Explore every episode of the podcast Backyard Ecology™
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| Top 10 Backyard Ecology Podcast Episodes: October 1, 2022 – October 1, 2023 | 28 Dec 2023 | 00:13:07 | |
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 🦋 9a) Birding Tools and Technology to Help You Be a Better Birder 🦋 8) Exploring Urban Ecology: Understanding and Appreciating Nature Where We Live 🦋 7) Why Are Invasive Species Something You Should Care About? 🦋 6) Moths: Unsung Heroes of Pollination and Beyond 🦋 5) Gardening with Sedges - Mt. Cuba Center Carex Trial 🦋 4) How Can Your State’s Native Plant Society Help You? 🦋 3) Learning to See and Identify Plants with Alan Weakley 🦋 2) Ecology Based Landscaping with Larry Weaner 🦋 1) Growing Native Plants, Insect-Plant Interactions, Playing in the Pond, and Much More with Dr. Randi Eckel 🦋 Bonus: Gardening with Native Plants Other Episode Relevant Links: 🦋 Garden Revolution https://amzn.to/3Ckbp6F * Amazon links are affiliate links. We get a small commission from Amazon if you use them, but this comes at no cost to you. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Become a Backyard Ecologist: 🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Backyard Ecology content: 🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net Support Backyard Ecology: 🦋 Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
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| Top 10 Backyard Ecology “Shorts” | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:04:42 | |
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 to follow the link and explore further. 🦋 10) Caterpillar's Poop Stick Defense! https://youtube.com/shorts/R_mMaD2TadU Bonus Other Episode-Related Links 🌻 🌻 🌻 Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Become a Backyard Ecologist: 🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Backyard Ecology content: 🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net Support Backyard Ecology: 🦋 Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
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| The American Goldfinch: A Comprehensive Guide | 25 Aug 2023 | 00:18:38 | |
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 just about every other type of animal that visits your property. If you want to learn more about gardening with native plants, then I’d like to give you a free copy of our e-book, An Introduction to Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones and Ecoregions. Just go to https://www.backyardecology.net/ecoregions/ to request your copy. Until next week I encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your yard and community. Episode Links
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| Exploring Urban Ecology: Understanding and Appreciating Nature Where We Live | 10 Aug 2023 | 00:55:25 | |
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 also an Associate Professor of Landscape Ecology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/exploring-urban-ecology/ Sara’s links:
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* * * Get a free copy of our e-book, An Introduction to Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones and Ecoregions. Just go to www.backyardecology.net/ecoregions to request your copy. * * * Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. | |||
| What Happens When a Tree Gets Blown Over? Discovering New Habitats Created by Fallen Trees | 27 Jul 2023 | 00:12:29 | |
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 gardening with native plants, then I’d like to give you a free copy of our e-book, An Introduction to Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones and Ecoregions. Just go to https://www.backyardecology.net/ecoregions/ to request your copy. Links
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| Moths: Unsung Heroes of Pollination and Beyond | 13 Jul 2023 | 01:02:42 | |
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 Rutgers University. The full transcript of this episode can be found on the episode’s webpage: https://www.backyardecology.net/moths-unsung-heroes-of-pollination-and-beyond/ Get a free copy of our e-book, An Introduction to Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones and Ecoregions, when you subscribe to our email. Subscribe at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. National Moth Week links:
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| Sometimes Life Happens | 29 Jun 2023 | 00:07:44 | |
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 and Ecoregions, when you subscribe to our email. Subscribe at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. Links
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| Learning to See and Identify Plants with Alan Weakley | 15 Jun 2023 | 00:55:13 | |
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 released FloraQuest app. The full transcript of this episode can be found on the episode’s webpage: https://www.backyardecology.net/learning-to-see-and-identify-plants-with-alan-weakley/ Get a free copy of our e-book, An Introduction to Gardening with Native Plants: Hardiness Zones and Ecoregions, when you subscribe to our email. Subscribe at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. Episode links:
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| 5 Tips for Attracting Butterflies to Your Yard | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:11:29 | |
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. If you want to keep up with everything going on in the Backyard Ecology world, then please subscribe to our emails. You can do so at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. And when you sign up for our emails, you’ll be sent a link to download a free, e-book that explains why our familiar garden zones, aren’t important when it comes to gardening with native plants. That’s just our way of saying thank you for your interest in Backyard Ecology. Links
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| Gardening with Sedges - Mt. Cuba Center Carex Trial | 18 May 2023 | 00:59:06 | |
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 Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware. Recently, Mt. Cuba Center released their Carex trial report. This report evaluated 70 species and cultivars of Carex over 4 years for garden and landscape use in the Mid-Atlantic Region. During our conversation, Sam and I talk about how Mt. Cuba Center’s trials are conducted, the importance of sedges / Carex species, how they can be used in the garden or home landscape, and many other topics. Sedges may not produce the colorful, flashy flowers that we often think about and are drawn to when we are picking native plants to use in our home landscapes or pollinator and wildlife gardens, but they are definitely worth considering. Not only do they have their own innate beauty, but they can also serve so many different functions in the garden and landscape – including filling in so called “problem areas” or serving as a potential lawn alternative. We have lots of exciting opportunities planned with Backyard Ecology over the next several months. If you want to keep up with everything going on in the Backyard Ecology world, then please subscribe to our emails. You can do so at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. And when you sign up for our emails, you’ll be sent a link to download a free, e-book that explains why our familiar garden zones, aren’t important when it comes to gardening with native plants. That’s just our way of saying thank you for your interest in Backyard Ecology. Episode Resources:Sam’s email: shoadley@mtcubacenter.org Website: https://backyardecology.net Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica) | |||
| How Can Your State’s Native Plant Society Help You? | 13 Apr 2023 | 01:05:54 | |
