March will hopefully bring the first serious signs of spring and amongst these will be animals coming out of hibernation. The defining feature of mammalian hibernation is that the body temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius or less, and the only native mammals that hibernate are hedgehogs, dormice and bats. Hedgehogs will have been in hibernation since November or December and will be keen to renew their fat stores as soon as the temperature starts to rise. They will have spent the winter in log piles or stacks of vegetation – a good reason not to be too tidy around the garden. Formerly abundant, hedgehog numbers are now seriously depleted due to changes in land use and they are reliant on gardens for a home. They are nocturnal, so more likely to be heard than seen, although their droppings on the lawn will also be evidence of their presence.

Butterflies are not widely known as hibernators, but several species will spend the winter immobile in sheltered areas such
as sheds and garages. These will include comma, peacock, small tortoiseshell and brimstone (the original butter fly shown here), with
most other species overwintering as pupae. The first warm days of early March should see the overwintered adults emerging to
forage on early flowers such as catkins.

Another common inhabitant of our gardens is the frog and in February and March they will be returning if you have a pond in your garden. The winter will have been spent in damp and sheltered areas, but a little warmth will encourage them to begin croaking in their search for a mate. With the loss of most of the field ponds in our area, garden ponds represent the most important habitat for the frog. As an enthusiastic consumer of insects
and slugs, they are a welcome addition to any garden