Jem's garden hibernaculum

If you were a bit daunted by the size of the hibernaculum that Jem built for the adders in Cumbria, don't be put off. He has designed a more user-friendly-sized one that you can dig in your garden.

A hibernaculum makes an excellent winter home for snakes that must find a frost-free shelter to survive. It is also a perfect hibernation site for frogs, toads, newts, lizards and any number of insects. So if you don't have adders in your area, it is still worth getting digging.

Autumn is the best time to build a hibernaculum as all animals will be preparing for the coming frosts.

First, choose a corner of the garden that is a bit scruffy and can be left undisturbed.

Dig a hole about 60-100cm square and 50cm deep. The depth is required to keep it frost-free in the centre.

Put a few stones and bits of gravel in the bottom, to help with drainage.

Fill the hole with old bits of wood, logs and stones to create lots of little nooks and crannies for animals. Make it up into a little mound that's proud of the surrounding soil surface. This will ensure that rainwater drains away from the hibernaculum, rather than pouring straight in to it and drowning the inhabitants.

Cover the mound with turf to keep the frost out, but make sure that you leave a few wee holes as entrances.

^ Top