Re: Make a wildlife spiral.

I cannot believe that you have both finished your spirals. They are both excellent. I haven't even got my logs yet !

Wildlife friendly

Have a look at this

http://www.greengardener.co.uk/product.asp?id_pc=22&cat=47

I’ve not tried them but they could be a solution.

WF thanks for the link, looks like a good option to try, and at least it is wlidlife and enviromentaly friendly.

Good Grief! I've stepped into the twilight zone!  One minute is the thread giving ideas then the next thing I see are posts of actually creating the wildlife spiral ! Phenemonal!  Great work both WF and NandW - Well you definitely can't be accused of letting the grass grow beneath your feet!

Well done ........well I've got the wood (could have a height issue compared to you both but beggars can't be choosers - actually I have the "minny me" version!!)  and I have me leaves......just need a whirlwind to create it all!!

Hi Kezmo

I realised that you started this thread and what a reaction you have had here {thumbs up}

Twilight zone it might be but it is for the better LOL {smiles}

It just show the enthuastic nature that people have who love their local wildlife.  

Good to see on this thread such a lot, and it gives hope for people who are about nature of all sorts.

Not done the suggested things yet, but I am thinking about it ,,,,,with a little help from my enterprising OH who loves to create all type of things for the garden area.

If he can invent a bird feeder to keep Grey Squirrels at bay ..... surely he can create a Hilton Hotel mark 1 and a half here LOL

We shall see {wink}

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Kezmo

Well done ........well I've got the wood (could have a height issue compared to you both but beggars can't be choosers - actually I have the "minny me" version!!)  and I have me leaves......just need a whirlwind to create it all!!

We eagerly await your photo :)

Hi WF, (lol)  had a lovely mental picture of a beetle, tapping his foot and tutting while holding a tape measure as I try to make my spiral.

Will definitely do my spiral/short spiral/pile of logs! next weekend and post a photo of my efforts.  Busy decorating at my parents' house this weekend so didn't get a chance.  Unfortunately not possible during the week now that the days are getting shorter.

Well done Kesmo, I think a short one will look good. You could try burying a few logs beneath it, Stag beetles like the wood to be damp. If you wanted to attract Stag beetles in particular you could dig a pit and line it with your logs, leave the tops an inch or two above the surface and fill the centre with a mixture (50:50) of wood chips and soil.

PS You wouldn't fancy a spot of decorating in Devon would you?

Hi WF

Have definitely not forgotten the wonderful advice you gave me earlier - I thought tho if the garden can take it, I will put my little beetle den somewhere else to the spiral.  YES I know I haven't done that either yet.  I'm great at receiving ideas but just bad at putting them into effect!

Decorating! you haven't seen my decorating  - be careful what you wish for!!! (seriously it's lousy).  My only saving grace is that both my parents are short sighted!...... lurve the smiley by the way.

Hi all
Sorry about the long spell of incommunicado - things are pretty busy for me. I'm just taking a brief moment to catch up on some of your forum threads. The wildlife spiral is really great, I've long been extolling the virtues of such features to everyone.

Standing deadwood is equally as valuable as laying and these spirals are a good way to provide it in a limited space and the added beauty being you can plant nectar rich plants around them to make it a pretty feature your friends and family will talk about.  

Having a nearby source of nectar is as equally important for the inhabitants you're trying to attract. Many 'deadwood' invertebrates also need nectar or may predate on other insects that come to nectar. 

I'd give 20/10 to all of you now busy making your wildlife spirals. Post your pictures and I'll vote on the best one - don't forget I'll consider artistic merit as well as wildlife value, including sources of nectar.

I see people have also been discussing here the problems of cockchafers. I know they and cranefly larvae can damage lawns, but the larvae are a very important source of food for young birds if they are to fledge the nest. We already know that young house sparrows are starving to death in the nest due to a lack of insects. One of their favourites being the cranefly. Starlings to are declining - cockchafer and cranefly larvae are among their favourite foods to feed their chicks which is what they are after when you see them waddling about like little old men aerating your lawn!

I'm all for living with the occasional bare patch! Bare patches in themselves are a valuable microhabitat. Wall to wall vegetation does not optimise the benefits to wildlife and small amounts of bare earth are beneficial. They provide somewhere for invertebrates to warm up. Birds and other predatory invertebrates will feed on the insects there. They also provide small niches for annual plants to grow, such as chickweed, annual meadow grass, dandelion and plantain the seeds of which are fed on by birds. They also attract insects to nectar which again in turn will help feed birds. Its all a fine little spiral web of wildlife!

Hi Kesmo and John Day,

Kesmo you mentioned in your last reply on this thread something about a beetle den was this a project of a previous post or is it a ready made item, if it is home made do you know where I can find  what original post it was on.

John the problem I have with chafer grubs is that I lost the whole lawn and it became just one big mud bath when it rained, I would not have a problem with a few bare patches.

Hi NandW

It was a wonderful idea given to me by Wildlife Friendly - dig a pit fill it with leaves and then wood, more leaves and then more wood - as I had such small pieces I thought I was rather limited to what I could do with them.  "The Big Picture" I initially had was to use large tree sections from a house up the road but this didn't materialise.  WF very kindly gave me brilliant advice and ideas.   I am going to place mine in my dampest part of the garden to encourage beetles and suchthat like that sort of habitat. I'm also going to put one in a drier part of the garden to encourage those insects that don't like the damp and cold.

As this was WF's idea I should really let her tell you in more detail so over to you WF!

NandW

Hi I completed my wildlife spiral today

Wow, this is fantastic, may I ask how many logs are used in this....?  is it about 7..?

A very efficient use of space, there's quite a bit of log used but only a small amount of floor space used, and you have put leaves down the middle bit..?   I have access to lots of pine cones, I guess those mixed in will add a bit of body to the centre of the structure.

I need to seek out about 7/8 straightish logs now.  :-)

Hi Juno,

I used seven logs, but the amount can vary, a lot depends on the diameter of the logs mine were 3 to 4 inches smaller diameter could take more. The logs were close together in the spiral so the was not a lot of room between that is why the cracks were stuffed with fallen leaves.

It seems I’m not good a popping in every day to keep up with the posts, sorry.

This is the post I think you are looking for

Here is another idea which is easy and cheep. I found this while thumbing through an old magazine.

A beetle bump

1.       Beetles like well-drained, grassy banks so, if possible, build your mound on the lawn. Lift a patch of turf at least 50cm sq in area.

2.       Loosen the soil with a garden fork. Ground beetles like plenty of space in the soil to provide a good habitat for them and their prey.

3.       Mix in organic matter and partially rotted wood. Larvae and their prey will feed on this decaying matter and it will open up the soil structure further.

4.       Scatter loose wood or bark across the mound and mix in to provide dark hiding places for nocturnal beetles and other beneficial creatures.

5.       Cover the mound with turf, making sure it’s in contact with the soil to help it root. This will protect beetles from predators and hot weather.

6.       Encourage grass on the mound to grow in tussocks by placing old tree branches on top to reduce the density of the grass plants