On June 5th – 11th it will be Garden Wildlife Week – a week of celebrating the amazing creatures that live in our gardens and helping them to flourish.
However, gardens are not always full of the creatures we want, as many pests can inhabit our summer gardens and destroy them.
The Times has recently reported that a toxic caterpillar named ‘the oak processionary moth caterpillar’ is beginning to infest UK gardens and it is particularly “harmful to people and oak trees”.
In light of this, Lucy Taylor, manager of Vine House Farm, has provided advice on how birds can be a natural pest control against caterpillars, as she offers her expert knowledge on how to deal with toxic caterpillar infestations by attracting birds into your garden and how to accommodate each type of caterpillar eating bird to keep them in your garden.
Please find Lucy’s comments below:
Attracting birds to your garden can be an effective way to control pests naturally as they are natural predators.
Many bird species actively feed on caterpillars. Birds such as Blue Tits, Blackcaps, and House Sparrows, are known to eat caterpillars as part of their diet. By attracting these insectivorous birds to your garden, you provide them with a food source that includes caterpillars.
Simply follow these measures to try and attract these birds into your garden, to increase your chances of creating a caterpillar free zone:
- Create a natural nesting habitat: Adding nesting habitats, such as bird boxes or natural nesting sites, will provide birds with food sources and shelter, helping to encourage birds to breed and establish territories in your garden. Include plants that produce berries and seeds to attract a diverse range of bird species. When birds have a nesting site nearby, they are more likely to spend time foraging for food, including caterpillars, in the immediate area.
- Creating bird-friendly environments: You can design your garden to attract birds by including native trees, shrubs, and flowers. However, birds also use various materials to build their own nests. Make sure to leave out natural materials like twigs, leaves, grass clippings, and small branches that birds can use for nesting. You can also consider putting up nesting material holders or offering materials like pet fur or straw. Different bird species have specific preferences, so offering a variety of natural nesting materials will attract a diverse range of birds that can target caterpillars and other pests.
- Avoiding pesticide use: Pesticides can harm birds directly or indirectly by reducing their food sources. Minimise or eliminate the use of pesticides in your garden to maintain a healthy ecosystem where birds can effectively control caterpillars naturally.
- Install bird feeders: Set up bird feeders in your garden and keep them filled with appropriate bird food. Different bird species have different feeding preferences, so consider offering a variety of seeds, nuts, or suet cakes. Place the feeders in a safe and accessible location, away from potential predators.
- Offer a water source: In order to stay in your garden, birds need a reliable source of water for drinking and bathing. Install a bird bath or a shallow dish with clean water in your garden. Make sure to clean and refill it regularly to keep it fresh and inviting for the birds.
Please find a breakdown of the key requirements that the most notable caterpillar eating birds need for nesting, to encourage them to stay and keep your garden pest free:
Blue Tits:
- Suitable Location and Placement: In general, blue tits prefer to build their nests in a variety of locations, including tree holes and bird boxes. They typically choose spots that provide protection from predators, such as hidden or sheltered areas.
- Structural Support: blue tits build their nests using various materials, including moss, grass, leaves and bark. These materials are woven together to create a sturdy structure. They also incorporate soft materials like feathers and animal fur for lining the nest, which provides insulation and comfort.
- Nest Shape and Size: blue tits build relatively small nests compared to some other bird species. It needs to be spacious enough to accommodate the female tit and her eggs comfortably but the entrance tight enough to protect from predators.
- Protection and Concealment: blue tits seek out nesting sites that offer protection from the elements. Nesting in tree cavities or bird boxes helps shield the nest from rain, wind, and direct sunlight.
Blackcaps
- Suitable Location: Warblers like blackcaps typically nest in dense vegetation, such as shrubs, bushes, or trees and prefer habitats with a mix of trees and understory vegetation. Blackcaps usually place their nests in a well-hidden location, low in a shrub or tree, often within the branches or against a trunk. This placement helps protect the nest from predators and provides some shelter from the elements.
- Structural Support: Blackcaps construct cup-shaped nests that are usually made of grasses, plant fibres, and fine materials.
- Nest Shape and Size: Blackcap nests are usually small and concise.
- Protection and Concealment: Blackcaps rely on the dense vegetation and location of their nests to provide protection and concealment. The nest’s placement makes it difficult for predators to locate and access the eggs or nestlings.
House Sparrows
- Suitable Location: Tree House sparrows typically prefer to build their nests in cavities, such as tree cavities, birdhouses, or crevices in buildings. They are also known to build nests in shrubs, bushes, or thick vegetation.
- Structural Support: Tree House sparrows construct untidy structures which can consist of a wide variety of materials depending on what is available. These often include plant stems, grasses, straw, paper, string and other discarded materials. These materials are woven together to form a loose and bulky structure. The nests are often lined with soft materials like feathers, hair, or fine grass for added insulation and comfort.
- Nest Shape and Size: Sparrow nests are also generally domed or cup-shaped, with an entrance hole on one side. The size of the nest can vary depending on the species of sparrow, but it is typically larger than nests of warblers or tits.
- Protection and Concealment: Sparrows also choose nesting sites that provide protection and concealment from predators and the elements.
It’s important to note that while birds can help manage caterpillar populations, they may not eliminate them entirely. In certain situations, such as during outbreaks or if caterpillar populations are extremely high, additional pest control measures may be necessary.
However, by attracting birds to your garden, providing nesting habitats, and creating a bird-friendly environment, you can encourage them to actively feed on caterpillars and contribute to natural pest control in your UK garden and trees.
https://www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/bird-care
Alex Withers