How to Save Leaves for Beneficial Insects The Wrong Way, Leaves will Attract Pests and Weeds Leaves sitting along the walls will provide shelter to rodents like mice. If the leaves are not swept off paved areas like sidewalks, parking spaces or even on gravel, they will slowly decompose into a humus soil rich in nutrients. Weeds could then grow in cracks of the driveway, between interlock pavers or among the gravel.
Continue ReadingMonarch Caterpillar Reappears on a Weed Historically Deemed Noxious Out of seemingly nowhere, we discovered a large Monarch caterpillar, in its first year, feeding on a milkweed plant. Monarch butterflies are known to migrate thousands of kilometres. How this large butterfly flops - looks more like flopping than flapping - its wings to travel great distances seems like a good question for the field of aerodynamics. View this post on Instagram Leafy greens for this hungry Monarch Caterpillar!
Continue ReadingIt is the dreadful season for tent caterpillars, but is there anything positive about them? If you live in the countryside, you may notice that ruffed grouse are flourishing. If you live in an urban or suburban setting, I have some more entertaining ways of saving your tree’s and shrub’s foliage. In the countryside Just when the leaves appear on your trees, after a long winter, tent caterpillars have the ability to quickly defoliate every single tree.
Continue ReadingOne morning this spring in Toronto, we found the streets and sidewalks transformed into a tapestry of colours. The winds and overnight rains left all kinds of colourful yard waste from trees and shrubs. It occured to me that this provides a great opportunity to both reduce pests and draw in beneficial insects. This could be done by collecting the debris and scattering it as a top dressing for the lawn or garden.
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