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 native plant societies in different parts of the eastern U.S. Our guests are Randi Eckel from the Native Plant Society of New Jersey, Jeff Nelson from the Kentucky Native Plant Society, and Ellen Honeycutt from the Georgia Native Plant Society. We start our conversation with what seems like a very basic question, “What is a native plant?” As you’ll hear, the answers were all similar in their broad sense, but some of the details were a little different. Which of course, led to a conversation about those slight variations in the definitions and why they are important to be aware of when you are talking about native plants. We then dove into talking about native plant societies and what they do. Every native plant society is going to be different and do different things, but they all share a love of native plants, conservation, and education. They also tend to be very accessible and include members of all experience levels – from the person just getting started on their native plant journey all the way to professional botanists with decades of experience. Native plant societies also tend to have lots of educational resources available online for anyone interested in native plants. I highly encourage you to check out your state’s native plant society. Links to the Georgia Native Plant Society, Kentucky Native Plant Society, and Native Plant Society of New Jersey are below. I also included a link from the American Horticultural Society’s website which lists information for each state’s native plant society. On a side note, if you want to keep up with everything going on in the Backyard Ecology world, then please subscribe to our emails. You can do so at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. And when you sign up for our emails, you’ll receive a link to download a free e-book that explains why our familiar garden zones don’t mean anything when it comes to gardening with native plants. That’s just our way of saying thank you for your interest in Backyard Ecology. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Georgia Native Plant Society:Website: https://gnps.org/ Website: https://www.knps.org/ Website: https://www.npsnj.org https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-resources/societies-clubs-organizations/native-plant-societies/ Backyard Ecology:Growing Native Plants, Insect-Plant Interactions, Playing in the Pond, and Much More with Dr. Randi Eckel: https://www.backyardecology.net/growing-native-plants-insect-plant-interactions-playing-in-the-pond-and-much-more-with-dr-randi-eckel/ Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) | |||
| Birding Tools and Technology to Help You Be a Better Birder | 31 Mar 2023 | 01:09:36 | |
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 President of the Kentucky Ornithological Society. You may also remember him from our conversation a few months ago about the Christmas Bird Count. Once again James shares a wealth of information along with his passion for helping others get involved in birding. Our conversation focuses on birding tools and technology that can be helpful for birders with any experience level. We start our conversation by talking about binoculars, what the numbers mean, and tips about what to look for when purchasing binoculars. Our conversation then moves to a discussion of free birding apps that James really enjoys using. The first birding app that we discuss is Merlin which is in some ways a digital field guide, but can also do so much more. This app can help you identify a bird whether you see it or hear it, and you can access tons of detailed information about that bird. The second app that we talk about is eBird which also has a desktop version. eBird helps you keep track of the birds that you’ve seen in different locations, let’s you see what birds other people have seen in a given location, and is used by scientists to study birds. We wrap up our conversation by talking about the Birding Hotspots website which provides logistical information about parking, trail surfaces, bathrooms, etc. associated with the eBird hotspots. Links to all the resources we talked about can be found on the webpage for this episode. Also, Anthony and I are working on a project that we’re very excited about. We’re hoping to make an announcement about it very soon, possibly within the next couple of weeks. If you want to be among the first to hear about it, and perhaps participate in our beta trial, then be sure to subscribe to our Backyard Ecology emails. You can do so at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. That’ll keep you up to date with everything going on in the Backyard Ecology world. And when you sign up for our emails, you’ll also be able to download a free, e-book that explains why our familiar garden zones, don’t mean anything when it comes to gardening with native plants. That’s just our way of saying thank you for your interest in Backyard Ecology. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Links for James:James’ email: james.a.wheat@gmail.com 6 Steps to Choosing a Pair of Binoculars You’ll Love: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/six-steps-to-choosing-a-pair-of-binoculars-youll-love/ Website: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org Website: https://ebird.org/home Birding Hotspots: https://birdinghotspots.org Website: https://backyardecology.net American goldfinch | |||
| Top 10 Backyard Ecology Blog Articles: October 2022 - October 2023 | 14 Dec 2023 | 00:10:44 | |
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 Bonus: Most downloaded Backyard Ecology blog article of all time 🌻 🌻 🌻 Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Become a Backyard Ecologist: 🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Backyard Ecology content: 🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net Support Backyard Ecology: 🦋 Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
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| Everything You Want to Know About Nesting Birds with NestWatch | 16 Mar 2023 | 01:05:53 | |
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 related to nesting birds including:
Oh! And if you like to put out hanging baskets, but the wrens or other birds always decide that’s where they want to nest, then you definitely want to listen to this episode. Towards the end of our conversation, Holly shares a great tip which will allow you to continue watering your plant without disturbing the nest! Also, Anthony and I are working on a project that we’re very excited about. We’re hoping to make an announcement about it in the next couple of months. If you want to be among the first to hear about it, then be sure to subscribe to our Backyard Ecology emails. You can do so at www.backyardecology.net/subscribe. That’ll keep you up to date with everything going on in the Backyard Ecology world And when you sign up for our emails, you’ll be able to download a free, e-book that explains why our familiar garden zones don’t mean anything when it comes to gardening with native plants. That’s just our way of saying thank you for your interest in Backyard Ecology. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. NestWatch links:
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| Why Are Invasive Species Something You Should Care About? | 02 Mar 2023 | 00:55:33 | |
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 videos he produces every week or from previous podcasts episodes which he has been on. In addition to creating Backyard Ecology content, he also does habitat consulting and works in our native plant nursery. Anthony and I talked about a wide range of topics related to invasive species beginning with a discussion about what exactly is an invasive species and whether those species are inherently “bad.” We also talked about why it matters if a species is invasive, some of the negative impacts invasive species can have, and whether any of the short-term uses that pollinators and wildlife may gain from invasive species makes up for their negative impacts. Much of our conversation focused on invasive plants, because we both agreed that invasive plants are probably the type of invasive organism which individual property owners have the greatest ability to do something about. This part of our conversation included topics such as how to know whether a species is invasive and how to control those species on your property, as well as a discussion about whether native plants can be invasive. We wrapped up our discussion by talking about how invasive species got here. Spoiler alert: No one did the evil “bwahaha” laugh and thought to themselves, “Let me introduce this horribly invasive species so it can wreak havoc and destroy the ecosystem.” The story of invasive species is one of unintended consequences. If you haven’t checked out the Backyard Ecology YouTube channel, then I encourage you to do so. Anthony adds new content every week. There’s a link to the channel in the show notes, as well as a separate link for the channel’s invasive species playlist. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Links to Relevant Resources:
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| Battery Powered Lawn Care Equipment and Ecological Lawn Care | 16 Feb 2023 | 00:52:42 | |
