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With summer usually comes intense heat, and that’s been the case for the past couple of weeks, with temperatures soaring into the mid-30s across parts of the UK. Many people struggle during heatwaves, but we’re not the only ones affected.
Gardeners are being urged to help wildlife this summer by leaving a bucket of muddy water outside. Experts say it could make a huge difference for frogs and toads, many of which are facing sharp population declines. Numbers have fallen due to habitat loss, climate change and a lack of food, and while they might not always be welcome visitors, frogs are actually brilliant for gardens.
They eat slugs, snails and other pests that attack plants, making them a natural and effective way to keep crops and flowers healthy.
The Wildlife Trust says the best way to attract frogs is by building a pond, but not everyone has the space or time to do that.
Instead, a large bucket filled with muddy water, ideally with some grass growing in it, can be just as helpful.
One gardener who tried the trick previously told the Express: “I took a big bucket, added water and pulled out some long grass from the lawn.
“I left it in the water, and now every night I see a frog sitting nearby. It’s lovely to watch, and I haven’t seen any slugs near my strawberries since.”
According to the Woodland Trust, ponds and mini-ponds are vital for frogs because they absorb water through their skin and use these areas to reproduce.
Even a small tub or box filled with water can help them survive hot spells.
Frogs also play a bigger role in the ecosystem. They support other species, keep insect numbers down, and are under threat from disease and vanishing green space.
Around a third of ponds in the UK are thought to have disappeared in the last 50 years.
The Woodland Trust said: “They’re fascinating, they control pests, and they’re under threat. What more reason do you need to attract frogs to your garden?”
For those who want to go further, building a wildlife-friendly pond with shallow edges, plants, and no fish can help boost local frog populations.
But even a simple bucket can offer a lifeline in the heat, and make a garden more lively in the process.
For anyone who is not a fan of frogs, there is a beautiful ‘defence plant’ that banishes pests.
