Did you know that a single family of tits can consume up to 500 caterpillars per day during the nesting season? If you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to protect your vegetable garden from pests, inviting these little birds is the best strategy.
Once you have installed your insect hotel, the next step towards a living garden is to put up a nesting box. But be careful, not all birdhouses are created equal!
1. Why target the titmouse? The titmouse (coal or blue) is a formidable predator of processionary caterpillars, aphids and worms that attack your vegetables. It is the number one ally of the organic gardener. What’s more, it is a cave-dwelling bird that suffers from the disappearance of old hollow trees in towns and cities.
2. The secret is in the diameter: 28 mm or 32 mm? To attract a tit, the entrance hole must be calibrated to the nearest millimetre to prevent predators (cats, magpies) from entering.
- 28 mm: Ideal for small species such as the blue tit.
- 32 mm: Perfect for the great tit (larger). At BetterflyBox, our nesting boxes comply with these ornithological standards to ensure the safety of the chicks.
3. Where and when to install it? Ideally, the nest box should be installed in autumn or winter so that birds can find it before spring.
- Height: Between 2 and 4 metres above the ground.
- Orientation: The entrance hole should face east or south-east (never in direct sunlight or exposed to rain). According to the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), you should never place a perch under the hole, as this helps predators catch the young birds!
Conclusion Providing a home for tits is an investment in the health of your plants and allows you to enjoy a fascinating aerial ballet all year round.