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 transitioned to all battery powered equipment, I became intrigued. Anthony and I have some battery powered lawn care equipment, but we’ve always shied away from battery powered lawn mowers. We just didn’t think battery powered lawn mowers could handle our uneven, rough, hilly yard. But if this company was using all battery powered equipment on a commercial scale, then maybe we needed to rethink our assumptions for our own yard. Maybe you’re in a similar boat and are trying to decide if battery powered is the way to go for your next piece of lawn equipment. Or maybe you’d like to be able to hire someone who approaches lawn care from a more ecological perspective but don’t know how to find that person or the questions to ask. If so, then this episode is for you. In this episode, we are talking to Richard McCoy. Richard is the owner and operator of McCoy Horticultural Services. In the last couple of years, his business has transitioned from traditional gas powered lawn care equipment to battery powered equipment. His company also specializes in organic and low impact lawn care. Our conversation covered a number of topics related to battery powered lawn care equipment, vetting a land care contractor, and low impact lawn care. I appreciate Richard sharing his expertise and experiences with us. [2:58] Richard’s story about how he got to where he is now If you are looking for some simple, quick and easy ways to make your yard more attractive to pollinators and wildlife, you may want to check out my newest book, Attract Pollinators and Wildlife to Your Yard: 15 Free and Easy Ways. You can learn more about the book and place your order at https://shannontrimboli.com/product/attract-pollinators-and-wildlife-to-your-yard-15-free-and-easy-ways/ . Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Richard’s Information:
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| Growing Native Plants, Insect-Plant Interactions, Playing in the Pond, and Much More with Dr. Randi Eckel | 02 Feb 2023 | 01:06:04 | |
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 nerd. Randi is also the president of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. Growing native plants and interactions between plants and insects were two of the major themes of our conversation, but our conversation also went down many other twisty, curvy paths. This was one of those conversations that could so easily have occurred sitting on the front porch or around a campfire. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it. [2:47] Randi’s story of how she got to where she is now and discussion of career paths If you find value in the Backyard Ecology content, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation. You can find out how at https://www.backyardecology.net/support /. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your own yard and community. Randi’s Information:
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| Should you mow your meadow or pollinator planting? | 19 Jan 2023 | 00:18:23 | |
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 feelings of confusion, sadness, anger, or frustration, then you aren’t alone. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk about why people mow meadows and larger pollinator plantings. We also talk about whether it is really necessary. The answers to both of those questions are rooted in the grassland and prairie ecosystems that meadows and larger pollinator plantings are often trying to replicate. Topics discussed in this episode include:
I hope you’ve found this episode helpful and that it has encouraged you to think about things. If you’re listening to this in January 2023, please don’t forget to take our survey. Until next time, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your yard and community. Related episodes:
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| Ecology Based Landscaping with Larry Weaner | 05 Jan 2023 | 01:01:12 | |
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 affiliate, New Directions in the American Landscape, or NDAL. He is also the author of the book, Garden Revolution. According to Larry, ecology based landscaping or ecological landscaping takes into consideration where and how native plants naturally grow then adapts that knowledge to your property. The goal is to create a landscape that not only benefits nature, but is also a place that speaks to you and is somewhere you enjoy being. One of the topics that came up several times, and in several different ways, was how we connect and engage with a place. The place-based parts of our conversation included not only personal connections, but also community connections. Community connection is important because if our ecology based landscaping connects with our neighbors, then they may replicate some of those principles on their own properties, thus increasing the ecological benefits. Another topic that wove its way throughout our conversation was maintaining and managing our landscapes. This topic came up multiple times and in multiple ways. As Larry said, there probably isn’t any such thing as a “no maintenance” landscape. Larry also talks about the biggest challenge he sees people face, especially when getting started. Larry is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to integrating ecological principles and landscape design. His approach is one that really resonates with me and has done so for several years. I encourage anyone who is interested in creating ecology based landscapes to read his book and look into his courses. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your own yard and community. Guest Links:
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| Top 10 Most Popular Backyard Ecology Episodes: Thanksgiving 2021 – Thanksgiving 2022 | 22 Dec 2022 | 00:17:07 | |
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: https://www.backyardecology.net/5-late-summer-blooming-native-plants-i-love/ (1:42) * Note: Numbers 3, 4, and 5 were essentially a 3-way tie. There were only 9 downloads separating numbers 3 and number 5. I listed them in the order that they were on the day that I looked at the stats. But I have no doubt that if I had looked at the numbers on a different day, then they could very easily have been in a different order. Bonus: A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Cedar Glades: https://www.backyardecology.net/a-glimpse-into-the-fascinating-world-of-cedar-glades/ (14:47) I hope you enjoyed that review of the most popular episodes published between Thanksgiving 2021 and Thanksgiving 2022. Please help Backyard Ecology continue to grow by telling others about the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube Channel. I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons and until next week, I encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your own yard and community. Links:
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| The Christmas Bird Count: An Over 120 Year Tradition | 08 Dec 2022 | 00:47:00 | |
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. Perhaps the most well recognized of those papers in recent years is the one published in 2019 citing the drastic decline in bird populations over the past roughly 50 years. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are joined by James Wheat. James is the President of the Kentucky Ornithological Society and the Regional Editor for the Christmas Bird Counts in Kentucky. During our conversation, James and I talk about what the Christmas Bird Count is and why it is so important. He also shares with us what happens on a Christmas Bird Count, who can participate (spoiler alert: anyone who enjoys birdwatching), how people can get involved, and some of his favorite CBC experiences. Just as a quick reminder, every week, I send a short email with links to the most recent Backyard Ecology blog article, podcast episode, and video, as well as, any other news of interest. It’s the best way to make sure that you never miss anything in the Backyard Ecology world. You’ll also get a free e-booklet as my gift to you when you join my email list. If you haven’t signed up, then please do so using the link below. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Related Links:
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| Thank You for Being Part of Backyard Ecology | 24 Nov 2022 | 00:04:09 | |
