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Backyard Ecology

93 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 68 ratings

Nature isn’t just “out there” in some pristine or far-off location. It’s all around us, including right outside our doors. Join us as we ignite our curiosity and natural wonder, explore our yards and communities, and improve our local pollinator and wildlife habitat.

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Episodes

Top 10 Backyard Ecology Podcast Episodes: October 1, 2022 – October 1, 2023

December 28, 2023 10:33 - 13 minutes - 11.6 MB

I can’t believe that 2023 is almost over! This year has flown by! For the past several weeks, I’ve been doing top 10 roundups of the different types of Backyard Ecology content. We’ve talked about the videos, the blog articles, and the nature trivia style shorts. So, let’s wrap it up with a rundown of the top 10 podcast episodes of the year. 🦋 9b) Everything You Want to Know About Nesting Birds with NestWatch https://www.backyardecology.net/everything-you-want-to-know-about-nesting-birds...

Top 10 Backyard Ecology “Shorts”

December 21, 2023 10:30 - 4 minutes - 4.28 MB

Did you know that in addition to the regular Backyard Ecology videos that Anthony creates, he also produces a series of nature-trivia style short videos? Most of these videos are literally only a few seconds long so are perfect “bite-sized” samples if you’re just getting started or are looking for something to watch for a few seconds on your phone. So, let’s quickly run through the top 10 Backyard Ecology shorts based on number of views as of Thanksgiving 2023. Since the videos are so shor...

Top 10 Backyard Ecology Blog Articles: October 2022 - October 2023

December 14, 2023 10:30 - 10 minutes - 9.47 MB

I always like to do roundups of the top 10 blog articles and top 10 podcast episodes at the end of every year because I know how easy it is to miss stuff. Sometimes we have the best intentions to go back and read or listening to something, but other things come up and then we forget. So, it can be helpful to have a reminder at the end of the year for some of those articles that we might have missed.  Top 10 Backyard Ecology Blog Articles 🦋 10) Sometimes Life Happens: https://www.backyarde...

Top 10 Backyard Ecology Videos

December 07, 2023 10:30 - 8 minutes - 7.66 MB

Did you know that we have a Backyard Ecology YouTube channel? If you’re like many of the blog readers and podcast listeners who responded to our 2023 end-of-year survey, then answer is “probably not.”  If you are one of our frequent viewers, thank you for coming on this journey with us. We enjoy reading all your comments on the videos. If you haven’t discovered the Backyard Ecology YouTube channel, then I encourage you to check it out. To get you started, here are the top 10 Backyard Eco...

Tips and Tricks for Growing Prairie Plants in Your Native Plant Garden

November 30, 2023 11:02 - 54 minutes - 35 MB

Did you know that for many of our most commonly grown native wildflowers and grasses, 2/3 or more of the plant is underground in the form of roots? Or that you can reduce weeding requirements in your native plant garden by understanding the root systems of different plants that you are growing? Or that there is now a resource that can help you avoid mistaking a native plant in your garden as a weed and accidentally pulling it? Today, we are talking to Hilary Cox and Neil Diboll. They are t...

Resharing Your Favorites: Winter Hummingbirds

November 16, 2023 10:00 - 59 minutes - 40.5 MB

Did you know that some hummingbirds will overwinter in the eastern U.S.? These aren’t our normal ruby throated hummingbirds that visit our feeders and yards all summer long. These are often western species of hummingbirds, like the rufus hummingbird.  Winter hummingbirds aren’t common, and they become less common the further you are from the southern coastal plains; however, they aren’t unique either. I can tell you from personal experience that it is SOOOO much fun to host one if you’re l...

Fall Cleanup in the Pollinator and Wildlife Garden: A Comprehensive Guide to What You Need to Know and Do

November 02, 2023 09:00 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MB

When gardening with native plants for pollinators and wildlife, much of the traditional fall cleanup for gardens is not only unnecessary but could be detrimental. And if you don’t have to do all that fall cleanup, you’ll have more time to kick back and enjoy the everchanging natural wonders around you. The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/fall-cleanup/ Until next week I encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your yard and ...

