Wirral’s wildlife heroes revealed

Sep 23 2009 by Jade Wright, Birkenhead News

Wirral’s wildlife heroes revealed

THINK of a superhero, and what springs to mind? A caped crusader wearing his underpants over his trousers? Well, it seems that in the natural world, superheroes are all around us, quietly helping keep organic gardens lovely.

“Wildlife species and the habitats they live in are so important to they way we live,” says Sarah Bennett, the Cheshire region Biodiversity Manager. “Many local wildlife species are threatened and if we don’t look after them, they could even become extinct in our lifetime.”

Here are our top 5 local wildlife heroes and how you can help them:

l Hedgehogs

“They help us by keeping our garden pests down, eating lots of juicy slugs and snails each night,” says Sarah.

A lot of hedgehogs live in urban habitats, taking advantage of the mosaic of different gardens and local parks. They are active at night, risking their lives as they cross our roads in search of food in the undergrowth.

“Encourage hedgehogs into your garden by creating a log pile in a quiet area and leave undisturbed areas beneath your shrubs,” says Sarah. “If you have a hedgehog visiting your garden, check your compost heap before you turn it over: they like the warmth. Hedgehogs can fall down uncovered drains and drown in ponds with steep sides.”

l Bees

“Bees help us by pollinating our plants,” explains Sarah. “Without pollination we wouldn’t have some varieties of fruit, honey or vegetables.

“To help bees in the wild do not spray pesticides and provide as much nectar as you possibly can,” says Sarah. “Try having something in flower in your garden from April through to October so there is always food around, not only will this help the bees but also butterflies.”