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 Ecology is now 2 years old. In that short time, it has grown from a blog, to a blog and podcast, and now a blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. I am eternally grateful for everyone who takes the time to read the blog articles, listen to the podcast episodes, or watch the videos. Thank you so much for allowing Anthony and I to share our love of nature with you. I am also thankful for those of you who share our content with others. Knowing that you find our articles, podcast episodes, and videos valuable enough to share with your own friends, family, and community members means a lot to us. Thank you also to those of you who take the time to reach out to us and share your own experiences and observations with us. We love hearing from you and your emails, stories, and questions help us stay inspired and dedicated to putting in the time required to produce all of the free content that we create. I also want to say an extra special thank you to our monthly supporters on Patreon because their contributions are extremely important and deserve to be recognized. I thank them at the beginning of each episode and on the website, but I really can’t thank them enough. In addition to all of the time and energy Anthony and I invest in producing the Backyard Ecology content, there are also significant financial costs associated with purchasing the necessary equipment and software, paying the monthly fees for hosting the content, and more. Without the financial help of our Patrons, we probably wouldn’t be able to continue producing the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and videos. We are extremely grateful to each of our Patrons and are honored that they believe so much in us and our message that they choose to help us make Backyard Ecology freely available to all of our readers, listeners, and viewers. As we gather around our holiday tables this season and think about the people and things that we are grateful for, please know that each member of the Backyard Ecology audience is in my heart. Thank you for being a part of that audience and for allowing us to be a part of your life. Until next week, don’t forget to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Note: If you would like to help support Backyard Ecology you can make a one-time donation or join our Patrons in making a monthly donation for less than the cost of a cup of coffee or a meal at your favorite fast food place. Links to do so can be found below. Links:
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| Fascinating Wasp Diversity | 10 Nov 2022 | 01:00:59 | |
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. And wasps play an extremely important role in the ecosystem – one that is often overlooked and not well-understood. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are joined by Louis Nastasi who is a self-proclaimed ambassador for wasps. Louis is a PhD candidate at Penn State’s Frost Entomological Museum which is Penn State’s research collection of insects and other arthropods. He also founded and is one of the instructors for the Wasp ID Course, which will have its second session in January 2023. During our conversation, Louis and I dive into the fascinating diversity of wasps, especially parasitoid wasps, and their vital roles in the ecosystem. Louis believes that a lot of the misconceptions around wasps are due to a lack of recognition of just how diverse wasps are. Contrary to popular belief, most wasps aren’t capable of stinging people and many are the size of a speck of dust. Like with the first episode that Louis was on, our conversation takes many twists and turns. We talk a lot about parasitoid wasps and just how amazing it is that many of these parasitoid relationships developed in the first place. (One of the wasps we talk about lays its eggs in diving beetle eggs which are found underwater!) We also discuss how much we don’t know about these species and how much there is still to learn. But through it all, Louis’s passion for wasps and wasp education shines through. Links:
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| Top 10 Backyard Ecology Videos | 07 Dec 2023 | 00:08:38 | |
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 Thanksgiving 2023. The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/top-10-videos/ 🌻 🌻 🌻 Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Episode related links: 🦋 YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/backyardecology Become a Backyard Ecologist: 🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Backyard Ecology content: 🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net Support Backyard Ecology: 🦋 Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
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| Monarch Butterflies and OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) | 27 Oct 2022 | 01:07:47 | |
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 Altizer and Kade Donaldson. Sonia is a Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia and Kade is the Project Manager for Monarch Health which is a community science project based out of the University of Georgia. Most of our conversation revolves around the tiny protozoan, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, more commonly referred to by its initials: OE. OE is a parasite of monarch butterflies that has been interacting with monarchs for the past several centuries, at least, and likely for almost as long as there have been monarchs. However, over the last couple of decades, something has changed. OE has gone from being relatively rare to infecting very high percentages of some monarch populations. Exactly what has changed is still a topic of ongoing research, but the increased prevalence of OE appears to correlate to changes in human activities. The goal, therefore, is to determine what has changed and find ways to keep OE from spreading any more than it would naturally spread. One of the ways that OE infections are being studied is through Project Monarch Health. Project Monarch Health is a community science project that asks members of the public to help document OE infections throughout the country. Anyone can participate in this project which is based out of the University of Georgia, and we talk about Project Monarch Health quite a bit during our conversation. Other topics that we discussed are some of the common questions they get through Project Monarch Health. Those questions include ways people can help monarch butterflies and inquiries about raising monarchs. We also talked about how monarchs are only one part of the larger ecosystem. Protecting and conserving monarchs can also help lots of other organisms, but we need to be careful not to get so focused on monarchs that we lose sight of the big picture. Links:
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| 5 Native Plants that Bloom in the Late Fall | 13 Oct 2022 | 00:23:14 | |
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 the late winter / early spring and the late fall / early winter. For me, that typically corresponds to February / March and October / November. Your shoulder seasons may occur at slightly different times depending on how far north or south you live and your elevation. One of the reasons that the shoulder seasons are difficult is because the weather is so crazy at that time. Most flowers just can’t take the cold temps, frosts, and freezes that are often associated with the shoulder seasons. However, there are a few native plants that can handle the crazy weather of the shoulder seasons. I’m recording this in October, so I’m going to focus on native plants that bloom in the late fall /early winter shoulder season, or the October / November time period. On a side note, if the weather is good, many of our goldenrods, white fall asters, thoroughworts, and other fall flowers will bloom well into October. However, most of those flowers will be killed off with the first good frosts. The native plants that I’m focusing on in this episode are the ones that typically don’t start blooming until around October and that can survive those first frosts after most of the earlier blooming fall flowers are gone. To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here are the plants and the time I start talking about each:
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| Galls: Amazingly Diverse and Fascinating Plant Growths | 29 Sep 2022 | 01:13:19 | |
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 more diverse, interesting, and amazing than I ever dreamed of. Louis Nastasi joined me for this conversation. Louis is a PhD candidate at Penn State’s Frost Entomological Museum which is Penn State’s research collection of insects and other arthropods. His research is looking at gall wasps in prairie plants, particularly Silphiums, of the Midwest. At its most basic level, a gall is a piece of plant tissue that has been modified by the activity of another organism. However, in reality, galls are so much more than that implies. They can be formed by a variety of different organisms, although most of the ones we think about and encounter are formed by different types of insects. They can also be found in a variety of different places on the plant, including hidden inside the stem in such a way that you would never know it was there unless you cut the stem open. Louis and my conversation touches on all kinds of topics related to galls. We start out talking a little about what galls are and the types of organisms that can form them, then focus more on insect-induced galls. From there our conversation covers topics like why insects might choose to form a gall in this plant over that plant, the importance of galls and the ecosystem, and how little we actually know about galls. This was a really fun and educational conversation. I learned so much and am completely intrigued. I could have kept discussing and learning more about galls for much longer because they are so much more complex and interesting than I realized. I hope you find the conversation as interesting and educational as I did. I also encourage you to check out the resources that Louis shared with us. Links:
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| Planting for Pollinators | 15 Sep 2022 | 00:58:50 | |
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 plants might be good ones to consider for our own gardens. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Laura Russo. Laura is an Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee. She and her colleagues have been studying interactions between native plants and flower visiting insects. They recently published a report evaluating pollinator preferences of 18 different native plants in garden settings. Laura and my conversation covers, not only some of the findings of the study, but also the complexities that go into conducting scientific research like this. There’s a lot more to it than simply planting a garden and seeing what visits the flowers. Recognizing those complexities can help us understand why this type of work is so important and why research related to planting for pollinators isn’t done as often or cover as many species as many of us might like. Obviously, with only 18 different species in the study, there are a lot of species that were left out of the study. So, another one of the topics we talked about was their reasons for picking the species they picked for the study. We also discussed the importance of taking into account the gardener’s preferences, as well as, the pollinators’ preferences when planting for pollinators around our homes. No project can ever test every single flowering plant out there under every single condition possible, but research like what Laura and her colleagues are doing is still really important. And you don’t have to live in east Tennessee for this research to be valuable, especially when you look at this research in conjunction with similar research from other areas. By looking at projects from a variety of locations, patterns can emerge, such as a genus that is consistently popular among flower visiting insects. These patterns can give us hints as to generalizations that we can make and point us in potential directions to go in the absence of exhaustive research in our exact location. Links:
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| Tips and Resources for Identifying Plants | 01 Sep 2022 | 01:02:34 | |
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 hints as to the types of animals or even other plants that might also be found there, and so much more. But it all starts with being able to accurately identify the plant. In today’s episode, I am joined by my husband, Anthony Trimboli. Anthony and I discuss some of the reasons why identifying plants you find can be important and some of the resources you can use for identifying plants (including pros and cons of each resource). We also share some of the things we look at when we are identifying plants. To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here is a rough outline of our conversation and the times we start discussing each topic.
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| 5 Fall Blooming Native Plants I Love | 18 Aug 2022 | 00:18:59 | |
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, this time I thought I would share five of the fall blooming native plants that I love. I’m loosely defining fall as August through October. And just like last time, I’m not saying these are “the best native plants” to include in your pollinator garden. Because the best native plants for your yard and your goals, may not be the same plants that would be best for my yard, your neighbor’s yard, or for someone in a different state. These are simply a few of the many native plants that I love which bloom in the fall, that the pollinators love, that songbirds love, and which work well in a garden setting. You’ll have to decide if they are right for you or not. I’m also defining native as native to my area, which means you’ll have to double check whether these plants are native to where you live. To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here are the plants and the time I start talking about each:
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| 5 Late Summer Blooming Native Plants I Love | 04 Aug 2022 | 00:23:12 | |
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 you can decide if they are right for you. All of these plants bloom in the July / August time frame, attract lots of pollinators, and have a large native range that includes Kentucky. You’ll have to look up the plant to see if it is native to where you live. I’m not saying these are the “best native plants to plant,” because there is no way for me to know if these are the best plants for you without talking to you and learning more about your property and goals. These are simply some of the native plants I love and are in no particular order because my “favorite” has a tendency to change based on which one I’m looking at and what pollinators I’m thinking about. To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here are the plants and the time I start talking about each:
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| Getting the Community Involved in Creating Pollinator Habitat | 21 Jul 2022 | 00:51:05 | |
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 own. Who wants to help?” In many ways, that’s what happened in Bexley, Ohio. Today we are talking to Rebecca Ness. Rebecca is the Vice Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Council in Bexley, Ohio. She is also the Chair of Love Your Alley, which is a local program that encourages community involvement in creating pollinator habitat. Rebecca and I discuss how the pollinator habitat emphasis for the Love Your Alley program came about, program successes, challenges, and lessons learned. I love how the Love Your Alley Program is bringing the community of Bexley, Ohio together in so many different ways. The program seems like it is a win, not only for their local pollinators, but also for the people who participate in the program. I also think that the Love Your Alley program can serve as an example, or case study, for people who would like to do something similar in their own community or neighborhood. It is my hope that this conversation will help you gain insights on ways to get your community or neighborhood involved with creating pollinator habitat. Or, at least provide encouragement from knowing that it can be done and that there are others who are not only doing it but are willing to share their experiences. Links
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| The Fascinating World of Venus Flytraps | 07 Jul 2022 | 00:56:12 | |
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 podcast, we’re joined by Laurie Hamon. Laurie is an entomologist who recently completed her dissertation at North Carolina State University studying Venus fly traps and their pollination. She is also the author of the paper that I stumbled upon and which sent me on my own quest to learn more about Venus flytraps. Laurie and I began our conversation by talking about how the only place in the world that you can find Venus flytraps growing naturally is in a small region on the border of North and South Carolina. We also talked about the fact that Venus flytraps are insect pollinated and all the complicated questions that arise from the idea of a carnivorous plant being insect pollinated. Other topics of discussion included the feeding habits of Venus flytraps (which eat more ants and spiders than flies), the population status of Venus flytraps, where you can find them, and the threats that they face. We wrapped up the conversation by talking about how small populations of this rare and infinitely fascinating species can sometimes be found on private lands or along boggy roadsides. Laurie also provided us with a website where people who are lucky enough to have Venus flytraps on their property can go to learn more about how to care for and protect this charismatic little plant. Links
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| Summertime Activities and an Exciting Backyard Ecology Announcement | 23 Jun 2022 | 00:55:21 | |