Resharing Your Favorites: Gardening with Native Plants

October 05, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 44.1 MB

Did you know that common milkweed isn’t native to Georgia? Or that there are many native plants which can be grown in large pots on a patio or balcony? Or that some simple “cues to care” can significantly change how a native plant garden is perceived by others? I originally recorded this conversation with Jennifer Ceska in the spring of 2022. A year and a half later it is, by far, my most downloaded episode to date. We had an amazing conversation that covered a wide range of topics related...

The Secret to Building a Thriving Backyard Ecosystem: Embracing “It Depends”

September 20, 2023 00:07 - 9 minutes - 8.59 MB

“It depends” is often the most accurate and expert answer that you can give to questions related to biology and ecology. Granted, it can be a frustrating answer because we all love simple, straightforward answers. But once you understand the true meaning of “it depends,” it becomes a very liberating answer, especially when it comes to creating pollinator and wildlife habitat. The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/it-depends Until next week I...

Building Thriving Ecosystems and Exploring Nature in Your Backyard with Backyard Ecology

September 12, 2023 23:00 - 10 minutes - 9.55 MB

Over the last 6-8 months, we’ve been working hard to make Backyard Ecology even better and to implement new ways to help people on an even deeper level. I am so excited because I can finally share some of what we’ve been working on! The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/building-thriving-ecosystems-and-exploring-nature-in-your-backyard/ Links to become a Backyard Ecologist: The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.n...

The American Goldfinch: A Comprehensive Guide

August 25, 2023 00:41 - 18 minutes - 16.4 MB

American goldfinches are beautiful and fascinating songbirds that can be found over most of the continent. Their late nesting season and almost exclusively seed-based diet, even as nestlings, make them unique among our songbirds. They are also easy to attract to our properties. I talk about all those things and much more in this episode. The full transcript, including additional pictures, can be found on the episode’s webpage: https://www.backyardecology.net/american-goldfinch/ Incorpora...

Exploring Urban Ecology: Understanding and Appreciating Nature Where We Live

August 10, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 40.1 MB

Did you know that urban ecology doesn’t just apply to big cities and towns? Even if you live in a fairly rural area, if there is a lot of interaction between where you live and a nearby town or city then you may fall into the broad category of urban ecology. That means urban ecology is likely to apply to most of us. Today we're talking with Dr. Sarah Gagné. Sarah is the author of the newly published book, Nature at Your Door, Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Lan...

What Happens When a Tree Gets Blown Over? Discovering New Habitats Created by Fallen Trees

July 27, 2023 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MB

As sad as the loss of a tree can be, there’s also an excitement because fallen trees provide many different types of valuable and often overlooked habitats. I talk about some of those habitats in this episode. The full transcript, including additional pictures, can be found on the episode’s webpage: https://www.backyardecology.net/what-happens-when-a-tree-gets-blown-over-discovering-new-habitats-created-by-fallen-trees/ Incorporating native plants into your landscape is a great way to i...

Moths: Unsung Heroes of Pollination and Beyond

July 13, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 38.4 MB

Did you know that there are approximately 10 times more moth species worldwide than there are butterfly species? Or that without moths we would have fewer songbirds, less genetic diversity in many of our native plants, and lower harvests of many popular fruits? Or that creating better moth habitats around our homes also benefits our health and wellbeing? Dr. Elena Tartaglia shares her love of moths, some of the key roles they play in the ecosystem, how helping moths also helps us, and much...

Sometimes Life Happens

June 29, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutes - 7.36 MB

I share a story of how Anthony and I had a “life happens” moment on our property over the weekend. My hope is that our story of how “life happened” to us this week can give you a little bit of encouragement, or at least, help you feel not quite so alone the next time life throws a wrench in your plans.  The full transcript, including pictures, can be found on the episode’s webpage: https://www.backyardecology.net/sometimes-life-happens/ Get a free copy of our e-book, An Introduction to G...

Learning to See and Identify Plants with Alan Weakley

June 15, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 40 MB

If you’ve ever found a plant that you didn’t recognize and wanted to know what it was, then this episode is for you. We talk with Dr. Alan Weakley about learning to observe plants, how to identify plants, why that’s important, and some exciting new tools that are available to help us better recognize and appreciate the diversity of plants around us. Alan is the director of the University of North Carolina's Herbarium, which is located at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. He is also the ...

