Caring for Wildlife
20-05-2019
The Roeshot Hill Allotment Association encourages plotholders to support and care for wildlife. While we have to protect crops from being devastated by critters, most wildlife in fact helps us.
Here are some of the things we need to do to protect and encourage wildlife.
Strimming Care
Watch out for hedgehogs and other wildlife. Strim high on the first pass so you can see if anything is hiding in undergrowth. It's better for wildlife but also better for your strimmer!
Snakes and slow-worms
All of these are protected as endangered species. We have all of them on site, slow-worms, grass snakes and adders. It is an offence to harm them in any way but anyway they all are predators of creatures that attack our crops. All will slither off and away if disturbed and there is a way out for them. Grass snakes and slow-worms often play dead until there is an escape but adders will bite if surprised or cornered. It is rarely serious unless you are very young or elderly but go straight to hospital if bitten. All local hospitals carry the antidote.
Bees
We need bees to pollinate many of our crops for us to get the fruits.
Bees only sting if cornered or feel endangered. While painful they are only dangerous for the few who are allergic.
If bees swarm and collect on your plot they are resting while searching for a new home and, unless they are inside your shed or somewhere else that is sheltered, they will soon move on.
If you find bees have nested on your plot contact a beekeeper who usually will be very happy to collect the swarm for/from you. Check the notice board at the gate for a contact number.
Don't try swatting them; if one bee feels attacked they will send out a message and the rest will come to their defence and you will get stung multiple times. If this happens just get out of there as fast as you can!
Wasps, on the other hand sting, much more readily so take care! However they still do a great pollinating job.
Here are some of the things we need to do to protect and encourage wildlife.
Strimming Care
Watch out for hedgehogs and other wildlife. Strim high on the first pass so you can see if anything is hiding in undergrowth. It's better for wildlife but also better for your strimmer!
Snakes and slow-worms
All of these are protected as endangered species. We have all of them on site, slow-worms, grass snakes and adders. It is an offence to harm them in any way but anyway they all are predators of creatures that attack our crops. All will slither off and away if disturbed and there is a way out for them. Grass snakes and slow-worms often play dead until there is an escape but adders will bite if surprised or cornered. It is rarely serious unless you are very young or elderly but go straight to hospital if bitten. All local hospitals carry the antidote.
Bees
We need bees to pollinate many of our crops for us to get the fruits.
Bees only sting if cornered or feel endangered. While painful they are only dangerous for the few who are allergic.
If bees swarm and collect on your plot they are resting while searching for a new home and, unless they are inside your shed or somewhere else that is sheltered, they will soon move on.
If you find bees have nested on your plot contact a beekeeper who usually will be very happy to collect the swarm for/from you. Check the notice board at the gate for a contact number.
Don't try swatting them; if one bee feels attacked they will send out a message and the rest will come to their defence and you will get stung multiple times. If this happens just get out of there as fast as you can!
Wasps, on the other hand sting, much more readily so take care! However they still do a great pollinating job.
