Backyard Ecology™

Summary

When it comes to creating habitat, having a written set of goals can be extremely helpful in moving a task from the "I'll get to it someday" category to the "I'm actually going to get this done" category. But all too often, those goals end up being forgotten or abandoned, which can leave us feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and defeated. 

In this episode, I share how Anthony and I have experienced those same feelings because we've made the same goal-setting mistakes that everyone else makes. Then I'll show you how I've overcome those mistakes and a...

Summary

Late blooming native plants are crucial sources of pollen and nectar for pollinators. One of my favorite species that blooms in October, and often into early November, is Short's aster (Symphyotrichum shortii). 

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Resources mentioned:

* affiliate link – We get paid a small commission for purchases made throu...

Summary

"Leave the leaves" has become an increasingly common mantra each fall. However, until recently little to no scientific research had been done to quantify impacts of leaving your leaves in a typical suburban yard. We discuss the results of that research and actionable steps that you can take in your own yard.

Today's guest

Dr. Max Ferlauto is the State Entomologist for the Maryland Natural Heritage Program. He recently conducted research to quantify the impact of leaving our leaves in our yards.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Summary

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a beautiful native plant that can be found throughout most of the eastern U.S. and makes a great addition to pollinator and native plant gardens. It can grow in a variety of sunny to mostly sunny conditions and will provide instant gratification in the form of bright yellow flowers the first year. Those flowers will benefit a wide variety of butterflies, bees, flower flies, and seed-eating insects. 

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Summary

Paula Whyman shares her journey of trying to restore and manage a remnant prairie located on a Virginia mountaintop. Our conversation touches upon some of the challenges she faced, lessons she's learned, and exciting discoveries she's made along the way. Whether you're managing a small backyard or large acreage, Paula's story provides valuable insights and motivation for fostering pollinator and wildlife habitat.

Today's guest

Paula Whyman is an avid nature enthusiast and the author of the book, Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop.

3 things you'll...

Summary

Hummingbirds are probably one of the most beloved groups of birds that people want to attract to their yards. In this episode, I share 10 of my favorite native plants for attracting hummingbirds to gardens in the eastern U.S.

3 things you'll learn from this episode

Other Backyard Ecology™ resources

Summary

In this episode, we focus on the fascinating world of moths and why gardening for moths is so im-portant for any backyard ecologist. We also talk about specific native plants grow to attract moths, simple ways to observe moths, practical tips for photographing moths at night, and much more. From pollination by fuzzy moth eyeballs to carnivorous moth caterpillars, this episode is full of sto-ries and information you won't want to miss.

Today's guest

Jim McCormac is an author, photographer, and conservationist. He worked for the Ohio Depart-ment of Natural Resources...

Summary

Our native Vacciniums, what we commonly call the blueberries, are keystone plants which support tons of pollinators and wildlife. They also produce yummy berries which we can eat. In this episode, we talk about 9 species that are native to at least some part of the eastern U.S., and are relatively easy to find for sale at native plant nurseries.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Summary

Milkweeds are a common component of butterfly and pollinator gardens. Not only are they important for monarch caterpillars, but they are also used by a wide variety of pollinators. There are lots of different species of milkweed that are native to the eastern U.S. and have the potential to work really well in home gardens. In this episode we discuss 10 species that are native to most of the eastern U.S. and responsible ways to obtain those species.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Summary

In this episode, we dive deep into Laurel Wilt Disease which is a vascular wilt disease affecting trees in the Lauraceae family, such as sassafras, spicebush, and redbay. We discuss its history, how it spreads, ecological and cultural impacts of the disease, current management options, and challenges associated with managing the disease. We also explore potential future research directions and highlight the important role that each of us can play in monitoring for the disease and slowing its spread. 

Today's guest

Dr. Albert, Bud, Mayfield is a Research Entomologist with the Southern R...

Summary

The Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) is our most widespread native wild strawberry in the eastern U.S. It supports a wide range of pollinators and wildlife. It can also make an amazing groundcover in a native plant garden. However, this is not the wild strawberry that most people find growing in their yards and garden beds.

