Gardening for Wildlife
The Backyard Ecosystem
Many of us gardeners are precious about the appearance of plants in our gardens and rightfully so! When flowers are in full bloom, not only are they beautiful to walk amongst, but their vibrancy is a strong indication of plant health. When plants are vibrant and robust, they produce more flowers and, as a result, more pollen and nectar, thus attracting larger numbers of pollinators. Ensuring plants reach their full potential is not always easy work (nor always possible some years). Because of this, the amount of time, effort, and resources we put into creating a beautiful garden can lead to disappointment when our vision is not met. Perhaps this is why we go to great lengths to protect our plants and attempt to control what happens outdoors.
However, if we can slightly alter the way we think about our gardens and view the plants we plant as offerings for wildlife, we can learn to embrace the unanticipated changes to our designs. This is not to say we should be excited when a family of deer overbrowse our shrubs (there are many animal friendly ways we can limit damage during the garden establishment phase)—this is simply an experiment in reciprocity. By learning how to coexist with various forms of wildlife, even those we perceive to be damaging our plants, we might just be rewarded with additional animal visitors and a healthier, backyard ecosystem.
Below is some information on how to share with, and care for, the wildlife that native plants bring to your property.
Backyard Bees
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Our Native Bees
Perhaps the most recognizable bees in our gardens are honeybees, but did you know they aren’t native to the U.S.? Prized for their honey and wax, colonists transported them here hundreds of years ago where they have become naturalized (and in competition with our native bees for the same resources).
So who are our native bees? 4,000 different species comprised of bumblebees, carpenter bees, mason bees, sweat bees (above: Agapostemon virescens, the Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee), leaf-cutter bees, cuckoo bees, and more! Native bees are estimated to pollinate 80% of flowering plants across the world (USGS) — this includes the vast majority of our fruits and vegetables!
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Building Habitat
Unlike honeybees, the majority of our native bees do not live in hives or large colonies, but are solitary and live in hollow stems, wood cavities, or ground holes most often created by rodents.
To create habitat for our native bees, we can mulch less frequently with wood chips, allow fallen plant material to do the mulching for us, leave downed branches or logs, leave the leaves (ground nesting bees rely on leaf litter for protection during winter months), and save our plant stems.
For more info on these final two recommendations, check out our “Garden Cleanup” section here.
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Offering Resources
In order to create sustainable populations of native bees, it’s vital that our gardens offer a diverse, abundant source of pollen and nectar. To do so, we can plant a wide array of native plant species that bloom at various times of the year, especially in early spring and late fall, when resources are limited.
Besides providing food for bees, it’s also important to provide them with a clean, shallow source of water via a bird bath or a water feature. Whether used for nest building or hydration (especially while active during the hot summer months), if clean water is not present, bees may resort to retrieving water from unsafe or contaminated sources.
Butterflies, Skippers and Moths
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Be A Good Host
Throughout this website there are countless references to the term “host plant.” And what exactly does this mean? A host plant is any species of plant that an insect lives, feeds, or lays its eggs on.
When it comes to attracting butterflies to our gardens, many of us focus on planting nectar rich flowers. Feeding adult butterflies is very important, but we must also support them, while in their caterpillar stages, by supplying the proper foliage to ensure their offspring reach adulthood as well!
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Host Species
So which species do butterflies lay their eggs on for caterpillars eat? Because they have evolved alongside our native plants, butterflies seek out these species for reproduction purposes. From milkweeds to grasses but also various other flowers, grasses, and even trees.
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Evening Pollination
You will see your garden’s full potential in year three.
Flowers will be in full bloom, grasses will be filled out, and the insects & wildlife will be frequent visitors!
Gardening for Invertebrates
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Leave the Leaves
Using fallen leaves as mulch creates valuable habitat for an abundance of insects.
For example, butterflies and moths use leaf litter for winter protection. Bumblebee queens burrow beneath leaf litter to hibernate. Various beetles, including fireflies, spend their larval stages in leaf litter.
Besides the habitat you will create for these insects and more, a leaf layer will protect your plants’ roots and reduce the amount you need to water!
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Save Your Stems
Instead of cutting your plant stems to the ground in the fall, consider leaving them through winter for insect habitat creation.
Various native bees including carpenter bees, masked bees, and leaf-cutter bees make nests in hollowed out plant stems (as seen above).
Once temperatures consistently reach 60 degrees, you can then cut stems back at varying heights from one to two feet.
For more info on this process & its benefits, check out this awesome brochure created by Xerces Society.
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Rethink "Pest" Control
Be pesticide free.
The vast majority of these chemicals are broad spectrum, meaning they can harm all insects, not just the intended pests. Whether through direct contact, by foraging contaminated pollen, or collecting contaminated nest materials, beneficial pollinators are regularly killed from pesticide usage.
Instead, if we create a balanced ecosystem in our gardens via diverse plantings of natives, we can attract beneficial predatory insects which can keep pest numbers in check.