Rolling rocks and discovering the beetles

Ground beetles are becoming more visible again, and are often found sheltering under rocks. They are black in colour and some, such as the violet ground beetle, have a beautiful iridescent colour. Devil's coach-horse beetles may be seen in damp sheds. They are matt black with ferocious-looking jaws and they characteristically arch their back into the air when threatened. Along with frogs and magpies, ground beetles and devil's coach horses help to control the slug population.

Leaving small piles of rocks or bricks in the garden will provide homes for beetles as well as centipedes (which eat slugs and leatherjackets), woodlice, spiders, harvestmen and other interesting creatures. A neat pile is as good as a messy one as long as there are plenty of nooks and crannies.

A second generation of comma and tortoiseshell butterfly eggs are being laid on nettle patches. The mating season of hedgehogs usually ends this month.

Time to sow a wild flower meadow!

Mid-August to early October is the ideal time to sow a spring or summer wild flower meadow. Sowing can be done March to mid April but autumn sowing will allow frost action over winter. Many seeds require this before they will germinate.

Seeds are available online and from some garden centres. Prior to sowing, rake out the soil to produce a fine tilth. Firm by gently walking over the plot or rolling it lightly. Do this in dry weather, especially on clay soils, to prevent soil compaction and muddy feet! Rake again lightly to produce a slightly rough surface.

Ideally, sow seed on a still, fair day. Mix the fine seeds with sand or sawdust (from untreated timber) to form a greater bulk. This will make sowing easier and more accurate. The light colour also helps to show where you have already scattered seed. Sand does separate from the seed over larger distances, however.

A cat without a bell is a bird unwell

Many bird species are less conspicuous now as they undergo their summer moult in secretive places. As they shed their dishevelled feathers their flight is hampered and they become vulnerable to predators. Young birds are vulnerable too. It is therefore a good idea to keep all but the most placid of cats out of the garden.

All sorts of deterrents are available. As many a gardener will testify, most are gimmicks, but those that emit a high frequency sound seem to work well. However, 70% of blue-eyed white cats are deaf so don't expect them to be bothered!

It is always such a shame to see native wild animals — animals that naturally belong in the environment — being savaged by unnatural, domesticated animals. Cats know no different so it is nice to see responsible cat owners fitting bell collars to their cats to give wild animals advance warning.

Worse for wear - when windows fool birds with L-plates

Inexperienced young birds, or those being chased by a predator such as a sparrowhawk, sometimes fly into windows. The reflection of the sky fools them. Normally, it results in no more than a shock but it can result in sprains or worse. Although rare, it has been known for a bird to crash through a window and end up in the house with a sparrowhawk in hot pursuit! Large windows positioned directly across a room from another window are particularly deceptive.

One solution is to draw the curtains when the room isn't occupied, or use net curtains, in late summer when the young birds are susceptible. Another solution is to place a large house plant on the windowsill. Some people stick a black paper silhouette of a predatory bird to the window. Of course, not buffing windows to a mirror finish in late summer also helps.