by Irene Kelly I was introduced to native “masked bees” by Dr Luis Mata, entomologist, on a recent visit to the Knox Environment Society (KES) nursery. They were speedily flitting around the flowering Banksias, vying with European bees for nectar and pollen. I was gob smacked as I had never noticed these tiny bees before. Continue reading Masked strangers in the nursery!
Our friends at Gardening Australia have alerted us to a ‘Gardens for Wildlife’ compilation on their youtube channel. Here you can find many of the wildlife gardening stories that have aired on the ABC over the recent years all in one place. There’s gardening tips for birds, bees, frogs, lizards, bats and more! >>Gardening Australia:Continue reading Gardening Australia: wildlife garden stories
Here is some helpful advice from the Friends of Bats and Bushcare on how we can protect our fruits and save wildlife and even our forests. The most frequent mega-bat (flying fox) visitor to urban backyards in eastern Australia is the native Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). The nectar, fruit and pollen they find in ourContinue reading Wildlife friendly fruit protection
By Hui-Anne Tan With biodiversity declining at an unprecedented scale, the prospect of making any positive difference can be simply overwhelming. But rest assured, there’s a lot we can do – right here at home. The collective efforts of our “small” actions in our home gardens will ultimately make a big difference. I’ve been luckyContinue reading Raising rarity at home
While we stay home to help stop the spread of COVID-19, it is a great opportunity to begin making your home more wildlife-friendly and joining the growing community of gardeners who are creating space for nature in our city. Here is what’s happening in the City of Melbourne! Gardens for Wildlife Melbourne volunteers are usingContinue reading Wildlife gardening in COVID times
If you live in a fire prone area, planning for fire may be an important component to consider when creating a wildlife garden. The CFA has published a very handy guide to assist you in your planning: <<link here
Things are really moving in the Shire of Hepburn. In association with Brian Bainbridge, our first Biodiversity Officer, we are in the early stages of developing a ‘Gardens for Wildlife’ program across the Shire. As well, we have just published ‘Grow Wild: Gardening to Sustain Wildlife in the Hepburn Shire’. The first publication of itsContinue reading Gardening for Wildlife in Hepburn Shire
Sharing stories for today’s worldContinue reading Social isolation…unexpected opportunities
By Helen Corney Much of this summer was spent studying. To escape the heat of the day and the drudgery of being glued to my computer, I set up camp in my garden under the dappled shade of the melaleuca and tea trees. My table and chair were placed near the bird bath – aContinue reading A humble birdbath
When my husband and I first saw a blue banded bee in our garden, we took 3000 (mostly blurry – built like a DC plane but moves like lightening) photos. Just like proud parents. It was 2018 and I’d only just found about blue banded bees. And here was one, in our garden — afterContinue reading What’s the buzz?
