Hedgehog numbers are significantly down in the UK in recent years, but gardeners should be doing everything they can to attract the spiky echidnas into their gardens this summer
British gardeners are being encouraged to make a small change with big impact for our prickly friends by drilling holes in their fences before the summer ends. The reason behind this wildlife-friendly appeal is the alarming decline of hedgehog numbers across the UK, a decline exacerbated by modern gardening choices and the way we manage our households.
However, green-fingered enthusiasts should be keen to welcome these spiky visitors as hedgehogs serve as excellent natural pest controllers, feasting on slugs and snails that threaten our cherished gardens. Coming out to feast on garden pests during late summer and early autumn, now is the perfect time to prepare your outdoor space for hedgehog guests.
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But sadly, these helpful critters face challenges beyond just diminishing numbers; solid fences and walls around properties have restricted their movement and ability to find food or mates, reports the Express.
As noted by NHBS experts: “Research suggests that this is partly because it is becoming harder for hedgehogs to move freely due to an increase in the number of solid walls and fences being erected around gardens.
“This reduces the available foraging area and so restricts the amount of food that they can eat as well as reducing the possibility of meeting a mate. Creating a hole in a garden wall or fence will allow your local hedgehogs to pass through from garden to garden safely.”
You can achieve this in a simple way by just cutting a small, roughly hedgehog-sized hole at the bottom of the fence, or you could lift the entire panel by a few inches so that a hedgehog can squeeze underneath (but not so large that a person could).
Alternatively, simply cut a few inches of wood off the bottom of the fence so that hedgehogs can slip under. You might worry this makes it easier for cats, but they can leap over even six-foot fences, so it won’t increase feline visitors.
If you want to do it properly, NHBS sells a hedgehog hole fence plate which will add a sturdy metal enforced gap to the bottom of your fence.
NHBS adds: “A hole measuring 13cm by 13cm is the right size for a hedgehog to pass through but too small for most pets.
“Once you have made your hole in the fence or wall, you can fix the Eco Hedgehog Hole Plate to the fence, ensuring that the hole does not get blocked or stretched.
“The plate has six screw holes, three along each side, which can be used to fix the plate to your fence or wall. Additional holes can be made in the plastic if required.”