3 things you'll learn from this episode

Summary

Each fall, the beautiful, rich, purple blooms of ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) grace fields and open areas throughout much of the eastern U.S. They are an ecological powerhouse for pollinators and wildlife, including a specialist bee. Ironweeds can make amazing additions to our native plant gardens where they serve as biodiversity magnets. In this episode, we discuss Mt. Cuba Center's Vernonia Report which includes information about how multiple ironweed species performed in the garden trials, the importance of garden soils and conditions to plant growth and health, how plant health can impact pollinator use, and potential...

Summary

While carpenter bees get a bad rap, they are also important pollinators and play a vital role in the ecosystem. Their bad reputation can also sometimes be overblown. So, let's talk a little bit about carpenter bees, why they are important, and how to discourage them from nesting in places where you don't want them.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Summary

Dr. Doug Tallamy shares the story of how he and his wife transformed their newly built home located on a former hayfield into a thriving forest ecosystem. We talk about how they got started, their struggles along the way, the habitat wins they've celebrated, and what his next steps are for his property. He also shares what he's most excited about, his thoughts on creating habitat that you can maintain as you get older, information about his newest book, and much more.

Today's guest

Dr. Doug Tallamy has been an entomologist at...

Summary Darkness is a vital, and often overlooked, component of our ecosystems. Unfortunately, we're losing it to light pollution. Decreasing the light pollution around your home will not only benefit the environment but will also benefit you because you'll be able to see better without all the excess glare and will save money because you aren't paying to light up the sky.   3 things you'll learn from this episode: Why darkness is so important. What light pollution is and how prevalent it is. 4 simple ways you can combat light pollution around your home.   Studies mentioned in this episode: Light pollution wastes en...

Summary
Twice a year billions of birds migrate across the U.S. We've only recently discovered just how large that number really is. Being able to quantify that number is thanks to a large degree to a program called BirdCast which anyone from backyard birders to scientists to emergency managers can use. Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of bird migration.

Today's guest
Dr. Andrew Farnsworth is a visiting scientist at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a member of the BirdCast Team, which is using radar to track and study bird migrations...

Summary

As gardeners, it's common to get the gardening itch in late winter and early spring. The temptation to finish cleaning up our gardens during this time is a natural temptation. However, when doing your spring garden cleanup, it's important to remember why you didn't do those activities in the fall. Remembering that can help you choose what to do and when so that you can best support the pollinators and wildlife that visit your property.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

Summary

Ground nesting bees represent a significant portion of our native bee population, yet they often go unnoticed due to their solitary nature and unique nesting habits. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of ground nesting bees and how we can get involved in their study and conservation.

Today's guest

Dr. Jordan Kueneman is a research associate in the Danforth lab of Entomology at Cornell University. He is also the creator of the Ground Nesting Bee project on iNaturalist where he is collecting observations of ground-nesting bee aggregations.

3...

Summary

When someone decides they want to attract birds to their yard, often the first thing they do is put up a birdfeeder (or two). It's what we did when I was a kid, and it's what countless other people I know have done.

There's nothing wrong with putting out a birdfeeder. They're a great way to bring the birds to locations where it's easy for us to watch them. 

But, if you want to attract more birds (and better care for the ones you are already attracting), then you need to take m...

Summary

Amanda shares the journey she and her husband have taken to transform their small, suburban yard into a vibrant habitat for birds and pollinators. We discuss the various projects they've undertaken, the challenges of DIY landscaping, the importance of community support, and the positive reactions from neighbors and family.

Their story shows how creating wildlife habitat can benefit both the environment and the property owners' well-being. Amanda encourages others to start small, focus on native plants, and seek community support to achieve similar successes.

Today's guest

Amanda is a mom...

Summary
I am so excited to be relaunching the Backyard Ecology™ podcast! New episodes will be released every other week, and we have some exciting guests already lined up. 

Going forward, in addition to the traditional audio version of the podcast episodes, there will also be a video version available for the episodes with guests. The video version will be available on the Backyard Ecology™ YouTube channel.

