Brushpile. © NWF, all rights reserved.

Like the throngs of people heading to the beach or mountains this summer, some wildlife species including lizards, turtles, butterflies, and dragonflies, enjoy basking in the sun. Rock piles in a sunny area provide a way for cold-blooded animals to regulate their body temperature. They also provide protective cover for other wildlife that may live in your yard including chipmunks, frogs, toads, and many invertebrates such as beetles, centipedes, and spiders.

Rock piles can be made of any type of rock and can be any size, although the size of the pile will determine the type of wildlife attracted to it. Be sure to pile rocks and stones naturally and do not use cement or mortar to hold them together. The rocks should be well-seated against each other so no animal gets trapped inside in the event of a rock fall. All the nooks and crannies will create a veritable wildlife hotel.

If you want to attract larger animals to your rock pile, you can add pieces of pipe throughout the pile to create larger spaces. Be sure that there are rear exits for these pipe sections so animals wishing to flee have a chance to escape their predators.

Brush piles also make excellent places for many wildlife species to hide, find food, and even raise their young. A good brush pile should be about ten feet across and five feet high. If you have a large piece of property, you can build several piles. Start by building a strong base with about a half dozen large logs, six to ten feet long and four to six inches in diameter. Stack and criss-cross them so they are sturdy and provide a variety of runways and spaces. Add large branches by criss-crossing them in a slightly tighter mesh than the logs. Continue adding more branches of a gradually smaller diameter to obtain a denser, more compact weave on top of the pile.

Learn more about making your landscape wildlife-friendly by creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and having it certified by the National Wildlife Federation [www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat.]

The nation’s largest member-supported conservation education and advocacy group, the National Wildlife Federation unites people from all walks of life to protect nature, wildlife and the world we all share.