5 Tips for Attracting Butterflies to Your Yard

June 01, 2023 11:07 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MB

I offer five tips to help you attract butterflies to your property. Depending on your property and situation, you may not be able to do all of them. That’s ok. If you have a small property, look around you. See what’s lacking in your area and try to fill in the gaps. The important thing is to be aware and to do what you can. The full transcript can be found on the episode’s webpage: https://www.backyardecology.net/5-tips-for-attracting-butterflies/ We have lots of exciting opportunities...

Gardening with Sedges - Mt. Cuba Center Carex Trial

May 18, 2023 09:00 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MB

Did you know there is a group of native plants which can be highly adaptable, can serve multiple functions in our gardens, and perhaps even be a backbone component to our home landscapes, but which has historically been overlooked for those purposes? This group of native plants is the sedges, or more specifically, members of the genus Carex. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Sam Hoadley about sedges and their use in the home garden and landscape. Sam is the Mana...

How Can Your State’s Native Plant Society Help You?

April 13, 2023 06:30 - 1 hour - 41.1 MB

Do you want to start growing native plants in your yard, but don’t know where to find them? Or maybe you aren’t even sure what a native plant is for your area. Or maybe you are in a situation where you can’t plant anything right now, but you still want to learn about native plants and enjoy them in the wild. Your state’s native plant society may be able to help you in all of these situations. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we’re joined by multiple guests representing nati...

Birding Tools and Technology to Help You Be a Better Birder

March 31, 2023 11:18 - 1 hour - 41.2 MB

Birding is a fun activity with many different ways you can do it. You can bird by ear and identify birds by their songs. You can look at the birds and identify them that way. You can watch the birds out your window or as you spend time in your yard. Or you can go on trips where birding can be either a side activity or the main purpose of the trip. It really is an activity that pretty much anyone can do in pretty much any location. In this episode, I am joined by James Wheat. James is the P...

Everything You Want to Know About Nesting Birds with NestWatch

March 16, 2023 06:30 - 1 hour - 42.2 MB

Do you enjoy having birds nest on your property? Would you like to learn more about what to look for in a nest box to make it the best it can be for your birds? Are you interested in finding out how you can safely monitor your nesting birds and help scientists study nesting birds? In this episode, I am joined by Holly Grant. Holly is the Project Assistant for NestWatch which is a community science program based out of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We discuss a wide range of topics relate...

Why Are Invasive Species Something You Should Care About?

March 02, 2023 07:30 - 55 minutes - 31.8 MB

Do you struggle with invasive species on your property? Or, have you ever wondered, what’s the big deal with invasive species? Why are they so bad? Or maybe you just wondered how our invasive species got here. After all, if they are so awful, then why would anyone bring them here? If so, then you aren’t alone. Invasive species are something that most of us struggle with. In this episode, I’m joined by my husband, Anthony Trimboli. Many of you may know Anthony from the Backyard Ecology vide...

Battery Powered Lawn Care Equipment and Ecological Lawn Care

February 16, 2023 07:30 - 52 minutes - 32.1 MB

Lawn care probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you think about backyard ecology. Honestly, it isn’t for me either. But it is something that most of us have to deal with in one way or another whether we do it ourselves or hire someone to do it for us. And I don’t know about you, but lawn equipment in general, much less battery powered lawn equipment, is not my area of expertise. That’s why when I heard about a landscaping company which specializes in low impact lawn care and has...

Growing Native Plants, Insect-Plant Interactions, Playing in the Pond, and Much More with Dr. Randi Eckel

February 02, 2023 07:30 - 1 hour - 39.2 MB

You know how sometimes you’ll meet someone and things just “click?” You quickly discover that you have lots of shared interests and experiences and your conversation just flows as it goes down one path and then the next. Well, that’s exactly what happened in this episode as I talked with Dr. Randi Eckel. Randi is the owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm which is a mail-order native plant nursery. She is a life-long naturalist, lover of nature, entomologist, and confirmed plant and ecology ne...

Should you mow your meadow or pollinator planting?

