{"id":12629,"date":"2025-10-31T16:17:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T20:17:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebackyardnaturalist.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=12629"},"modified":"2025-10-31T16:17:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T20:17:16","slug":"please-leave-the-leaves","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thebackyardnaturalist.com\/wordpress\/please-leave-the-leaves\/","title":{"rendered":"Please Leave the Leaves!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Less Yard Work For You Means More Caterpillars for Baby Chickadees<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Leave the leaves! Mother Nature provides that leaf layer to protect native insects and pollinators during winter. In the Spring, don&#8217;t be too quick to rake them up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stopping all that yard work and make a difference for generations of your backyard birds.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you stop Fall yard work (hooray, yes, please!) and delay Spring yard work (or even better just never do Spring yard work) and leave leaf litter undisturbed\u00a0for now (or FOREVER), you\u2019ll be giving your native insect populations their best chance to survive. Early Spring temperatures aren\u2019t\u00a0consistent enough just yet for them to emerge from beneath the\u00a0layers of leaves that protected them all winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why protect the native insects in your yard? Because&nbsp;<strong>96% of all wild bird parents will soon be looking for these insects to feed their babies.<\/strong>&nbsp;Not seeds, not fruit\u2014just insects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And nesting parents will need to&nbsp;<strong>find a mind-boggling quantity<\/strong>&nbsp;of&nbsp;insects to raise their families.&nbsp;Here\u2019s just one example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Carolina Chickadee parents need&nbsp;<strong>5,000-9,000 caterpillars to nourish just ONE BROOD<\/strong>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"183\" src=\"https:\/\/thebackyardnaturalist.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/TheBYN-Carolina-Chickadee-caterpillar-Alamy-stock.jpg\" alt=\"Delay Spring yard work now to protect native insects yet to emerge. Nesting season will be soon and 96% of baby birds will be fed solely on insects!\" class=\"wp-image-12521\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One down, 4,999 to go (or more!). Carolina Chickadee hunting caterpillars to feed babies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why make that job even harder for them?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>We can help, right now, by protecting and supporting the native insect population in our backyards.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chickadees give us 5,000 good reasons to:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Immediately stop doing so much yard work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NEVER use pesticides again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plant native trees and shrubs to support our native insects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share this info with everyone you know.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long should we delay our Spring yard work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There isn\u2019t an exact date, but there are some practical rules of thumb to guide us. In general, wait until soil temperatures and evening temperatures are reliably in the 50\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following are some questions to ask yourself before beginning yard work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From&nbsp;<strong>The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.<\/strong>(The full article is&nbsp;here&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/xerces.org\/blog\/dont-spring-into-garden-cleanup-too-soon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u2018For Pollinators\u2019 Sakes, Don\u2019t Spring Into Garden Cleanup Too Soon!\u2019<\/a>&nbsp;) &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Would I plant tomatoes now?<\/strong><br>It\u2019s not a good idea to plant your tomatoes outdoors until EVENING temperatures are reliably in the 50s. If it\u2019s time to plant tomatoes in your area, chances are conditions are [not] too cold for pollinators to be out and about.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Is the lawn growing tall?<\/strong><br>Cool-season lawns begin growing when SOIL temperatures reach 50 degrees. In all but the warmest climates, if grass is growing enough to justify regular mowing, it\u2019s probably a safe bet that most pollinators have emerged.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Have I paid my taxes?<\/strong><br>In northern states, mid-late April should be the earliest you consider cutting back perennials and clearing garden debris. Keep in mind that some bees don\u2019t emerge until late May, so the longer you can tolerate your \u201cmessy\u201d garden the better.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Are apples and pears finished blooming?<\/strong><br>Apricot, peach, plum, and cherry trees are the earliest to bloom, coinciding with the emergence of many ground-nesting bees. Apple and pear trees bloom between mid-April and mid-May. If you can manage to wait until apple trees are no longer in bloom, then you should be safely in the clear from disturbing those pollinators that emerge a little later than the rest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/thebackyardnaturalist.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/TheBYN-Eastern-Bluebird-Baby-Swallowtail-Butterfly-Caterpillar.jpg\" alt=\"Eastern Bluebird brings Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar to a hungry baby. It takes thousands of these trips for a bluebird parent to nourish one brood of babies.