Summertime Wildlife Care:
As we enjoy the hot summer weather, we have to be mindful of the wildlife who share our outdoor space with us. Although many wild animals can subsist for long periods of time without food, they do need water to drink and also cool off. Having accessible supplies of clean water can really make a big difference to their survival.
Here are some things you can do to help all of the small creatures in your local environment.
1) Keep at least one birdbath and ensure that it’s always kept full with clean water.
2) Invest in a bubbler, or hang a basic plastic milk jug filled with water with a tiny hole in the bottom over your bird bath. The birds will hear the drip and come for a cool dip and a drink.
3) Leave water-filled containers on the ground (one shallow, and one a little deeper) to help the squirrels and raccoons. Leave shallow containers with water at a higher level for the bees, butterflies and other insects to drink.
4) Make sure to use a good amount of mulch to cover your garden beds. The mulch conserves water and helps the worms and insects.
5) Keep watering your plants regularly to keep them healthy with natural moisture. Bees and butterflies can drink droplets of water from the plants, too.
6) Keep a hummingbird feeder so that the hummingbirds have a steady supply of nectar, even in times of dryness and drought.
7) Save water in rain barrels which gather water rainfall from your roof, or keep a bucket in your shower to collect water when you’re bathing which would otherwise go down the drain. Please ensure that there’s no soap in it!
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