January 19, 2023 07:30 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MB

Have you planted a meadow or pollinator planting on your property? Or, do you know someone or some place in your community that has one? If it’s on your property then part of the recommended management for it may have been to mow it periodically. Or if it’s not on your property then you may have driven by it only to see it being mowed or find that it had recently been mowed. If you’re initial reaction was something along the lines of “Wh…What?!” “Wait!” “Stop!” “No” “Why?” or included feel...

Ecology Based Landscaping with Larry Weaner

January 05, 2023 07:30 - 1 hour - 36.3 MB

Do you want your yard to benefit nature, while also being a place that speaks to you and is somewhere you enjoy spending time? Would you love for your yard to also be a place your neighbors admire and that inspires them to create pollinator and wildlife friendly landscapes? In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Larry Weaner about how to achieve both those goals. Larry is a Landscape Designer and the founder of Larry Weaner Landscape Associates and its educational af...

Top 10 Most Popular Backyard Ecology Episodes: Thanksgiving 2021 – Thanksgiving 2022

December 22, 2022 07:30 - 17 minutes - 15.3 MB

Over the past year, we’ve had some amazing conversations with a variety of highly talented and passionate people. I am very grateful to them for sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge with us. What was your favorite episode of the year, and why? Please let us know in the comments. For today’s episode, I’m going to quickly review the 10 most popular Backyard Ecology episodes that were published between Thanksgiving 2021 and Thanksgiving 2022. 10) 5 Late Summer Blooming Native Plants I Love...

The Christmas Bird Count: An Over 120 Year Tradition

December 08, 2022 07:30 - 47 minutes - 29.6 MB

The Christmas Bird Count, also known as the CBC, began in 1900. For the past 122 years, volunteer birders of all ages and abilities have gathered together to conduct surveys of the birds found in their areas. The Christmas Bird Count is the longest running, community science or citizen science program in the U.S. and has spread to Canada and many other countries. The data collected through the Christmas Bird Count are extremely valuable and have been used in numerous scientific papers. Per...

Thank You for Being Part of Backyard Ecology

November 24, 2022 07:30 - 4 minutes - 3.94 MB

The holiday seasons are upon us. This is often a time to gather with family and friends, give thanks, share memories, exchange gifts, and reflect both on what we have and what we hope to achieve in the coming year. I thought about skipping this episode completely since it will release on Thanksgiving Day and many of us will be involved with holiday activities. But then I decided that instead of skipping the episode, I wanted to take just a few minutes to express my gratitude. Backyard Eco...

Fascinating Wasp Diversity

November 10, 2022 12:26 - 1 hour - 39.9 MB

Wasps are often portrayed as one of “the bad guys” in the insect world. But part of that common misconception comes from a lack of knowledge or understanding about wasps in general and stereotypes that don’t apply to most wasp species. The truth is that wasps are extremely diverse and what most of us think of when we think of a “wasp” makes up only the tiniest percentage of all wasps out there. In fact, there are likely many different species of wasps that haven’t even been identified yet....

Monarch Butterflies and OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha)

October 27, 2022 06:32 - 1 hour - 38.3 MB

Monarch butterflies have become an increasingly hot topic in recent decades, and especially in the last couple of years. Conversations about monarchs often revolve around topics like their migrations, the importance of milkweeds, or other flowers we can plant for monarchs. Rarely do the topics of monarch health or monarch diseases come up. Yet these can also be fascinating and important topics to learn about and discuss. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are joined by Dr....

5 Native Plants that Bloom in the Late Fall

October 13, 2022 06:30 - 23 minutes - 20.3 MB

One of the most common pieces of advice given related to pollinator gardening is to try and have a constant supply of blooms available throughout the growing season. That’s easy in the spring. The summer is a little more challenging than the spring, but is still relatively easy. Even early fall isn’t too bad thanks to the goldenrods, ironweeds, and other fall flowers. It’s the shoulder seasons that are the most challenging for providing flowers for pollinators. By shoulder seasons I mean t...

