In the Zoology Live! livestream on June 22 we explored how we monitor wildlife today, with Dr Julia Mackenzie from Anglia Ruskin University showing how she monitors the nesting birds in Cambridge University Botanic Garden, and Professor Ed Turner of the Museum of Zoology sharing his research into arthropod biodiversity in Southeast Asia:

You too can get involved with monitoring wildlife. Get a taste at BioBlitz Cambridge 2022, a 24 hour species count taking place in Cambridge University Botanic Garden from 5pm on Friday 24 June to 5pm on Saturday 25 June. We have loads of wildlife workshops and walks led by experts that you can book onto and learn how to spot and record wildlife. Find out more and book places on our BioBlitz blog post.

So you’ve learnt how to monitor wildlife and why this is important. Here we explore just a few of the many ways you can support your local wildlife in your own green spaces.

Provide Water for Wildlife

Even a small dish of water, particularly when the weather is hot, does the world of good for wildlife. If you have space for a pond, all the better! Check out this blog post to find out how to build a mini-pond, and watch our Pondwatch series for some of the wildlife you might support with a pond in your garden, from ramshorn snails and newts to blackbirds and bullfinches taking a bath.

Leave a Messy Patch in Your Garden

This is an easy thing to do as it means doing nothing! But keeping an area of your garden wild supports nature so much better than manicured lawns and tidy borders. Nettles are important food plants for many caterpillars, including those of the beautiful peacock butterfly. Woodpiles and long grass support loads of minibeasts, which in turn provide food for birds and mammals.

Build a Bee Hotel

Follow the instructions in the video to build a bee hotel. You can find out more about building a bigger home for minibeasts on our blog post a warm welcome for minibeasts.