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 podcast a few times, so you may remember that, like me, he is a wildlife biologist and educator. He also frequently helps me with my nursery and habitat consulting. This is an episode that I have really been looking forward to sharing with you because we have an exciting announcement to share. We now have a Backyard Ecology YouTube channel! Anthony is taking the lead on it and in this podcast episode, we share some of our plans for the new YouTube channel. In addition to talking about the new YouTube channel, we share some of the many things that you can be doing or observing in your yards at this time of year. Links
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| Tips and Tricks for Growing Prairie Plants in Your Native Plant Garden | 30 Nov 2023 | 00:54:05 | |
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 Gardener's Guide to Prairie Plants. Neil is also the president and consulting ecologist of Prairie Nursery, located in Wisconsin. The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/growing-prairie-plants 🌻 🌻 🌻 Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Episode related links: 🦋 Hilary’s email: crumpetlee@gmail.com Become a Backyard Ecologist: 🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Backyard Ecology content: 🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net
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| Ask a Bumble Bee: What Flowers Do Bumble Bees Prefer? | 09 Jun 2022 | 00:58:08 | |
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 we can plant for specific types of bees. This is especially true when it comes to our native bees. Ask a Bumble Bee, is a new community science, or citizen science, project that is striving to answer some of those questions specifically for bumble bees. Finding out what types of flowers bumble bees prefer and what we can plant for them is especially important, because many species of bumble bees appear to be declining in number. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jenan El-Hifnawi. Jenan is the Project Coordinator for Ask a Bumble Bee. Jenan joins us to talk about the project, the types of questions it hopes to answer, and how anyone who is interested can help out by observing bumble bees on flowers. Along the way we also share some of our own stories and experiences. Links
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| A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Cedar Glades | 26 May 2022 | 00:51:18 | |
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 because they think something is wrong with it. However, sometimes all it takes is discovering that there isn’t anything wrong with that area, but instead it is something special and can be celebrated for its own uniqueness. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are talking with Dr. Kim Cleary Sadler. Kim is a professor of biology education at Middle Tennessee State University and co-director of the Center for Cedar Glade Studies. Glades are classified by the type of rock that is found there. So, you can have limestone glades, chert glades, sandstone glades, shale glades, etc. Much of Kim and my conversation focuses on limestone glades, or what in some areas are more commonly known as cedar glades. However, we also touch on a few other types of glades and the basic concepts that we talk about can be applied to pretty much any type of glade. In this episode, Kim and I discuss some of the characteristics of glades, some of the different types of organisms you can find there, ways homeowners can deal with glades on their properties, and much more. We also share numerous stories related to our experiences with glades. Links
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| Checking In After 50 Episodes of the Backyard Ecology Podcast | 12 May 2022 | 00:03:47 | |
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:
I’m eternally grateful for all of the scientists, educators, and resource managers who have taken the time to talk with us. I’ve had so much fun learning from and geeking out with each of them. I also appreciate each of you who have taken the time to email me and share your own thoughts, experiences, and discoveries. Those emails always bring a smile to my face. As this 50th episode approached, I kept trying to think of the “perfect” topic to cover. After all, isn’t 50 supposed to be a big milestone? Regardless of whether we’re talking birthdays, anniversaries, or podcast episodes. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really didn’t want to do a typical episode this time. Instead, I wanted to stop a second and check in with you. I wanted to find out your thoughts. After all, I don’t want to just be blabbering into the digital airwaves. I want the Backyard Ecology podcast to be valuable to you and that means I need to make sure it is meeting your needs. To allow me to more easily gather and distill everyone’s thoughts and feedback I’ve created a short survey. The link to the survey will be in the show notes and on the webpage for this episode. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your answers will help guide me as I produce future episodes of the Backyard Ecology podcast. The survey will be available until June 12, 2022. As a thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, anyone who fills out the survey will have the option to enter a drawing to win 1 of 5 copies of my new book, Attract Pollinators and Wildlife to Your Yard: 15 Free and Easy Ways. Before I wrap up, I wanted to say once again how grateful I am to my Patrons on Patreon who help support this podcast, for everyone who listens to this podcast, and to the guests who have shared their knowledge and passion with us. Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community. Links:
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| Gardening with Native Plants | 28 Apr 2022 | 01:08:12 | |
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 plants. Jennifer is a Conservation Coordinator with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia, Athens. She and her colleagues are doing some amazing work and I am grateful for their efforts to help others learn about and grow native plants. Jennifer and I both love sharing our knowledge and passion of the natural world, as well as continuing to learn ourselves. We’ve just always been naturally curious and that is reflected in this very informal conversation. One of the many topics we discuss is growing regionally appropriate native plants. This is especially important because many plants are native to one part of the country, but not another. For example, I was recently surprised to learn that common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) isn’t native to Georgia and can actually become problematic there because it spreads so aggressively. Jennifer said that she was surprised as well when she first learned that common milkweed isn’t native to Georgia because so many resources and online maps show it as native across the eastern U.S. However, newer research has shown that it isn’t native to Georgia which is one of the reasons why the State Botanical Garden of Georgia has created a brochure discussing the best milkweeds to plant in Georgia and the ones to avoid. Other topics of conversation include some of our favorite native species to plant in smaller areas and cues to care for native plant gardens or even when growing native plants in fields and “wilder” areas. Jennifer also shares with us some of the fantastic native plant programs and resources available through the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. If you live in Georgia, then I encourage you to take a look at these valuable resources. Links:
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| Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Birds and Other Wildlife | 14 Apr 2022 | 00:43:34 | |
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 stars is diminished? Actually, it does. All of that extra light that is obscuring the stars is called light pollution and it has significant impacts on a wide variety of wildlife species and can even affect us. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Murry Burgess. Murry is an ornithologist, urban ecologist, and children’s author. She is also working on her PhD at North Carolina State University where she is studying the effects of light pollution on barn swallows. Murry and I start our conversation by defining light pollution and discussing some of its sources. We then talk about some of the different impacts it can have on birds, insects, and even us. During the conversation, Murry shares with us some of the findings from her research with barn swallows and how those results are likely to translate to other bird species. We also discuss some of the ways we can minimize light pollution, both at an individual scale and at larger community-wide scales. And while most of our conversation focuses on light pollution, we frequently interweave other stories and topics related to our mutual passions for wildlife and inspiring others to appreciate the nature around them. Links:
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| Attracting Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds to Your Yard | 31 Mar 2022 | 01:00:25 | |
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 hummingbird feeder. However, making your yard more attractive to hummingbirds goes way beyond just putting up a feeder. Approximately, 80% of a ruby-throated hummingbird’s diet consists of soft-bodied insects. Hummingbirds also prefer natural nectar sources over sugar-water while they are nesting and raising young. Water sources and places to build nests or find shelter from storms are also important factors that hummingbirds look for when choosing their territories. Cyndi and I spend a significant amount of time discussing what makes good hummingbird habitats and how we can use this knowledge to make our yards more attractive to ruby-throated hummingbirds. Cyndi also shares with us the proper way to maintain our feeders if we choose to put up hummingbird feeders. As she points out, hummingbird feeders are for our enjoyment, not the hummingbirds’ survival. So, if we choose to put out feeders, then it is our responsibility to make sure that they aren’t going to inadvertently harm the birds. Other topics in our conversation include the ruby-throated hummingbird’s migration north, some common myths and folktales that we often hear, how hummingbirds are adapted to survive cold temperatures, the different roles of the male and female hummingbirds, and much more. Links:
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| Grasslands and Grassland Birds of the Eastern U.S. | 17 Mar 2022 | 00:57:15 | |
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. Jeremy is the Interior Low Plateau Ecoregion Coordinator for Quail Forever and the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative. Jeremey and I begin our conversation by talking about grasslands and the fact that many people don’t realize just how common grasslands were in the eastern U.S. Both of us share that we didn’t always know about our Eastern grasslands either. We may have known something about the grasslands in parts of Florida, but not for the rest of the eastern U.S. Yet, the plants, animals, and even historical accounts of the first European explorers to the area all provide hints of a very different and much more diverse landscape than the near solid forest that many of grew up thinking existed here. Our conversation then moves to the grassland birds that depend on the grassland ecosystems that are rapidly disappearing and have often been forgotten. We talk about some of the different types of grassland birds, how they are declining, and actions we can take on our own properties to help support grassland birds. We also share how important we both believe it is to learn about our grassland plants, grassland birds, and other organisms, as well as how some of the hardest and most eye-opening questions we’ve been asked have come from people just starting to learn about a topic. We wrap up with Jeremy telling us a little bit about the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative, Quail Forever, and ways that these two organizations can help our listeners. Links:
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| Spotted Lanternfly: Invasive Species Alert | 03 Mar 2022 | 01:06:18 | |
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 of the spotted lanternfly story and response. Erin Otto is the National Policy Manager for the spotted lanternfly and is with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or APHIS. She joins us to help us understand the overarching work and coordination at the national level in regard to spotted lanternflies. Dana Rhodes is the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s State Plant Regulatory Official. She brings with her the “been there, done that” wisdom, experiences, and lessons learned of a state that has been dealing with spotted lanternflies for several years now. Subba Reddy Palli is Kentucky’s State Entomologist and a Department Chair at the University of Kentucky. He represents those states that are on the leading edge, don’t have spotted lanternflies yet, and would like to keep it that way for as long as possible. Tracy Leskey is a Research Entomologist and Director at the USDA’s Appalachian Fruit Research Station. Tracy joins us to share some of the research going on related to spotted lanternflies. The researchers aren’t always the most visible individuals when it comes to emerging threats, but the work they do is vital to helping resource managers and others better understand the threat and ways to stop it, or at least manage it. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics including basic biology of the spotted lanternfly, information about its life cycle, the impacts caused by the spotted lanternfly, how it spreads, ways to manage it, current research, and much more. One of the points that came up over and over again in our conversation is how this is such a collaborative team effort. Federal agencies, state agencies, cities and local municipalities, universities, corporations, industries, and private individuals are all working together to address the spotted lanternfly. We all have a role to play when it comes to combatting this invasive species. Links:
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| Are Larger Patch Sizes Better When Planting for Pollinators? | 17 Feb 2022 | 00:53:52 | |
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 talk with Tristan Barley. Tristan recently received his Masters degree from Miami University in Ohio, and is currently a PhD student in Entomology at the University of Illinois. The research that Tristan conducted for his Master’s thesis questioned the traditional advice. Tristan’s research looked at whether all pollinators prefer larger patch sizes and whether those preferences would vary not only based on the type of pollinator but also based on the type of plant. Perhaps, not surprisingly, he found that patch size preferences were different for some pollinators compared to others, specifically bumble bees and some of our tiny bees. He also found that the species of flower sometimes influenced the pollinator’s patch size preference. In addition, Tristan looked at how different patch sizes affected seed production in one of the plant species he studied. It was interesting to think about the influences of patch size from the plant’s perspective, and not just from the pollinator’s perspective. Our conversation discussed his research including what his findings meant from a practical standpoint and how we can apply his findings in our own pollinator gardens and pollinator plantings. We also talked about how many different types of animals visit flowers and how much happens on a flower. We both recommend taking time to just stare at a flower and enjoy getting to know everything that visits the flower. Links:
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| A Conversation with Kyle Lybarger from the Native Habitat Project | 03 Feb 2022 | 00:52:42 | |
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 while, but I couldn’t decide on the right topic. Well, if you follow his Native Habitat Project videos on any of his social media platforms, then you know that Kyle is a wealth of information on a variety of topics. He’s the type of person who would just be a lot of fun to go out in the field with or sit down and have a conversation with. So I decided, why not do that? Instead of trying to pick one specific topic to talk about, let’s just have a conversation and that’s what we did for this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast. Like any good conversation, ours takes many different twists and turns. One topic we talked about in detail is how less than 1% of our native grasslands remain, but well over 90% of the eastern U.S. is privately owned. The result is that many of our remaining grassland ecosystem in the East are on private land. Often times, the landowners don’t know they have anything rare or special, because to them it is just “normal.” This can sometimes be true even in the middle of a neighborhood like with the Porter’s goldenrod story that he shared with us. Other topics we discussed included habitat management activities we are doing, how people can learn to identify plants or grassland remnants, and his goals for the Native Habitat Project. Links:
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| Resharing Your Favorites: Winter Hummingbirds | 16 Nov 2023 | 00:59:25 | |
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 conversation with Brainard Palmer-Ball in the fall of 2021. Brainard is a retired zoologist from the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves and is the person who banded my winter hummingbird when it showed up over a decade ago. The full transcript of this episode can be found at: https://www.backyardecology.net/reshare-winter-hummingbirds Until next week I encourage you to take some time to explore the nature in your yard and community. 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. 🌻 🌻 🌻 Episode related links: 🦋 Operation Ruby Throat: http://www.rubythroat.org/ Become a Backyard Ecologist: 🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/ Backyard Ecology content: 🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net Support Backyard Ecology: 🦋 Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology | |||
| Songbirds, Fire, and Seed Dispersal | 20 Jan 2022 | 00:52:10 | |
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 abundance. Fires used to be a relatively common occurrence in these areas and would help them remain open instead of growing up into closed canopy forests. Many of these areas are adapted to fire, but we don’t always realize it because fires have been suppressed for centuries. Over the last few decades, however, the use of prescribed fires for maintaining open habitats has become increasingly common. Much of David’s research is focused on seed dispersal by songbirds after a prescribed fire. David shares this research with us including the types of seeds that birds are bringing to his research sites. We also talk about what he isn’t finding, which is actually why I wanted to have him as a guest on the podcast. We not only discuss his findings, but also the potential implications and applications of those findings. David’s research on songbird-mediated seed dispersal after prescribed fires is the main focus of our conversation. However, his broader interest is in seed dispersal after a variety of disturbance events – prescribed fire being just one type of disturbance and songbirds being just one method of dispersal. Towards the end of our conversation, we briefly touch on another branch of his seed dispersal research. This is a connection that I don’t know if I ever would have thought about on my own, but it raised some interesting questions for me and made me think about things a little differently. Links:
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| Habitat Management and Observing Nature in the Winter | 06 Jan 2022 | 00:52:45 | |
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 to others. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we’re talking with Anthony Trimboli. You may remember Anthony from the trail camera episode he did with us several months ago. Anthony is a wildlife biologist and my husband. He also helps me with my nursery and habitat consulting business. Anthony and my conversation is very fluid. We cover a wide range of habitat management activities such as identifying and treating invasive species, identifying erosion issues that may need to be addressed in the future, cutting trees, and planting. Our conversation also frequently wanders from habitat management activities to more general activities related to observing nature. That only made sense to us, because being able to see and enjoy the nature on our property is one of the reasons why we do the habitat work that we do. Some of the nature observations we frequently like to do in the winter are search for cool native plants, look for vernal pools and observe the animals found there, look for shed antlers, and watch the birds. Hopefully, you enjoy are our conversation and find it helpful as you think about activities to do on your property this winter. Links:
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| Top 10 Backyard Ecology Podcast Episodes in 2021 | 23 Dec 2021 | 00:09:28 | |
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. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, I thought it would be fun to review the top 10 most downloaded episodes in 2021. Maybe you’ll find one that you missed, or be reminded of one that you wanted to listen to but then forgot about. Hopefully, you’ll also be reminded of some of the episodes that you really enjoyed. Also, let me know in the comments what your favorite episode was this year. Was it one of these? Or was it another one that didn't make the top 10 list? I know there were a lot of good episodes that didn't quite make the top 10 list. Top 10 most downloaded Backyard Ecology podcast episodes this year10) NRCS Programs for Pollinators and Wildlife - https://www.backyardecology.net/nrcs-programs-for-pollinators-and-wildlife/ 9) Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease - https://www.backyardecology.net/deer-ticks-and-lyme-disease-why-is-lyme-disease-more-common-in-the-north/ 8) Winter Hummingbirds in the Eastern U.S. - https://www.backyardecology.net/winter-hummingbirds-in-the-eastern-u-s/ 7) Bats and Bat Houses - https://www.backyardecology.net/bats-and-bat-houses/ 6) Acorns, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and More: Responses to Forest Disturbances - https://www.backyardecology.net/acorns-birds-reptiles-amphibians-and-more-responses-to-forest-disturbances/ 5) Mysterious Bird Deaths of 2021 - https://www.backyardecology.net/mysterious-bird-deaths-of-2021-digging-deeper-into-the-bird-mortality-event/ 4) Growing Native Plants in Small Yards - https://www.backyardecology.net/growing-native-plants-in-small-yards/ 3) Growing Native Plants: Insights and Stories from 3 Native Plant Nurseries - https://www.backyardecology.net/growing-native-plants-insights-and-stories-from-3-native-plant-nurseries/ 2) A Conversation with the Co-Hosts of the Native Plants, Healthy Planet Podcast - https://www.backyardecology.net/a-conversation-with-the-co-hosts-of-the-native-plants-healthy-planet-podcast/ 1) Factors that Make Pollinator Gardens More Attractive to Pollinators - https://www.backyardecology.net/factors-that-make-pollinator-gardens-more-attractive-to-pollinators/ Bonus episode:Some people prefer listening to podcasts on YouTube, but YouTube views don’t count as downloads. So, for a bonus, I wanted to share the most viewed episode on YouTube. That episode is:
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| Liking lichens: A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Lichens | 09 Dec 2021 | 01:06:31 | |
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 also co-authored the book, Urban Lichens: A Field Guide for Northeastern North America. Our conversation dives into many different realms of the fascinating world of lichens. James and his colleagues say that “Lichens are a lifestyle,” because lichens don’t have a single common ancestor like you would find for all sunflowers or all oak trees. Instead, lichens have evolved multiple times in multiple different types of fungus. In some ways saying a fungus is a lichen is like saying an animal is an herbivore, carnivore, or parasite. It is simply describing a feeding style. We also talked about how lichens are made up primarily of a fungus and either an algal or cyanobacteria, but also include all kinds of other organisms. Each lichen is kind of like its own little ecosystem. It’s also the fungus that determines the species of lichen. Depending on the species of lichen, the individual lichens could all share the same species of algal or cyanobacteria or the individuals could contain different species of algae and cyanobacteria. It can get complicated, but very intriguing at the same time. James and my conversation covered many other topics including how most species of lichens in eastern North America can be identified in the field with a hand lens and a good field guide. The new book, Urban Lichens: A Field Guide for Northeastern North America, that he co-authored with Jessica Allen and Jordan Hoffman provides one such field guide. Urban Lichens was primarily written as a field guide to the lichens in New York City and other large urban areas in the northeast, but it isn’t good only in urban areas. Many of the species found in those areas are also the most common species found in yards throughout the temperate regions of eastern North America. That makes it a great option for those of us wanting to learn more about the lichens in our own yards and communities, regardless of whether we live in a large metropolitan area, a suburban area, or a more rural area. Links:
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