Galls: Amazingly Diverse and Fascinating Plant Growths

September 29, 2022 06:30 - 1 hour - 47 MB

Have you ever found a leaf with weird little balls or spiky things attached to it? Or found a plant with a weird growth on its stem or a dense clump of leaves growing out of an odd place? Chances are those were galls. Going into this conversation, I knew a little bit about galls, but not much. However, what I knew was pretty interesting. So I wanted to learn more, and I thought you might be interested in learning more about them too. My mind was almost instantly blown. Galls are so much mo...

Planting for Pollinators

September 15, 2022 06:30 - 58 minutes - 37.9 MB

One of the most common questions I get is, “What should I plant for pollinators?” As you’ll hear in today’s conversation, I’m not the only one who frequently gets that question. It’s probably the most common question asked of anyone who promotes pollinator gardening. Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to that question because lots of different factors go into determining the best plants for any given area or situation. However, research into this topic can give us clues as to what ...

Tips and Resources for Identifying Plants

September 01, 2022 06:30 - 1 hour - 34.1 MB

We’ve all been there. We are walking in the woods, in a field, along a creek bank, around our property, or around the local park and we stumble upon an interesting plant. It isn’t one that we know and we immediately begin to wonder, “what is that?” It’s a simple question that holds so much potential because once we know what the plant is, we can find out more about it. The plants we find growing in a location can also help tell fascinating stories about the history of that area, provide hi...

5 Fall Blooming Native Plants I Love

August 18, 2022 06:30 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MB

Fall is an extremely important time for pollinators, so having plenty of flowers available at this time of year is crucial if one of your goals is to attract pollinators. Luckily, there are lots of fall blooming, native plants that you can grow in your gardens. In the last Backyard Ecology podcast episode I talked about five late summer blooming native wildflowers that I love. Lots of people contacted me and said that they loved the episode and would like to hear more of my favorites. So, ...

5 Late Summer Blooming Native Plants I Love

August 04, 2022 06:30 - 23 minutes - 20.4 MB

Late summer is often thought of as a challenging time for gardening. It’s hot, it’s humid, we may or may not be getting regular rainfall, and there are often lots of other summertime activities competing for our attention. But if our goal is to plant for pollinators and wildlife, then it is important to make sure we have plenty of plants blooming at this time of year too. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, I share some of the native plants that I love and why I love them so y...

Getting the Community Involved in Creating Pollinator Habitat

July 21, 2022 06:30 - 51 minutes - 33 MB

I often hear comments or questions such as, “I do what I can in my yard, but I wish more people in my community would plant pollinator gardens.” Or, “What can I do to get my community involved and to make my community more pollinator friendly?” It can feel overwhelming and like there isn’t anything we can do beyond our own individual space. But, sometimes all it takes is one person to step forward, raise their hand, and say “This is important. I can take the lead, but I can’t do it on my o...

The Fascinating World of Venus Flytraps

July 07, 2022 06:30 - 56 minutes - 36.4 MB

Did you know that Venus flytraps are insect pollinated? Or that they are native to a very small part of eastern North and South Carolina? Or that they rarely eat flies? I didn’t either until I stumbled upon a research paper talking about the pollination of Venus flytraps. That paper led me down a rabbit hole of questions and fascinating discoveries about a plant that I had always been intrigued by, but had never taken the time to really learn about. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology ...

Summertime Activities and an Exciting Backyard Ecology Announcement

June 23, 2022 06:30 - 55 minutes - 34.5 MB

Summer brings with it butterflies, lightning bugs, caterpillars, hummingbirds, fawns, baby birds, and so much more. It can be a really fun time to just get outside and observe all of the fascinating plants and animals around us. There are also plenty of things that we can be doing at this time of year to help make our yards more attractive to pollinators and wildlife. My husband, Anthony Trimboli, joins us again for this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast. Anthony has been on the podc...

Ask a Bumble Bee: What Flowers Do Bumble Bees Prefer?

June 09, 2022 06:30 - 58 minutes - 37 MB

I often get asked what people can plant for bees. I can give good general answers to those questions, because we have a good idea of what types of flowers tend to be attractive to bees in general. We can then use that information along with personal observations made by ourselves and others to fairly easy determine what we can plant in a given area for bees in general. However, we still have a lot to learn when it comes to knowing what types of flowers certain types of bees prefer or what ...

