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Have you spotted any blooming willows yet this spring? As Keystone Plants, native willows are extremely valuable for wildlife. Entomologist Douglas Tallamy ranks native willows as the number two woody plant family – after oaks –  in their ability to support butterflies and moths. And according to Dr. Robert Gegear of the Beecology Project, early-blooming native willows are important nectar and pollen sources for at-risk bee and butterfly species. So how can we incorporate more of these beautiful and critically important native trees and shrubs into our landscapes? Naturalist Cathy Smith has the answers here. Photo of a Two-spotted Bumblebee on Pussy Willow Karalyn Lamb

No Mow May really took flight this past year! We have seen hundreds of news articles, many new towns creating their own No Mow April/May/Spring resolutions, and we have received so many thoughtful questions on this surprisingly complex issue. Not mowing for one month is not a magic fix, but studies have shown that reducing or eliminating mowing in the spring can increase bee abundance and species diversity when compared to more frequently mowed lawns. No one is in charge of No Mow May, No Mow April, or any of the other variations. There are no set rules. What you choose to do is up to you, and what your local ordinances allow. Do what you can now, make incremental changes over time, and learn as you go. Watch the native bees in your yard. When do they emerge? What native plants do they like? Add some height variation with spring-blooming native shrubs and trees, and see what visitors you attract to your yard.  More information from Xerces Society here:  “No Mow May and Low Mow Spring.” Watch this Xerces webinar about how to make No Mow May work for your own garden situation. Print out a Pollinator Pathway No Mow May yard sign here.

April for most of us means the exciting return of brightly colored warblers, “the butterflies of the bird world,” who undertake a perilous migration northward every spring from their wintering grounds in Central and South America. These small songbirds are following the “Green Wave” of spring tree leaf-out, which brings with it the insects they depend on as their food source. Planting insect-attracting keystone native plants can make your yard into a “re-fueling station" to help warblers and other migrating birds on their long journeys. Check out these simple steps you can take in your own yard. Photo of male Yellow Warbler by Karalyn Lamb

