Rhiwbina Living 62

outdoors
Escape to Summer
Spending time outdoors is not only fun but can be educational.
Connecting with and embracing the natural world fosters a deeper
appreciation for the environment in which we live
Feed the
butterflies
Using a butterfly feeder is a
gratifying way to attract and
nourish butterflies in your
garden. You can make your
own from a plastic plate and
string or you can buy one
ready-made.
Fill the feeder with a
homemade nectar solution—typically a mixture of water and sugar—or
use overripe fruit to draw these vibrant insects. They particularly like
mashed up bananas as it's easier for them to eat.
Place the feeder in a sunny, sheltered spot among nectar-rich flowers
to create an inviting habitat. Regularly cleaning and refilling the feeder
ensures it remains a safe and appealing stopover for butterflies,
enriching your garden with their beauty and aiding local biodiversity.
Rockpooling
As you explore the shallow pools left
by receding tides, you'll find a hidden
world of marine creatures like crabs,
sea snails, and colourful anemones. It's
important to tread carefully to protect
these fragile ecosystems. Always check
local tide charts to ensure a safe and
fruitful exploration. Rockpooling not
only educates but also fosters a deeper
appreciation for marine biodiversity.
Build a
hedgehog house
Hedgehogs don't start thinking
about hibernating until the onset
of autumn but the warmer, drier
months of summer will give
you the chance to make them a
home for the winter.
You'll need about 30/40 house
bricks, a sheet of wood for the
roof, and a number of logs. Start
by choosing a site for their new
home. Ideally, it'll be close to a
wall or a fence - anything that's
close to a garden boundary.
Dig a shallow rectangle, about
two feet across and a few inches
deep, and layer it with leaves
and dead plants. Layer up the
bricks around it, making sure
to overlap the bricks to make it
sturdy. Leave an opening for their
entrance. Then lay the wooden
sheet on top and weigh down
with logs. Add more logs outside
to add camouflage and leaves to
attract insects.
Go on a beetle hunt
There are over 4,000 varieties of beetles here in the UK. Some, such as the
ladybird, are easy to identify but others you may not be familiar with.
You can quickly visually identify if the insect is indeed a beetle - they have
six jointed legs, and three main parts to their body - their head, thorax, and
abdomen. They also have an exoskeleton. They have compound eyes and
a pair of antennae. Two pairs of flight wings are often kept carefully under
their hardened outer wings, which are called elytra.
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