A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Cedar Glades

May 26, 2022 06:30

Glades are ecosystems where the soils are really shallow and rocky, often with patches of rock showing on the surface. They can be found all over the world, including multiple states within the eastern U.S. These ecosystems are unique areas that support some really interesting and sometimes highly specialized or rare organisms. Admittedly, they can also be frustrating for homeowners who may have one in their yard and be trying to force it to conform to the standards of a “normal” yard beca...

A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Cedar Glades

May 26, 2022 06:30

Glades are ecosystems where the soils are really shallow and rocky, often with patches of rock showing on the surface. They can be found all over the world, including multiple states within the eastern U.S. These ecosystems are unique areas that support some really interesting and sometimes highly specialized or rare organisms. Admittedly, they can also be frustrating for homeowners who may have one in their yard and be trying to force it to conform to the standards of a “normal” yard beca...

Checking In After 50 Episodes of the Backyard Ecology Podcast

May 12, 2022 06:30 - 3 minutes - 3.61 MB

I can’t believe that I’ve been podcasting for a year and a half and that this is my 50th episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast! I am truly honored and humbled that so many people enjoy hearing what I have to say and are following the podcast. Looking back, we’ve covered such a wide range of subjects including: crayfish, land snails (I still laugh every time I think about that episode), lightning bugs, hummingbirds, grassland ecosystems, all kinds of topics related to gardening...

Gardening with Native Plants

April 28, 2022 06:30 - 1 hour - 42.2 MB

The interest in gardening with native plants has been growing steadily, and I am very excited about that fact. Growing native plants in our gardens and landscapes can have many benefits – both for us as the gardeners and for the pollinators and wildlife that also call our yards home. Plus, we have some absolutely gorgeous native plants that deserve to be recognized in their own right. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jennifer Ceska about gardening with native p...

Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Birds and Other Wildlife

April 14, 2022 06:30 - 43 minutes - 28.9 MB

Once upon a time, the moon was the brightest object in the night sky followed by the stars. However, that’s no longer the case. Today the night sky is so brightly lit by artificial lights sources that the majority of people living in North America can no longer see the Milky Way from their yards. Even for those of us who can see the Milky Way, it is often greatly dimmed by nearby artificial light sources or sky glow caused by the closest city or town. Does it matter if our view of the star...

Attracting Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds to Your Yard

March 31, 2022 06:30 - 1 hour - 38.4 MB

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are common and much beloved summer visitors to yards and gardens throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk about ruby-throated hummingbirds, their northward migration, and how to make our yards more hummingbird friendly. We are joined in this conversation by Cyndi Routledge who is the CEO of Southeastern Avian Research (SEAR). When people think about attracting hummingbirds to their yards, the most common rea...

Grasslands and Grassland Birds of the Eastern U.S.

March 17, 2022 06:30 - 57 minutes - 36.4 MB

Grassland birds such as bobwhite quail, meadowlarks, sparrows, northern harriers, burrowing owls, and many others represent one of our fastest declining groups of birds. In many ways, this makes sense since grasslands are some of our fastest declining ecosystems, especially in the eastern U.S. Yet, many people don’t realize how rapidly grassland birds and the grassland ecosystems they depend on our disappearing. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jeremy French ab...

Spotted Lanternfly: Invasive Species Alert

March 03, 2022 07:30 - 1 hour - 44 MB

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive species of leafhopper (a type of insect) that was accidentally brought to the U.S. from Asia. It was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has spread to multiple states since then. This episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast is all about the spotted lanternfly and is a little different than most episodes, because I don’t just have one guest – I have four guests. Each of the guests on this episode represents a different part o...

Are Larger Patch Sizes Better When Planting for Pollinators?

February 17, 2022 07:30 - 53 minutes - 38.2 MB

When it comes to planting for pollinators or gardening for pollinators, the traditional advice has always been to plant larger patch sizes or clumps of plants. The thought is that the larger patch sizes will be easier to see and more attractive to pollinators than smaller clumps or patch sizes. But saying that assumes that all pollinators are attracted to the same thing and that they respond to different species of plants in the same way. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we...

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