will soon be looking for a place to shelter from the cold. So I decided: I’m going to build little houses.
Birds
I hung five suet balls on the pear tree for the birds. And I made a mixture of melted suet and seeds in a jam jar as an extra treat. While I was working on it, two great tits sat there watching curiously.
Hedgehogs
Of course, I also thought about the hedgehog. Just the other night, I saw one walking around in the back of our yard. For him or her, I made a big pile of leaves and twigs in the corner near the compost pile. The hedgehog will crawl into that soon, wrap itself in its own warm, prickly coat, and sleep straight through until April. For extra comfort, I even added some straw.
Butterflies
And then I thought of the butterflies. Did you know that the brimstone butterfly and the peacock butterfly simply stay in the garden all winter? For them, I placed a pile of bark and leaves in a hollow tree stump. And in the garden shed, I left the window slightly ajar, with a dry spot where they can curl up.
Woodlice and bumblebees
For the woodlice, I gathered a pile of pine cones with some moss. It looked like a sort of miniature forest. Woodlice can crawl inside it. Spiders love it, too—they build little nests among the debris. For the bumblebee queen, who will soon be looking for a quiet spot to hibernate, I dug a little hole in a corner of the lawn. I filled it with dried grass and pieces of reed, and I placed an old flowerpot at an angle over it.
Beetles and Snails
I started with a large basket, a pair of work gloves, and a good dose of enthusiasm. First, I gathered large and small branches. Some were still damp from the
rain, others already brittle. With them, I built a sort of igloo under the old hazel tree. On top, I laid a thick layer of maple leaves, which curled up like warm blankets. I tucked some tree bark between the branches for extra protection. It smelled wonderful—a bit like the forest. I made several small little nooks among the wood. Perfect for beetles, snails, earwigs, and who knows, maybe even a little mouse.
Those little houses and nooks don’t have to be perfect. Nature actually loves rough edges. Now our garden is a winter village—a place full of hiding spots, little bedrooms, and food cupboards for everything that scurries, crawls, flies, and flutters.
Which little house are you going to build?
Love, Daphne
