There you go indeed!

[LynneA]

As I asked for this, I'll explain myself...

Our plots are in North London, very near a major road, but despite this, rich in wildlife.  We have all the usual - finches, thrushes, etc., but we also have Great Spotted & Green Woodpeckers, Kestrels and possibly Tawny Owls.

Several plots have ponds - we built our last year and have already spawned a good population of frogs.

We do have rats at the other side of the site - near a dairy and a building site, but the foxes catch them and the magpies bully the foxes out of their meal.

The plot next to us is abandoned and is home a to couple of foxes (Doug and Dinsdale) and at least one hedgehog (Norman).  However, I have heard that this plot is about to be let and I'm worried that my little pals will be displaced.

At the far end of one our plots there is a 5 by 15 foot bank which I intend to turn over to wildlife and wildflowers.  We have a large clump of Elder where I've already put one nesting box.  How can I encourage the hedgehogs to stay?

And how high up would I have to put a Bat Box?

[TonyP]

Bats uh ?

Well you need to postion three boxes at the same height around the bole of the tree. Preferred height around 12ft.

There needs to be a clear sphere (thats 3d not just a clear circle )space of three yards circumference in front of each box and that may mean branches overhanging need lopping.

Once up the box should be left for three years as it may take this long to attract occupant.

Once occupied the box can never be removed.

Big commitment a bat box. Good Luck.

TonyP

[LynneA]

As I feared, that means there's nowhere on my plots to put a bat box.  But I'll keep that info in mind for the future and for other plotholders.  Many thanks.

[Chloe]

Hi Lynne,

It's nice to hear of other sites that have ponds on their plots.  I made one last year and it is the delight of my allotment.  I am totally hooked on it and spend as much time just gazing into my pond as I possibly can.  I never realised just what went on in a wildlife pond.  I have watched the tadpoles grow into frogs, I have seen newts and I was lucky enough to have a dragonfly hatch.  Unfortunately it had just hatched when I asked my husband whatever is that thing on one of the pond plants.  I know all the things that people say about dragonfly larva but haven't found it has harmed my pond.  I also have a fish in the pond, named Sunny.  He came from nowhere, and I got so hooked onto my pond I have actually made a website for it where I waffle on about all the things I see in it.  Because of Sunny I then made another wildlife pond, just for the frogs, but unluckily or not, depends how you see it, I had the plants from my friends pond, when she cleaned it out and lo and behold, I now have about 20 more baby fish.  Her fish must have mated and the eggs must have been on the plant.  I had many more fry, than 20, when they first hatced but it looks like nature has taken care of some of my problem.  I had to transfer some of the babies into the big pond, with Sunny, so I now have two ponds with fish in them.

Yes, and I do have names for some of the other fish too, and names for the frogs too, but must admit they tend to be called Freddie's and Freda's and of course Norman the newt.

I will stop now, as I do tend to waffle on for hours about my ponds:)))