URI insect experts say home gardeners can help stem insect slide
Though tiny, the issues they are examining are anything
but trivial, bellwethers for larger issues and crises in our natural
environment.
A professor at URI and keeper of its historic Insect
Collection (which dates to the late 1800s), Alm is concerned about the insect
loss he’s witnessed in the course of his career, never mind the species that
now only exist in pinned specimen form, no longer in the wild.
“We’re in trouble with the insects,” he says. Birds, fish
and other members of the food chain need insects — and their numbers are
dwindling.
They will be sharing their expertise at a symposium on
Transforming the Landscape sponsored by the Audubon Society this April.
Entomologists are seeing notable declines in insect diversity worldwide, caused by habitat loss, introduced species, novel pathogens, pesticides, pollution and climate change.
Based on historical records from the URI Insect
Collection, for instance, a dozen species of bumble bees flew around the state
at one time. Sadly, that number is now halved. After surveying the state for
bees since 2019, URI researchers have only been able to detect 7 of these 12
species, indicating that the other five species are likely forever lost from
the state or persisting in very low numbers in isolated populations.
Bees and other insects are not only the scenic backdrop,
and soundtrack, to our summer gardens, they are essential.
Case in point: Alm notes that a University of Delaware
study found that a clutch of chickadees requires 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars to
grow to adulthood.
“We need to focus on what’s at the bottom,” he says.
“This is a large loss. You don’t realize how important insects are until
they’re gone.”
And while honey bees have captured the public imagination
recently, URI’s researchers say that all residents of our insect world,
including wild and native species, are worthy of attention and care.
“Insects are not as scary or gross as people think,” says Johnson, who works with Alm as a research associate at the University.
“When
you start to watch them closely and see firsthand how incredibly diverse and
beautiful they can be, some of those innate fears may wash away. Insects are an
essential part of our world and should be treated as such.”
Johnson and Alm say that pollinator gardens and other
homegrown efforts help. Even a single potted plant outside your front door has
the potential to provide food for beneficial insects.
To help front-step and backyard gardeners alike prepare
their spring yards, Alm and Johnson answered some questions. (They are also
available for interviewing by media at URI’s East Farm or in the Youngken Medicinal Garden.)
What can homeowners plant to support wildlife this
spring?
Leave the clover, dandelions and other flowers in your lawn, but remove invasive species that can take over. A slicer-seeder can be used to add white clover seed to your lawn; the seeds need good contact with the soil to germinate.
Plant flowers we recommend, leave the leaves in the corners of your yard in the spring until the bumble bee queens have emerged and start their nests (mid to late April), reduce or eliminate pesticide use, reduce the use of fertilizers, and do what you can to reverse climate change.
Diverse native plants are important in gardens, too; when planning your garden, think about including a diversity of plants.
Try Zizia aurea (golden
Alexander), Penstemon digitalis (foxglove
beardtongue), Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (narrow-leaved
mountain mint), Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly
milkweed), Monarda fistulosa (wild
bee-balm), Solidago spp. (goldenrods)
or Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England aster).
And remember — if caterpillars are eating your plants, you’re doing something
right!
How can homeowners help minimize the stress that
insect/bee populations are feeling?
Converting turf to a bee lawn may be the right choice for you. Or, if you have a large swath of turf, perhaps you are ready to convert a portion of that space into something with more purpose.
Native shrubs, trees, or a colorful, diverse pollinator garden are all great options. A bee-friendly lawn reduces the need for mowing, minimizes watering, and incorporates more flowers to feed bees.
Reducing synthetic fertilizer and pesticide use is a
great first step in creating a healthier environment for you and for wildlife.
Another way to easily help insect and bee populations is to leave the leaves
and delay garden cleanup until a full week of temperatures that are greater
than 50℉.
What are the best plants for butterfly and pollinator
gardens?
Planting a diversity of flowers is the best way to support a variety of pollinators and other beneficial insects. We recommend selecting a variety of flowers in your garden to maintain continuous blooms throughout the season (April-October).
When possible, try to plant species that
are native to your region. Choose plants that have known pollinator value but
be sure to choose plants that you will enjoy, too.
How can Rhode Island residents and URI families join the
‘Homegrown National Park’ initiative?
This is an initiative started to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks. One of its main concepts is “small efforts by many people.”
One person can’t fix a problem as complex and widespread as our ongoing biodiversity crisis; however, many people can do their part to restore a small part of the ecosystem and become part of a larger network and movement.
Local
residents and families can remove invasive plant species and/or plant more native
plants on their properties, or volunteer with local organizations in their
communities. More than 220 people covering 160 acres in Rhode Island (less than
0.0002% of the state) are currently “on the map” of the Homegrown
National Park. Join them!
Alm and Johnson will be talking about Rhode Island’s
opportunity to grow as a “homegrown park” and sharing their expertise on the
program at Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Transforming the
Landscape symposium on April 20 at
Rhode Island College; they will discuss native bees, the stresses they are
facing and how people can combat those stresses on their own property and in
their communities. Doug Tallamy, the founder of Homegrown National Park, will
be the keynote speaker for this event; all are welcome; pre-registration
required.