Log piles

[Georgie]

Hi.  I'm trying to attract more wildlife into my city garden and I'm considering a small log pile.  Can anyone recommend a good source of information which will explain what sort of logs to use to attract certain species of insects and mammals, how big it needs to be, where to get the logs from etc.  None of my reference books are helpful on this subject.

G xx

[new potter]

try checkig out this link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/nature/wild_up_logpile.shtml


np

[Roy Bham UK]

I may have a surplus of wood chippings and was wondering if I placed it in a quiet corner, would that surfice in being a safe habitat for wildlife insects?

Just a thought.

[Debs]

If you look at the bbc wildlife website & other similar links, they will recommend that you leave an area of your garden undisturbed for animals to bed down over winter.

Any logs stacked in a quiet corner would attract creatures to crawl amongst over winter. I don't think the type of log is important - merely providing them for hibernating creatures is good enough.

Debs

[wardy]

My in bloom group have our own lotty and we have a designated wildlife area on it.  We have bees too.  In the wild bit we leave all the grass quite long and the area is sited around a bramble which we leave fairly alone.  In it we've put a pile of birch logs (any will do I think) they are not very big so quite easy to do yourself.  You can drill holes in them to make habitat for insects to hide in and overwinter but also creatures can get underneath.  We also have placed a pile of twigs in there as well.  Also a piece of rubber (looks like belting) for slugs and snails etc (yes we are softies) At least when we turn it over it provides a feast for the thrushes.  We have nesting boxes too.  We did get a bird nesting last year but in the shrubs themselves.  Of I nearly forgot we piled some bits of bricks up too (just in a pile) for things to hide in and under.  We also have a small pool for the birds to drink from and the frogs and toads to visit.  None have set up home in it yet but it's early days.

[aquilegia]

I also used woody prunings as a mini log pile. I put them under shruby plants to create a mini-habitat. You could put them under hedges too (I don't have any!) They will rot down eventually, giving insects, amphibians, etc, a home in the meantime. And it's much more environmentally friendly than taking them to the dump.

I also have rock piles (well - mostly slabs and bits of concrete), in shady areas. And I leave a few terracotta pots on their sides to give things a place to hide.

Oh and for amphibians, you could bury a few terracotta pots (with the opening in the side of a hill, if you see what I mean) or terracotta drainpipes to give them a place to hide and hybernate. (mine live under the decking by my pond. It's so cute - they've sealed most of the entrance with mud and dug themselve a small gap to get in and out!)

[Val]

If you want to attract a specific type of wildlife I'd look up what sort of logs because some beetles like a particular type of wood. Good luck.

[Georgie]

Lots of lovely ideas there.  Thank you all so much for taking the trouble to reply.   

G xx