Trees & Wildlife Throughout Maidstone, Kent

As a tree surgery service provider, we encounter a range of tree and foliage species in Maidstone, Kent. Throughout Maidstone, we find the following tree species:

• Lime trees
• Horse Chestnut trees
• Beech trees
• London Planes trees
• Oak trees
• Willow Trees

Every tree species has its own unique characteristics, benefits and drawbacks which can influence the growth of wildlife in the surrounding area. Below is a list of every characteristic found in Maidstone for each tree species.

Lime Trees

Lime trees are beneficial in that they provide a very nutritious habitat for wildlife to eat and breed in. This is because their seeds are rich in oil and protein, which is perfect for insects such as Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) to feed on. They provide an excellent source of nectar, pollen and sap for bees while its leaves provide feeding for caterpillars.

The leaves of Lime trees provide a very nutritious habitat for invertebrates and their larvae, providing a vital source of protein. This is especially important during late summer when most insects have finished pupating and are still small enough to feed on the lime leaf’s ‘buds’.

Lime trees also provide shelter from predators- species such as T its and Great Tits use the dense leaves as a form of protection from predators such as Sparrow hawks, while small mammals such as shrews live inside the tree during wintertime.

Horse Chestnut Trees

Horse Chestnut trees provide a slightly different habitat to that of Beech trees. The leaves of Horse Chestnuts contain chemicals called ‘catechin’ derivatives, which act as an anti-pest for aphids and other sap-sucking insects. The tree itself provides shelter for other wildlife such as birds, with its dense canopy providing a safe haven from predators while allowing light to reach smaller plants below the tree’s canopy.

Horse Chestnuts can also be recognised by their beautiful spring-time flowers, which feed up to 30 species of insects during the early stages of Spring. These insects then provide an important source of protein for birds throughout the rest of the year.

Beech Trees

The leaves of Beech trees also provide shelter to many insects, with some insects living within the tree during their larval stages. This provides an abundant source of protein which birds and other mammals feed off when the insects leave the tree to pupate.

Beech bark is also very smooth, allowing for easy access in the search for prey by Woodpeckers. This helps Woodpeckers act as important ‘ecosystem engineers’, creating habitats within trees to attract insects which provide a food source for other animals.

Beech trees’ smooth bark also provides an important habitat for lichens, which are organisms formed between fungi and algae. The Beech tree acts as an ideal host to these organisms with the copious amounts of nitrogen it produces through photosynthesis while providing a water-retaining environment within its branches and trunk. Lichens are also rich in vitamins, antioxidants and important trace elements such as zinc which aids the immune system of birds

London Plane Tree

The London Plane tree provides a very suitable habitat for wildlife to feed and breed in throughout different times of the year. This is because it looses its old leaves mid-April to mid-May, providing a plentiful source of protein for invertebrates such as caterpillars and beetles.

The leaves on London Plane trees provide an excellent source of nutrients for invertebrates throughout the Spring where food is scarce. This provides an abundant source of nutrition for young song birds that are just beginning their lives after leaving the nest.

The roots of London Planes help break up compaction in the soil, allowing for a well-structured drainage system to form. This allows for tree roots and tree holes to retain moisture in the soil while also breaking apart hard compacted soils which restrict water access .

In summertime, London Plane trees provide shade from predators such as birds of prey while providing a source of nectar from their flowers . Insects such as wasps and butterflies provide a food source for birds which feed on them throughout the year.

Oak Trees

Oak trees are ideal habitats for a mixture of woodland wildlife to live in. Their bark is soft and easily digested by invertebrates such as Longhorn beetles, while their acorns provide a nutritious source of food during autumn. These acorns contain high amounts of oil and protein, which provide invertebrates with the perfect food source in preparation for winter.

Oak trees also provide shelter to small mammals such as mice, voles and shrews- the bark provides an ideal nesting environment for them while also providing protection from predators such as foxes. Furthermore, they are very host-specific trees, providing a suitable habitat for the majority of insects that they support.

Bats use their hollowed out trunks as a form of shelter during wintertime. Their long branches also provide roosting places for birds such as rooks and jays, which eat the acorns in autumn and wintertime.

Willow Trees

Willow trees provide a valuable source of food for overwintering invertebrates such as butterflies and moths. Their leaves are soft enough to digest, while their bark is home to many lichens which have antioxidant properties essential during the harsh winter period.

The willow tree also provides an important source of shelter for birds throughout the year. The willow tree provides the perfect habitat for birds such as tawny owls and bats who use its branches to roost in during wintertime.

The leaves of the willow tree are very nutritious, providing invertebrates with much-needed nutrients that help them survive harsh winters.

Willow trees also provide a source of shelter from cold winter winds for other animals such as deer.

In the summertime, the leaves provide a source of pollen and nectar for many insects such as butterflies and bees. In addition, their bark provides an ideal environment for invertebrates to overwinter during harsh winters.

Coppiced trees are grown in order to harvest small amounts of wood for firewood and timber. They are typically cut to knee height in order to allow new shoots to grow in the place of the old trees .

Willow trees produce a lot of nutrients within their bark, which is important in providing invertebrates with an abundant source of food throughout winter when resources are scarce.