Links and Resources

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-with-nestwatch/

🦋 9a) Birding Tools and Technology to Help You Be a Better Birder https://www.backyardecology.net/birding-tools-and-technology-to-help-you-be-a-better-birder/

🦋 8) Exploring...

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 short, I'm just going to list the titles and let your curiosity decide whether...

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.backyardecology.net/sometimes-life-happens/ 🦋 9) Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly: A Common...

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 Ecology videos based on the number of views as of T...

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 the authors of the newly published book, The...

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 lucky enough to have one show up on your property.

I originally recorded this c...

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 community.

🌻 🌻 🌻

If you're listening to this in November...

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 to gardening with native plants. So, I thought...

"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 encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your yard and community.<...

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:

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/

Incorporating native plants into your landscape is a great way to improve the habitat in your yard for butterflies, hummingbirds, songbirds, and...

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 Landscape. She is a...

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 improve the habitat in your yard for butterflies, hummingbirds, songbirds, and just about every other type of animal that visits your property. If you want to learn more about...

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 more. Elena is a co-founder of National Moth Week and a Research Associate at...

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 Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones a...

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 author of the Flora of the Southeastern US and the newly...

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 planned with Backyard Ecology over the next several months...

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...

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.

...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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. Sonia...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

...

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...

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...

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 "...

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 "...

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:

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 wi...

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.

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 reaction is to put up a...

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 about grasslands and grassland birds...

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 di...

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...

In 2021, Kyle Lybarger began creating TikTok videos about native plants and grassland ecosystems in Alabama. He quickly became a social media star and even gained the attention of more traditional media streams including The Weather Channel. Kyle is doing terrific work teaching about and raising awareness of native plants and grassland communities. He is also actively involved in multiple on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects.

Kyle has been on my list of people to invite on the Backyard Ecology podcast for a...

Sometimes you read or hear something that makes you say, "Wait a minute! What?" It was one of those moments that led to this episode. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, I talk with David Mason. David is a PhD candidate at the University of Florida who has been doing some really interesting work related to songbirds, seed dispersal, and disturbed areas.

Open habitats such as grasslands, shrublands, and open woods are often very rich in bird diversity and...

Winter is often depicted as being dark and cold. A time to slow down and spend more time inside, than outside. But winter can be a really great time for observing nature and doing many habitat management activities. Habitat management activities that we can do in the winter is a topic that I get asked about frequently. So, I thought it might be helpful to share with you some of the things that we do on our farm at this time of year or that we recommend...

The first "real" episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast went live on December 3, 2020. (Technically that was episode 2, but I don't count the introduction episode as a "real" episode because all I was doing was telling you that I was going to start the Backyard Ecology podcast.) This is episode 40, and we are fast approaching 25,000 total downloads. I am excited by how both the Backyard Ecology blog and the Backyard Ecology podcast have grown over the last year, and I am thankful to all my listeners and readers.<...

Lichens are AMAZING organisms. You can find them practically everywhere from very urban areas to very rural areas. You can find them growing on trees, rocks, buildings, benches, and all kinds of different things. But many of us really don't know a whole lot about lichens.

In today's episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, I talk with Dr. James Lendemer. James is the lichenologist at the New York Botantical Gardens and a professor at the City University of New York. He...

Wild turkeys are fascinating birds that are only found in North America. They are also a conservation success story – one which most people aren't aware of because the turn-around was so successful. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Dr. Bret Collier. Bret is a Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Louisiana State University who specializes in studying wild turkeys.

If you ask a room of wildlife biologists to name our nation's greatest conservation success stories, you are mo...

When it comes to gardening for monarchs, the most common thing you hear is "plant milkweeds." Milkweeds are important, because they are the only thing that monarch caterpillars can eat. But they aren't the whole story. In fact, having other types of flowering plants available can actually make your gardens more attractive to monarchs according to recent research from the University of Florida.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Rebecca Nestle. Rebecca recently completed her Master's...

