As we step into autumn and the days get increasingly short, many of us may be preparing to say goodbye to the natural wonders we’ve been able to enjoy in our gardens during the spring and summer months.

But longer nights don’t mean that wildlife activity disappears. Deborah Griffiths, from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, is here to advise us on nocturnal wildlife and what to look out for.

As the nights draw in and summer slowly fades into the bright colours of autumn leaves, garden wildlife is also changing. Far from hiding as the weather gets cooler, many species are becoming more active in their preparation for the winter months to come, and making use of the longer evenings to put on the weight and build the shelters that will serve as their winter protection.

One of the main reasons why night visitors are attracted to some gardens is insects. To attract insects we need to have the right habitats and plant life so they can shelter, breed and eat. Attracting nocturnal insects is just as easy as attracting butterflies and bees in the daytime.

Like many other mammals, hedgehogs are very active foraging at night now, the young hedgehogs born earlier in the year need to weigh 600g to survive winter and hibernation. Slugs and snails, which are generally more plentiful in the wetter, cooler atmosphere, will be easier for the hedgehogs to find, as will the soft fruits, earthworms and insects that make up the natural autumnal diet of the hedgehog.

Autumn is a busy time for bats, which will still be flying and feasting on insects. Bats lower their body temperature as the weather cools down, so they can slow down their metabolism and conserve their body resources to survive in the cold months to come. Bats don’t hibernate but they do go into a torpor in their winter roosts so they will need plenty of food before they go into this state. Bats will start to swarm now so they can mate and eventually roost in traditional roosting places.

Amphibians and reptiles will also be feeding themselves up for winter and looking for places to shelter.

If you are building a bonfire, it’s important to check for mammals and amphibians before you light it up as piles of wood and leaves are ideal places to hide.

Some species of birds form flocks at night, and one of the most spectacular to see on an autumn evening is a flock of starlings – called a murmuration – forming incredible dark shapes as the sun sets over woodland and reed beds, but sometimes by large buildings as well.

You can help the nocturnal wildlife by encouraging insects and moths with late-flowering nectar plants such as Helenium, Japanese anemone, Michaelmas daisies, salvia, single-flowered chrysanthemums and dahlias. If you have fruit trees try and let a few windfall fruit remain in the garden, these will attract all kinds of wildlife.

You can also help nocturnal wildlife of all kinds by providing some shrubs and an area of long grasses so they can escape from predators and find shelter.

Ponds, bog gardens and compost heaps also attract lots of insects and provide shelter or water for wildlife.

For more information on spotting wildlife after dark please visit www.hiwwt.org.uk/wildlife-gardening.