Pollinator larvae are an important food source for birds

Important sustainable landscaping reference: 'Bringing Nature Home'

Professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology Doug Tallamy spoke recently in Bedford to a packed house, explaining how ecosystems depends on the availability of nutrient-rich larvae, like caterpillars. To attract these larvae we need to fill our landscapes with native plants and keystone species, like the oak and the black cherry.

Here are his 'Top 10' recommendations to help create a sustainable landscape:

• Cut your lawn area in half
• Avoid senseless / frequent mowing
• Remove invasive plant species from your property
• Use 'keystone' plants (see Native Plant Finder: https://www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder/)
• Build a 'multi-tiered' landscape layered with plants
• Put motion sensors on your security lights (keep yard dark at night)
• Eliminate mosquito spraying (hint: to control them naturally, use a bucket filled with water, add hay, wait two days for mosquitos to lay eggs then add mosquito dunks)
• Minimize insecticide / pesticide use
• Minimize use of chemical fertilizers
• Join home owners association or local community boards and change from within