Bats are often associated with Halloween and relegated to roles in scary movies, but they are so much more. Bats are very diverse and fascinating creatures that play an invaluable role in our ecosystem. I love the fact that more people seem to be recognizing this and wanting to do things like put up bat houses and make their yards more bat friendly.

In this episode, I talk with Reed Crawford. Reed is a PhD student in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation...

We always think of hummingbirds as being summer birds. But, did you know that we also have winter hummingbirds? They aren't common, and they become less common the further you are from the southern coastal plains; however, they aren't unique either. In the winter of 2011-2012, I was lucky enough to host one of these winter hummingbirds at my home in Kentucky.

In this Backyard Ecology episode, I talk with Brainard Palmer-Ball about these winter hummingbirds. Brainard is a retired zoologist f...

What happens when you do a shelterwood cut, conduct a prescribed burn, or have some other natural or human-made disturbance event in oak hickory forests? What happens to the acorn crop? How do different types of wildlife respond? What about the other vegetation in the woods?

In this Backyard Ecology episode I talk with Dr. Cathryn Greenberg. Katie is a Research Ecologist with the US Forest Service, Southern Research Station. She has been involved in multiple long-term studies looking at how...

Sometimes it's just fun to sit down and have a fun conversation with other people in the industry, and that's exactly what we did in this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast. In this episode, I talk with Fran Chismar and Tom Knezick. Fran is the Sultan of Sales for Pinelands Nursery and the co-host of the Native Plants, Healthy Planet Podcast. Tom is the General Manager at Pinelands Nursery, the owner of Pinelands Direct Native Plants, and the other co-host of the Native Plants, Healthy Planet...

Pollinator gardens have rapidly increased in popularity, but unfortunately, there hasn't been a lot of research on the best ways to create those gardens or on how effective those gardens really are. Happily, that's beginning to change. More and more scientists are beginning to tackle those types of questions in order to help us better manage and protect the pollinators in our built environments.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology Podcast, we talk with Travis Watson. Travis is the Horticulture...

If you listen to the Backyard Ecology podcast, then you are likely interested in creating pollinator and/or wildlife habitat on at least part of your property. The Natural Resources Conservation Service or NRCS is a federal agency that has a number of programs which can help us do just that. Previously, NRCS programs and services were restricted to people with 10 acres or more, but that is no longer the case.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology Podcast, we talk...

In the spring of 2021, reports started coming in of birds dying with weird eye and/or neurological symptoms. At first, it seemed like the bird mortality event was only in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, but before long reports began to also come in from West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida. Researches and others from multiple state, federal, and private organizations and agencies have been working together to try and determine what is causing this mysterious bird mortality event.

Lyme disease is our most common tick-borne disease and it is estimated that there are around 400,000 cases each year. Black-legged ticks or deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are the only species of tick that carries Lyme disease in the eastern U.S. Although deer ticks are found throughout the eastern U.S., Lyme disease is much more common in the northeast, than it is in the southeast.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology Podcast, we talk with Dr. Howard Ginsberg. He...

I've always really enjoyed looking at the pictures and watching the videos captured by the trail cameras on our property. The videos are always my favorite because you get to see more of the behaviors. Either way, retrieving the SD card from a camera is always exciting because you just never know what we are going to see when you begin going through the images.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Anthony Trimboli about trail cameras...

This episode is different from anything I've done before, because Michael Hawk, who hosts the Nature's Archive podcast, and I are sharing each other's episodes. One of the things I really like about the Nature's Archive podcast is that in addition to the biology, Michael also digs into the stories of how his guests got to where they are. My personal experiences, plus those of the interns, volunteers, college students, and recent grads that I've worked with in the past have made me realize how valuable those...

Laurel wilt disease is a disease caused by an introduced beetle and fungus. This disease is deadly to members of the Laurel family which includes redbay, sassafras, and spicebush. Laurel wilt disease also kills avocados, which aren't native to the eastern U.S., but are in the Laurel family and are an important agricultural crop. As of spring 2021, laurel wilt disease has been found in 11 states in the eastern U.S. with the potential to spread to much further – even down into Mexico and Central America.

