Also, If you put any rock, small garden statuary such as a turtle, brick, etc. that will soak up the water and allow a place to perch the insects will love you for it. All birdbaths need a stone or piece of decorative pottery to increase the use of the birdbath.
Many times the birdbaths we buy are more decorative than useful to the birds. They are either too small, too deep or the material they are made of or the color they are glazed with make them too hot for the birds to stand on. Any birdbath that will get hot from the suns rays should be placed in the shade.
I keep a five gallon bucket half full of sugar water for the bees but it is important to put a small tree limb or wooden stick into it so they can climb on it if they fall in the water. They use it all summer and when I am out cleaning it they fly up to me and hover around me. I just ignore them and have never been stung by one of my hungry visitors.
It is also important at this hot and dry time of year to leave trays of water on the ground for frogs and lizards. These need to be situated in the shade as well. If you approach these ground water areas during the day you will see toads around and in them. Any type of tray will do, but if you are going to nestle it among ferns and want it to be pleasing to the eye, the tray from an unused birdbath is perfect.
During this time of year I have to water my garden in order to maintain it. Once I am through with that chore for the evening I set the hose nozzle on mist and aim it slanting upwards. Soon dragonflies are darting in and out of the fine mist and then will land on wet rocks nearby. What a treat to end a monotonous chore with a dozen or more glistening 'snake doctors' dancing in and out of the misty rainbow.
