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As noted in the
National Wildlife Federation videos, your landscape can provide
shelter for various species of wildlife, through the plants you choose
to grow as well as through putting up nesting and shelter boxes.
People especially
seem to enjoy attracting songbirds and butterflies. Trees, shrubs and
flowers can provide shelter from weather and predators for various
butterflies and birds, as well as provide areas for raising young.
In addition, you can
help many species by creating nest and shelter boxes, either ones you
build yourself or ones you purchase. Many species of songbirds use
nesting boxes to raise their young. Even some types of ducks, like wood
ducks, use nesting boxes, so if you live near a pond or lake, you can
set up these boxes and help ducks in your area.
Butterflies also
benefit from shelter boxes. Butterfly houses are important for
protection, for rest, and for reproduction of butterflies; many species
are declining in number due to disease and their long, strenuous
migration.
Bats, too, use constructed boxes, so
if you're not opposed to having bats around, consider creating a
sanctuary for these little creatures in your yard or garden.
Building nest and
shelter boxes can be a fun family, 4-H, or community project! Get
involved to protect and provide for wildlife in your area, and reap the
many benefits of protecting birds, bats and butterflies. Many of these
critters keep insects, like mosquitoes, at bay or help pollinate flowers
and shrubs. So, helping wildlife can help your landscape and your
enjoyment of summer this year!
To learn more about
setting up nesting boxes for birds, visit the National Wildlife
Federation by clicking
here.
Also, the Cornell Lab
of Ornithology has a website with information and construction
information on houses and nest boxes for many bird species, including
owls, bluebirds, and wood ducks. Click
here to visit that site.
To learn out how to
build a Butterfly House, click
here.
For more information
on building a bat box, visit the Bat Conservation International website
by clicking
here.
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