Ripening fruit is worth protecting, but the net you choose matters as much as the fruit underneath it. Loose, wide-mesh netting can catch birds, flying-foxes and other animals. A garden job meant to save a harvest can leave wildlife needing urgent help.

Before bringing last season’s net out of the shed, check both the material and how you plan to fit it. A small mesh and a secure installation need to work together.

Check the holes at full stretch

NSW’s environment agency recommends mesh openings no larger than 5 mm by 5 mm when fully stretched. Measure the stretched opening, rather than judging a bundle of folded netting. Being able to poke a finger through is a useful warning that the holes are too large.

Choose white netting so animals can see it more easily. The Queensland Government also recommends sturdy knitted material and warns against thin nylon monofilament: it can deform around an animal, then cut into it as it struggles. Entanglement can damage wings, break bones and interrupt circulation.

Don’t assume every product sold to exclude birds is suitable around wildlife. Read its specifications and inspect the mesh before buying. A net’s purpose on the packet does not tell you whether its holes and strands meet those recommendations.

Fit it as a barrier

A net draped loosely over branches leaves places for an animal to sink into or become wrapped up. NSW guidance recommends keeping netting taut and away from the tree, or using a suitable design that gathers securely around the trunk.

Check the lower edges as carefully as the top. Avoid loose folds, gaps and trailing material. Look over the installation regularly to make sure it remains secure and no animal has become caught. Agriculture Victoria recommends daily checks.

Make that inspection part of checking the fruit itself. If reaching the far side of the net is difficult, reconsider the arrangement before relying on it. A practical setup is one you can inspect and maintain throughout the time it is in use.

You may not need to cover the whole tree

WIRES suggests protecting individual fruit or selected branches with fruit bags or sleeves. This can be an option when you only want to protect part of a crop. Agriculture Victoria also lists bags, sleeves and fruit socks as alternatives to covering an entire tree.

Think about the amount of fruit you actually intend to harvest and which protection you can keep checking. Smaller areas of protection may suit your garden better than a large net that is awkward to secure.

Rules vary across Australia. In Victoria, household fruit-tree netting must have openings of 5 mm by 5 mm or less at full stretch, including when used over a frame. Check your own state’s rules, but the 5 mm guidance is a sensible standard anywhere.

If an animal is already caught

Keep people and pets back and contact a licensed wildlife rescue group promptly. Never touch a flying-fox or any other bat, and do not try to cut one free. A rescuer needs to assess the animal and the entanglement.

Use our injured-wildlife guidance and rescue contacts to find help. Explain where the net is and what you can see from a safe distance. Do not catch or handle another trapped animal unless a licensed rescuer or vet specifically asks you to.

The bottom line

Protect fruit with small-mesh material that is visible, securely fitted and checked daily. Consider bags or sleeves where they suit the crop. If wildlife becomes entangled, give it space and get professional help.