Early spring is the perfect time to inspect your valued trees, and if need be, consult with a tree specialist if you find signs of damage from invasive insects such as the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, the Emerald Ash Borer and the nematode which results in Beech Leaf Disease. If so, make sure that you ask your arborist about all treatment methods, including non-toxic and biological controls. This way you can ensure outcomes that will provide for the health of your tree and the diversity of your yard. Here are some common backyard tree species and the pests they may be afflicted by: HEMLOCKS: Our valued native hemlocks, both Eastern and Carolinian (Tsuga canadensis and Tsuga caroliniana), respond very well to treatment. Those treatments options include: 1.    Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap: Horticultural oil or insecticidal soap applications, once or twice annually in May and late June, depending on the level of HWA infestations, are the preferred method of control with the least impact on non-target and beneficial species. The oils and soaps are sprayed onto the limbs and shoots and are most effective if the adelgids are thoroughly covered. This method can be done by the homeowner for smaller trees; for larger trees a professional should be consulted. Timing is important to avoid affecting any pollinators who may be in the area. 2.    ST Ladybeetles: Also available to the homeowner is a biological control, a tiny ladybeetle known as ST (Sasajiscymnus tsugae). It is the only HWA predator that is reared commercially and is now available to the public from Tree-Savers. This species feeds on all stages of HWA and studies have shown its ability to adapt and overwinter in the northeast. 3.    Neonics: The use of systemic chemicals (including the neonics imidacloprid and dinotefuran) should be the last treatment method of choice. If your arborist immediately recommends a neonic, you should ask why a less toxic remedy would not work. There may be situations where spraying with oils or soaps would not be effective such as 1) inability to reach all of the of the tree due to its height, 2) the proximity of a building making it difficult to use necessary equipment, and 3) extent of infestation making it unlikely to cover all adelgids with oils or soaps. Hemlock wooly adelgid infestation. Photo by Steven Katovich, bugwood.org Check to see if your state requires a licensed applicator to apply a neonic. Ten states have this restriction. The best application method would be the trunk injection method since it minimizes exposures to other species. However, remember that any use of a neonic should be done with careful consideration of timing and following all label directions to protect pollinators, other beneficial insects and adjacent vegetation. Also, it has been reported that an unwanted outcome of using a neonic is the possible infestation of spider mites, due to killing of the beneficials insects that control spider mites. ASH TREES: The Emerald Ash Borer is another pest that has already done much damage to ash trees in New England. Trees that are heavily infected should be removed and destroyed by a professional. An ash tree infested with EAB may show the following signs: "blonding" or large strips of bark falling off due to increased woodpecker activity; tree canopy dieback, yellowing, and browning of leaves; distinctive D-shaped exit holes in the bark of the branches and the trunk left by adult beetles emerging from the tree. A good rule of thumb is to treat a tree that still has half or more of its canopy. The most effective treatment is a chemical called emamectin benzoate. Another practice that may be recommended, but should be a last resort if used at all, is using the neonic imidacloprid as a trunk injection. In either case, caution to protect pollinators and water sources should be taken as both of these chemicals are toxic to bees, fish and aquatic species. The authoritative publication about pesticide use against EAB is “Insecticide Options for Protecting Ash Trees Against Emerald Ash Borer;” by some of the leading experts on EAB. BEECH TREES: Another newer pest is a foliar nematode which results in Beech Leaf Disease, defoliating many beech trees in New England. For small trees, 2-4” diameter, drenching the soil around the tree with potassium phosphite, a fertilizer, several times a year may improve the health of the tree. Be careful to drench over a wide area so as not to subject the roots to a high dose of this salt. For details see Beech Leaf Disease Management Options. Close up of a beech leaf showing symptoms of beech leaf disease. Photo courtesy of CT Agricultural Experiment Station via bugwood.org by Yonghao Li. In conclusion, have trust in your arborist and ask questions to make sure all options, including non-toxic ones, are considered when making a treatment decision. Written by Mary Wilson. Mary has lived in Newtown, Connecticut for over 50 years. Her love for the New England landscape has led to advocacy work for the protection of habitats and the wonderful creatures they support. She has degrees in education and chemistry. Resources NYS DEC Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Factsheet NYS DEC Emerald Ash Borer Factsheet NYS DEC Beech Leaf Disease Factsheet Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Fact Sheet EAB January 2021 Beech Leaf Disease Management Options

Many hollow or pithy plant stems provide excellent homes for cavity nesting insects like the small carpenter bee in the photo above.  Simply cutting back dead flower stalks in varying heights of 8-12 inches will provide valuable habitat to these tiny but important pollinators. Check out this Xerces brochure, How to Create Habitat for Stem-nesting Bees, for advice on when and how to cut your plant stems for maximum benefit to cavity-nesting bees. Photo of small carpenter bee by Heather Holm.

Ground-nesting Cellophane bees have started to emerge in the Northeast! These small fuzzy bees are  not aggressive, so if you find a nesting aggregation on your property, enjoy observing their behavior and rejoice in the fact that you are providing habitat for these important pollinators!  You can attract ground nesting native bees by leaving patches of sunny bare or sparsely vegetated soil in your yard. Protect nesting areas by not mulching or digging in that area;  and report your sightings to Cornell’s Project Ground Nesting Bee iNaturalist page.

Photo of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail by Karalyn Lamb Many butterflies and moths, such as the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in the photo, overwinter in chrysalids hidden amongst dead leaves and stalks. Waiting until the weather warms up a bit before tidying up your yard allows them to hatch out and thrive. Not sure how long to wait? Check out this advice from the Xerces Society

Join Pollinator Pathway for our first hybrid in-person and virtual conference March 11, 2024, Noon to 5 p.m. McCook Auditorium Trinity College, Hartford, CT Register HERE What You Need to Know about Pesticides Harming CT's Birds, Bees, Wildlife, & People Lawn Chemicals Harmful to Pollinators Reducing Neonic Pesticide Use on Lawns if You Use a Lawn Care Service Comment below or email us at info@pollinator-pathway.org for updates on what your state is doing to take action on harmful pesticides!

"Researchers and community scientists estimate that only a fraction of the population remains—a decline of approximately 70% has been seen in central Mexico and a decline of >90% has been seen in California” according to Xerces Society. From changes in climate, to widespread use of herbicides, there is a loss of milkweed (the only plant in which the butterflies lay their eggs) and other nectar plants essential to feeding adult monarchs (WWF). Monarchs require a large and healthy forest to protect them from winds, rain, and low temperatures, too. Though the statistics may seem grim, there are ways we can help! Here’s What you can do: Participate in the tri-national International Monarch Monitoring Blitz this summer. Report monarchs any time of year in any country to iNaturalist or another monarch community science program. Discover milkweed and nectar plants native to your region and plant a pollinator garden. Reduce your reliance on pesticides and make change in your community, nursery, home, farm, and more. Read more about Xerces’ monarch conservation campaign, including efforts to conserve overwintering sites in California and restore breeding habitat in key regions of the United States.

As the number of bees and pollinators continue to fall, flowers that depend on pollinators are finding other ways to reproduce. A study in France found that field pansies, who typically rely on bumblebees to bring pollen from other plants to reproduce, are evolving to “use their own pollen to fertilize themselves, a process the study called ‘selfing’”. The research showed the "selfing" pansies had smaller flowers by 10% and 20% less nectar. Researchers suspect this is because the flowers need to spend more time on growth and resisting diseases rather than attracting pollinators with big flowers and lots of nectar. Unfortunately, “the plants may be making a bad situation worse for pollinating insects. Many pollinators depend on nectar as food; if the plants make less, the insects will go hungry.” To learn more about creating habitat for our pollinators and to reduce their decline, join the Pollinator Pathway HERE. To read more, check out the Portland Press Herald and the New York Times.

For the final part of our Sharing Pollinator Pathway Success Stories series, we bring you Barb Rumer from Eastern Oregon. At 4000’ elevation and with very low annual rainfall,  Eastern Oregon is considered "high desert." Leader Barb Rumer calls the Pollinator Pathway “a brilliant program that the City of Bend adopted with great success.” According to Barb, at the outset the urgency in Bend was not to immediately form an organization, but to put plants in the ground as fast as possible.  The group was able to partner with the City of Bend Water Conservation Department as well as the Bend Parks and Recreation District to plant six different demonstration gardens in public locations. The Bend Pathway then successfully pursued grants to save time fundraising and eventually became a non-profit as an expediency, again, to get plants in the ground. Their story is a familiar one--success came from partnering with others. But, according to Barb, instrumental was the Pollinator Pathway’s grant information, brochures, and logo. For more about the Eastern Oregon Pathway, check out their website HERE. To listen to the full webinar recording, click HERE. If you want to tune into Barbs’s~10 minute section, start at 35:51 Photo: Nestled along the northeast edge of Al Moody park, this pollinator habitat is located near the picnic shelter in a triangle "island" marked with a large boulder. Look for the mass of yarrow!

Continuing our Sharing Pollinator Pathway Success Stories series, from a temperate forest in the Appalachian foothills, the Licking County, Ohio Pollinator Pathway sprang into action with a 4H-Club pocket park that framed its forward momentum. Local groups decided to organize the Pathway at the county level with libraries and land trusts as allies. They used the Pollinator Pathway website template, giving it a two-thumbs up as their platform for cross- promoting events like a milkweed giveaway, that drew hundreds of people and a banner newspaper headline “Licking County Groups Building Gardens to Save Bees, Butterflies and Other Pollinators.” According to Susan King, the County’s Pathway leader, “From one little garden, it’s spreading fast. Now all the churches are on board and people ask, ‘How can I help?’” Licking County Pollinator Pathway hosted a seed collection. After seeds dried and were processed, seed packets were available to the public via the Community Seed Library at Granville Public Library. For more about the Licking, Ohio Pathway, check out their website HERE. To listed to the full webinar recording, click HERE. If you want to tune into Susan’s~10 minute section, start at 24:46