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I know from the emails and messages that I've received that many of you are parents, teachers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or friends of young people. Well, this episode is for all of you.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Heather L. Montgomery. Heather is an award-winning author, educator, and someone I'm honored to call a friend. Her books include: Bugs Don't Hug: Six-Legged Parents and Their Kids, How Rude! Real Bugs Who Won't Mind Their Manners...

Thank you for joining me on this Backyard Ecology journey. I can't believe we're already up to episode 24 of the Backyard Ecology podcast! And the blog has been going on, in one form or another, for much longer than that. I am really looking forward to continuing on this journey with you.

This week's Backyard Ecology podcast episode is a short, but important one because it talks about some changes that are coming to both the podcast and the blog. Don't...

For many of us, the rhythmic chatter of annual cicadas is a natural part of every summer. But then… every once in a while… the trees explode in a deafening chorus of periodical cicadas. Periodical cicadas will spend over a decade as nymphs underground before emerging and maturing into adults. The adults only live a few weeks, but what an impression they make while they are here!

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Dr. Gene Kritsky. Gene...

Gardening with native plants has been growing in popularity. Some people want to grow native plants for plant conservation purposes or to showcase the diverse, local flora of their region. Others want to grow native plants for the benefits they provide to pollinators and wildlife. Still others are interested in native plants as sources of food or herbal medicine. And some people want to grow native plants in their gardens for a combination of reasons. Whatever the underlying purpose is, we all share a common interest and...

Eastern bluebirds are a conservation success story. Their numbers plummeted in the early 1900s. Then in the 1960s and 70s, consorted efforts were started to establish bluebird trails and similar programs. Growing up in the late 1970s and 1980s, I remember often hearing about the plight of the eastern bluebird and the need to put up nest boxes for them. Today, their numbers have rebounded and they are considered a low conservation concern.

In this week's episode of the Backyard Ecology...

It is so easy to come home at the end of a long day, eat supper, and then just sink into the couch to veg out for a bit or keep ourselves busy with household activities that need to be done. I'll be honest, I'm as guilty as the next person of falling into that trap. But nature doesn't just stop when the sun goes down. Instead, a whole new world opens up and comes to life – a world that is just as interesting and fascinating as an...

I am frequently asked about growing native plants in small spaces or in typical suburban yards with HOA or city ordnances. And I'm not the only one who's getting those questions. I hear and see those same questions being asked throughout the native plant and pollinator communities. That's why I was so excited to talk to this week's guest on the Backyard Ecology podcast.

In this week's episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are talking with Kate Brandes. Kate has...

Flower flies, a.k.a. hover flies, are common garden visitors, but they are often overlooked. The reason they are so often overlooked is because they are extraordinary mimics, usually of bees or wasps. Their mimicry is so good, that flower flies are often mistakenly identified as bees in social media posts, magazine articles, newsletters, and sometimes even books.

In this week's episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are talking with Dr. Jeff Skevington and Michelle Locke. Jeff and Michelle...

Frogs and toads are so much fun to observe and learn about. In the eastern U.S. we are lucky because we have enough water that they can be found virtually anywhere. Some species may be very specific in their habitat needs, but others are fairly general and can be found in urban areas as well as more rural areas.

In this week's episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are talking with Dr. Cy Mott. Cy is an associate professor...

This week's episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast is the conclusion of our conversation with Lynn Faust. Lynn is the author of Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada.

In this episode, we continue to just geek out about lightning bugs. Once again, this is a very informal conversation that includes stories and more educational content. If you haven't listened to the previous episode, then I encourage...

For many of us in the eastern U.S., warm spring and summer nights are characterized by the methodical flashing of fireflies and lightning bugs. Fireflies and lightning bugs are exactly the same thing. I grew up calling them "lightning bugs," but somewhere along the line picked up the term "firefly." Now I use both terms interchangeably. It doesn't matter what you call them, these flashing insects have the ability to bring out the child in all of us.

In this...