Wildlife can become ill with dehydration during heatwaves, and finding food can also be difficult. For example, blackbirds and other birds that forage for insects and worms in the soil can't access this source of food when the ground becomes baked during a heatwave.     

Insects suffer in hot weather too. Butterfly caterpillars can die during heatwaves, and the plants that many insects feed on can be scorched in hot sunshine. Bumblebees overheat quickly in hot weather, and find it hard to fly to find the nectar-rich plants they need to survive.

Did you know?

Birds have a higher core body temperature than many other animals. They also don’t have sweat glands, so struggle to maintain their body temperature in hot weather. This is why you may have seen birds ‘panting’ in this latest UK heatwave – opening their beak to try and lose some heat.

Despite not being able to sweat, birds still lose a lot of water in hot weather: in their droppings and through respiration. Combine this with their water sources drying up, and they struggle to rehydrate and keep their feathers in top condition.

Tracking the effects on wildlife

It’s hard to predict how the changing climate will affect wildlife and food chains in the long term, but you can help us understand and track the trends. Taking part in The Big Count can help us understand what's happening to our wildlife in Somerset.

In the coming days, try doing your species spotting in the mornings or early evening. This will benefit you by keeping you out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day, but also you're more likely to spot wildlife when the searing heat starts to fade. 

How to help wildlife in a summer heatwave

1. Provide fresh drinking water. Leave out water for mammals in a shallow bowl. Ground-dwelling birds like blackbirds may also use it.
2. Leave an area of your garden to grow wild. This will provide much-needed shade for wildlife of all shapes and sizes.
3. Top up your pond with stored rainwater. This helps amphibians struggling to find a damp, sheltered spot and means they have somewhere to soak.

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