Has anyone been watching the TV programme called "wild about your garden"? It is a programme where they change someones garden to improve the wildlife in that area and make it a habitat where wildlife of all kinds have all they need to breed successfully. It had been mainly birds and butterflies etc which came into the gardens and the occasional fox,red squirrel, and water vole, but this week they were encouraging millibeasts like worms, stag beetles, woodlice etc.
I find it really good and helpful to all of us that want to encourage nature in. We are already doing our part by having the ponds as all creatures need water but we can go so much further. This programme has really made me want to do more for the little creatures in the garden. We already have a woodpile so it would be fantastic if we ever saw a stag beetle. I couldn't believe that they live as larvae for nearly 7 years and then only live a few months as adult stag beetles.
I just read somewhere that they live as larvae for 4-6 years then pupate becoming the stag beetle we recognise which then waits in the undergrowth throughout the winter before coming out the following summer to find a mate and get the next lifecycle going.
I think they have got the presenters perfectly picked too as Nick Knowles is so funny. Chris Beardshaw is so enthusiastic and although I have forgotten the womans name she is so knowledgeable about wildlife. I hope they keep giving us programmes like these.