Winter is tough for wildlife

Winter is a tough season for our insects. Food is scarce, temperatures are low, and most creatures that flutter through our gardens in summer are now quietly tucked away, waiting for spring. Beneath piles of fallen leaves lie hundreds of tiny lives. Some caterpillars and pupae hide deep in the leaf litter, sheltered from frost and hungry predators. All these hidden lives mean that what looks like a dull heap of leaves or a lifeless twig may actually be the next generation of butterflies and moths that bring colour and joy to summer.

The good news? Giving our insects a helping hand is wonderfully simple — it mostly involves doing less, than more. A perfectly tidy garden is often a poor home for wildlife. These are some things we can do to help sustain our insects through the winter.

Go easy with hedge pruning - Trim hedges, but leave some sections untouched for a year or two on a rotation. This keeps the hedge tidy while protecting the insects living within it.
Leave the leaves - Clear them off the lawn but pile them in quiet corners or spread them over beds. They suppress weeds, enrich the soil, shelter caterpillars, and provide cosy foraging for birds and hedgehogs.
Create habitat piles - A simple heap of twigs, branches and leaves becomes a winter refuge for insects that don’t travel far from their food plants.
Let some areas go wild - Choose small corners — under trees, behind sheds, along boundaries — to leave untouched.
January is also tough for our birds with short days, long cold nights and very little natural food. A few simple actions can provide them with a winter lifeline.
Feed for energy – Offer fat balls (no nets), suet, sunflower hearts and peanuts. Top up little and often to keep food fresh.
Keep water ice-free – Break ice each morning or add a splash of warm water so birds can drink and preen.
Provide shelter – Evergreens, dense hedges or even a small twig pile provide vital cover. Nest boxes double as night-time roosts.
Keep feeders clean – Wash feeders and bird baths weekly to prevent disease.
Most importantly, be consistent, keep supplies coming, and you’ll help birds get through the harshest month of the year — while bringing life, movement, sound and colour to your winter garden.

January is the month for stunning sunrises and sunsets.