Over the last week we have had a taste of warmer weather…. Spring has sprung!
There are some hints to watch out for that nature sends our way to let us know that Spring is here.
- Our national flower, the Wattle, is blooming along the roadsides and in our parks. The beautiful pink and white blossoms of the fruit trees look like fairy floss on a stick.
- The birds begin to nest and become territorial, with our Magpies or Plovers swooping invaders of from their territories. They are protecting the newly hatched chicks.
- The lovely wild flowers decorate the Tasmanian wilderness with their brilliant colours.
- The bats come out of hibernation. Did you know that there are eight species of bats in Tasmania? They live in the hollow of old trees. Some may roost on rock crevices and the shelter of a building. During winter they hibernate, when the food source is scarce. If disturbed in hibernation, they may deplete critical energy reserves, which then makes them vulnerable.
- There is another species that hibernates over winter and waits for the warmer weather to appear. Yes, you got it…The reptiles. Snakes, lizards, geckos, skinks and dragons come out to bath in the sun on flat rocks, the road, sand, or any place that is warm.
Now is the time to get that list out and start compiling the chores around the house that need to be completed.
Clear away the rubbish and debris that may have become overgrown over winter. These are great hiding spots for vermin and snakes. Vermin will live in the rubbish and snakes eat the vermin.
Tidy up the garden so your spring blooms can shine.
Do you have any jobs that require painting? Painting in Spring is a good idea. The weather is not too hot for you to be outdoors and it is not so hot that the paint dries too quickly.
Cleaning pathways and driveways of the winter mould and moss. This is an enjoyable task to complete in the wonderful springtime weather.
Gutter cleaning your house to remove the winter debris that has built up. You don’t want to encourage the vermin to be in the gutters, otherwise you could have snakes there too. This prepares the gutters for the summer months ahead.