\" class=\"wp-image-12498\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carolina Chickadees aren\u2019t the only bird parents looking for native insects to feed their babies. An Eastern Bluebird brings a Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar to feed a hungry nestling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fun Things to Do \u00a0<br>Instead of Yard Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While you delay Spring yard work, get ready for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thebackyardnaturalist.com\/wordpress\/resources\/best-time-for-birding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spring Migration<\/a>! Nesting season is so very, very close, too. Unless of course, you are seeing&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thebackyardnaturalist.com\/wordpress\/resources\/eastern-bluebird-nesting-boxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bluebirds<\/a>! They are choosing nest sites already. Do you have your Bluebird box up? Is it too early to start obsessing about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/maps.journeynorth.org\/map\/?map=hummingbird-ruby-throated-first&amp;year=2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hummingbird Migratio<\/a>n yet?! &nbsp;(Never!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More Info About Native Insects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Butterfly caterpillars are just one example of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/journeynorth.org\/tm\/spring\/InsectEaters.html\">gazillions of beneficial native insects<\/a>&nbsp;that could be sheltering under the leaf litter in your yard.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/journeynorth.org\/tm\/spring\/InsectEaters.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read this article on JourneyNorth.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who eats what? Which insects do birds prefer? Find out more on who eats what, especially during Spring Migration and nesting season, in <a href=\"https:\/\/journeynorth.org\/tm\/spring\/InsectEaters.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this article on JourneyNorth.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a great blogpost about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.chesapeakebay.net\/news\/blog\/life-under-the-fallen-leaves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">life under the leaves in a Maryland backyard<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/Outdoor Insects in the Home Landscape\">Outdoor Insects in the Maryland Home Landscape<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 Most insects in our backyards are beneficial! Here\u2019s a great aggregated list of resources to help you identify them. \u2013 The University of Maryland Extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marylandbiodiversity.com\">The Maryland Biodiversity Project&nbsp;<\/a>This is a non-profit group cataloguing the living things of Maryland. They\u2019ve documented almost 22,000 species so far, with over a million photos and records!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More Details About the Carolina Chickadee Study<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The statistic above about Carolina Chickadee broods and caterpillar requirements is based on findings from the research mentioned below. If you\u2019re still looking for the best fundamental reason to replace non-native plants in your yard with natives, this study will help convince you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are the non-native plants in our yards actually&nbsp;<em>endangering<\/em>&nbsp;wildlife?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, according to the findings of a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.udel.edu\/udaily\/2018\/october\/non-native-plants-birds-insects-washington-chickadee-desiree-narango-doug-tallamy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">study of Carolina Chickadees by University of Delaware researchers Doug Tallamy, Desir\u00e9e Marango and Peter Marra (director of Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center)<\/a>. It was the first study to investigate the link between non-native plants and birds\u2019 population growth in these landscapes. What they discovered, in a nutshell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In summary, it\u2019s about food.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Native plants are the base of the food chain: Native plants support native insects -&gt; Native insects support native birds. More insects means more food for baby Chickadees. More insects means less effort by parents expended to source food, giving them more resources for larger broods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research determined that a<strong>&nbsp;yard needs a minimum of 70% native biomass to give Carolina Chickadees the opportunity to reproduce and sustain their population.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Delay Fall and Spring yard work forever!\u00a0<strong>Resources for when you\u2019re ready to\u00a0<\/strong>\u2018go native\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Can you identify the \u2018bad\u2019 plants in your yard<\/strong>? Here\u2019s a guide from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/wildlife\/Pages\/habitat\/wabadplants.aspx\">Creating a Wild Backyard \u2013 Bad Plants Planted by Good People<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mdflora.org\/publications\/gardenersguidelines\/gguides.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Landscaping with Native Plants<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 Download this very helpful PDF by the Maryland Native Plant Society<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/xerces.org\/pollinator-conservation\/native-plant-nursery-and-seed-directory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Native Plant, Seed and Services Directory<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.umd.edu\/resource\/pollinator-gardens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plants for Maryland Pollinator Gardens<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 University of Maryland Extension<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.maryland.gov\/wildlife\/Pages\/habitat\/wawhatsthebuzz.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What\u2019s the Buzz? All About Pollinators<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 Maryland Department of Natural Resources<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Less Yard Work For You Means More Caterpillars for Baby Chickadees Leave the leaves! Mother Nature provides that leaf layer to protect native insects and pollinators during winter. In the Spring, don&#8217;t be too quick to rake them up. Stopping all that yard work and make a difference for generations of your backyard birds. 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