Leave the leaves!

I learned this very important step in gardening for pollinators and wildlife as I attended more workshops, read articles, and even listened to podcasts. I didn't realize that a large portion of insects overwinter under the leaves. Some, like the Tiger swallowtail butterfly and Luna moth, have chrysalises that look like leaves to help them blend in while overwintering. Also, one of the biggest reasons we are seeing fewer fireflies everywhere is that we are all removing the leaves in the fall that they rely on for habitat! Just leave them to overwinter in your gardens, and you will eventually be rewarded with more pollinators and fireflies!