While most people could be forgiven for thinking that branch pruned off trees and bushes have served their use , keeping a few log piles in your garden could have some surprising benefits for the local wildlife .
First , cogitate of a elementary solid food chain . Decaying moulder wood is food and protection for all manner of creepy-crawly crawlies , from woodlice tobeetlesandspiders , and even fungi like orange spot , as well as lichen , can benefit . Thus as these xylophages and other detritivores manifold , this can attract expectant critters like skirt and small mammal , such as hedgehogs , who no incertitude would enjoy a tasty beetle - shaped snack .
ThePeople ’s corporate trust For Endangered Specieshas afact sheetall about how creating log scores can assist one the largest insects in the UK , the greater stag beetle ( Lucanus cervus ) , which is in serious declination . Stag beetle larvae stay in old wood for around six years before emerging to couple , which is why a long lasting woodpile that wo n’t be disturbed can become so vital for this mintage .
While you definitely should not be taking dead wood ( or anything else ) from timber or forests to create your logarithm pile , getting in touching with a tree diagram surgeon or local horticulture group can be a honest way to domesticise drained woodwind instrument . The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB)recommends that logs that are at least 100 millimetre ( 3.9 in ) thickheaded with the bark still attach are best for creating a log pile , as many creature like to live underneath the bark . If you are capable to add someleaf litterto your logarithm pile , this can encourage mintage like hedgehogs to investigate your garden .
The log pile inhabitants can do good your garden too . The demon ’s coach horse mallet like living in crumble matter , let in compost heaps and under stones in gardens , and will even take care of those galling vine weevils for you – just do n’t be tempted to pick this one up , as they can give a pretty painful pungency .
Overwintering humblebee often hole up in holes dug just under the airfoil where they wo n’t be woken up too early on and a log pile can aid provide a shady spot for this , giving the added benefit of pollinating your flower in the warmer months .
Across the pond , on a larger scale theNorthwest Natural Resource Grouprecommends keep snags ( standing drained trees ) and expectant hang trees in situ to aid a whole host of cavity - dependant birds and small mammals . They suggest these country , include big decadent tree diagram , can provide solid food and shelter for over 40 percent of the wildlife species in Pacific Northwest forests .
In Pennsylvania , tree cavities in springy or dead trees are used by 35 coinage of birds and 20 mintage of mammalian , including woodpecker , vultures , and many bat coinage .
Recreating these habitat on a smaller scurf in your garden can make for a range ofbenefits , and who bed what novel species may come your style thanks to a few dead logs .
