Those are fall webworms (Hyphantria cunea), native to North America from southern Canada down to northern Mexico. They are perfectly normal and a part of our ecosystems across the continent. They thrive in the warmest time of the year, starting …
I’ve discovered a nice little native groundcover with some good benefits. Two years ago I moved into a new place. When I first looked at it, I saw a big, sunny, almost empty space that would be perfect for a …
Do You Know About This Wild, Native Fruit? There’s a wild fruit tree around here. It’s one of the earliest trees to bloom, usually starting in mid-February, and it’s a cheerful harbinger of spring. It grows in the more open, …
If you’re looking for flowering shrubs to add to your landscape that don’t take much water, won’t get eaten by deer, will feed the birds and the pollinators and is an attractive asset to your landscape…here’s one to get. This …
Violets are the only food of the fritillary butterfly caterpillar The fritillary butterfly lives its larval stage dining only on violets. The best food for the fritillary in our neck of the woods is the violets that evolved in our …
The largest butterfly reserve in America…and it’s plight The largest butterfly reserve in America is in Texas, at edge of the Rio Grande at the southern border. It’s an area that’s said to be one of the most biodiverse areas …
I first learned about incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) long ago while working with Tree People, a tree planting environmental organization in southern California. One of our missions was to plant smog tolerant trees in the surrounding mountains. Among the list …
There are many insects that are great allies to have in the garden. They comprise a group of insects we call beneficial insects because when there are enough, and a good variety of them, they keep pest populations in check. …
I used to be deathly afraid of spiders. When I was a kid I would run out of my room if I saw one and beg my father to come and kill it for me. But my fear has been …