Snag some wildlife!

A snag tree is a standing dead or nearly dead tree.  Snags are extremely valuable habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.  Insects under the bark of snags provide food for woodpeckers, birds, squirrels, and other mammals.  Many birds and mammals will also use hollowed-out snags as living or nesting areas.  To really attract a wide variety of life to your property make sure to leave some dead or dying trees.  If you have no dead trees, you can create the same effect by burying large dead trunks or tree limbs in an upright position throughout your landscape.  It won't take long until the wildlife is checking it out!
The center trunk of this tree is hollow inside and no doubt harbors insects that many birds enjoy!
                                                                                   

                                                                                                                 Snags don't have to be large or take up a lot of space.  This is the trunk of a dead citrus tree.

Look closely at all the holes and you can see how many woodpeckers have been enjoying this dead Roseapple trunk!

Even a log on the ground will attract ants, beetles and other insects that lizards and other small animals will use as a food source.

Here a larger animal (maybe gopher tortoise?) has made a burrow under the trunk of a fallen live oak.









Leaving a little dead wood in your yard not only saves you the labor of removing it, but it will increase your enjoyment by attracting a variety of wildlife!
For additional tips on attracting wildlife to your yard, see: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw175