Backyard Ecology

Summary

In this episode, Sam Hoadley and I talk about the results of Mt. Cuba's Solidago Trials which evaluated how approximately 50 different goldenrod species performed in a garden setting.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• Some of the top performers from a horticultural perspective based on the results of Mt. Cuba's trial garden studies.
• Some of the species which saw the highest insect visitation rates in the study.
• Some goldenrod species which saw very little browsing by deer in a partner project conducted by Temple University.

Today's guest

Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden.

Resources:

• Mt. Cuba Center
• Solidago Trial Report
• Goldenrod Geek-out! What YOU Need to Know About this Ecological Powerhouse!
• 3 Reasons Why Fall Is the Best Time to Plant
• The Backyard Ecologist's Newsletter
• Backyard Ecology Community

Thank you!

We want to say a big "Thank you!" to all our financial supporters who help us provide free educational content about the plants, pollinators, and wildlife that can be found in our yards and communities.

Join our financial supporters in helping us produce free content for everyone.

It doesn't take much if we all work together. If everyone who hears this contributed just $2-3 / month (or the cost of one bottle of soda / month), we would be able to produce a whole year's worth of videos, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and other free content.

Ways to contribute include:

• Monthly contributions.
• One-time donation online.
• Mailing a check to Backyard Ecology, P.O. Box 652, Glasgow, KY 42142-0652.

Summary

In this episode, Sam Hoadley and I talk about how goldenrods (Solidago sp.) are keystone species and all the ecological roles that they play. We also touch on some of the evolving discussions and potential unintended consequences related to the native plant movement.

3 things you'll learn from this episode

• The various ways that goldenrods are used year-round by a wide variety of wildlife and insects.
• Different ways in which you can incorporate goldenrods into your gardens and home landscape.
• Some of the deeper level discussions and concerns that are starting to arise as gardening with native plants begins to become more mainstream and common in the horticulture world.

Today's guest

Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden.

Resources:

• Mt. Cuba Center
• Solidago Trial Report
• Goldenrod Galls - What, How, and Why
• The Backyard Ecologist's Newsletter
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you!

We want to say a big "Thank you!" to all our financial supporters who help us provide free educational content about the plants, pollinators, and wildlife that can be found in our yards and communities.

Join our financial supporters in helping us produce free content for everyone.

It doesn't take much if we all work together. If everyone who hears this contributed just $2-3 / month (or the cost of one bottle of soda / month), we would be able to produce a whole year's worth of videos, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and other free content.

Ways to contribute include:

• Monthly contributions.
• One-time donation online.
• Mailing a check to Backyard Ecology, P.O. Box 652, Glasgow, KY 42142-0652

Summary

In this episode, Ashley Kennedy and I discuss simple ways that anyone can help eastern bluebirds. Our discussion is based off her recently published research looking at the diets of nestling eastern bluebirds. You can find our discussion of her research and its results in episode 115.

3 things you'll learn from this episode

• Simple ways to support eastern bluebirds and make a difference without getting overwhelmed.
• 2 resources for discovering caterpillar host plants.
• Some of the interactions between plants and the insects that eat them.

Today's guest

Ashley Kennedy is an entomologist who recently published her research on what eastern bluebird nestlings eat.

Resources:

• Ashley's research
• Gardening for Moths a Regional Guide *
• New Research Reveals Diet of Baby Eastern Bluebirds (episode 115)
• The Backyard Ecologist's Newsletter
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

* affiliate link – We receive a small commission for purchases made through affiliate links, but it comes at no extra cost to you. All commissions that we receive through these links goes toward producing Backyard Ecology™ content. We appreciate your support.

Thank you!

We want to say a big "Thank you!" to all our financial supporters who help us provide free educational content about the plants, pollinators, and wildlife that can be found in our yards and communities.

Join our financial supporters in helping us produce free content for everyone.

It doesn't take much if we all work together. If everyone who hears this contributed just $2-3 / month (or the cost of one bottle of soda / month), we would be able to produce a whole year's worth of videos, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and other free content.

Ways to contribute include:

• Monthly contributions.
• One-time donation online.
• Mailing a check to Backyard Ecology, P.O. Box 652, Glasgow, KY 42142-0652.

Summary

In this episode, Ashley Kennedy and I discuss the results of her research on the diets of nestling eastern bluebirds. Ashley used GoPro cameras located on active bluebird nestboxes to take pictures of what eastern bluebirds were bringing back to the nest to feed their young. Over the course of several seasons, she obtained over 8,000 pictures which clearly showed food being brought back to the nest.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• The most common food items brought back to eastern bluebird nestlings, plus some less common and very unexpected prey items.
• Some of the reasons why caterpillars are such an important food source for baby birds.
• Insights into eastern bluebird food preferences.

Today's guest

Ashley Kennedy is an entomologist who recently published her research on what eastern bluebird nestlings eat.

Resources:

• Ashley's research
• The Backyard Ecologist's Newsletter
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you!

We want to say a big "Thank you!" to all our financial supporters who help us provide free educational content about the plants, pollinators, and wildlife that can be found in our yards and communities.

Join our financial supporters in helping us produce free content for everyone.

It doesn't take much if we all work together. If everyone who hears this contributed just $2-3 / month (or the cost of one bottle of soda / month), we would be able to produce a whole year's worth of videos, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and other free content.

Ways to contribute include:

• Monthly contributions.
• One-time donation online.
• Mailing a check to Backyard Ecology, P.O. Box 652, Glasgow, KY 42142-0652.

Summary

The general impression that many people have is that prior to European settlement the whole eastern U.S. was one giant old growth forest. But that wasn't the case. Using an interdisciplinary approach, researchers over the last several decades have discovered that the eastern U.S. was instead interspersed with a surprising number of diverse ecosystems – only one of which was old growth forest.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• What researchers now think the eastern U.S. looked like 400 years or more ago.
• Why we have so many trees now and why it's so easy to believe that everything was once forest.
• Why all of this matters and what we should do about it.

Additional Resources:

• Forgotten Grasslands of the South: Natural History and Conservation *
• 2013 Harvard University - Smithsonian study
• 2025 State of the Birds Report

* affiliate link – We receive a small commission for purchases made through these links, but it comes at no extra cost to you. All commissions that we receive through these links goes toward producing Backyard Ecology content. We appreciate your support.

Backyard Ecology™ resources:

• The Backyard Ecologist's Newsletter
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Summary

When it comes to creating habitat, having a written set of goals can be extremely helpful in moving a task from the "I'll get to it someday" category to the "I'm actually going to get this done" category. But all too often, those goals end up being forgotten or abandoned, which can leave us feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and defeated.

In this episode, I share how Anthony and I have experienced those same feelings because we've made the same goal-setting mistakes that everyone else makes. Then I'll show you how I've overcome those mistakes and am now able to create realistic habitat goals that are much more likely to be successful and help me achieve our habitat dreams. I also tell you about a special event which will be starting on January 12, 2026.

3 things you'll learn from this episode

• Some common frustrations when it comes to creating habitat goals.
• Why so many of our habitat goals fail leaving us feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and defeated.
• How to set more realistic habitat goals which are much more likely to be successful.

Backyard Ecology™ resources

• Step by Step Habitat Challenge: Planning and Prioritizing Your Projects for 2026
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Summary

Late blooming native plants are crucial sources of pollen and nectar for pollinators. One of my favorite species that blooms in October, and often into early November, is Short's aster (Symphyotrichum shortii).

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• The biology and life history of Short's aster.
• The pollinators and wildlife that use it.
• How to incorporate it into your garden.

Resources mentioned:

• BONAP's range map for Short's aster
• Plant Life of Kentucky: An Illustrated Guide to the Vascular Flora*

* affiliate link – We get paid a small commission for purchases made through this link, but it comes at no extra cost to you. All commissions that we receive through affiliate links goes toward producing Backyard Ecology™ content. We appreciate your support.

Other Backyard Ecology™ resources:

• Black-eyed Susan: A favorite nectar source for butterflies
• Discover Your Next Steps Habitat Creation Quiz
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Summary

"Leave the leaves" has become an increasingly common mantra each fall. However, until recently little to no scientific research had been done to quantify impacts of leaving your leaves in a typical suburban yard. We discuss the results of that research and actionable steps that you can take in your own yard.

Today's guest

Dr. Max Ferlauto is the State Entomologist for the Maryland Natural Heritage Program. He recently conducted research to quantify the impact of leaving our leaves in our yards.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• The impact that leaving your leaves can have on the numbers and diversity of insects and spiders in your yard.
• How removing your leaves can impact soil temperature, moisture, and organic matter.
• Practical, easy steps you can take even if you can't leave all your leaves.

Bonus content

• The Difference That Leaving Your Leaves Makes

Resources Max mentioned:

• Removing autumn leaves in residential yards reduces the spring emergence of overwintering insects
• Legacy effects of long-term autumn leaf litter removal slow decomposition rates and reduce soil carbon in suburban yards

Other Backyard Ecology™ resources:

• Discover Your Next Steps Habitat Creation Quiz
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Summary

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a beautiful native plant that can be found throughout most of the eastern U.S. and makes a great addition to pollinator and native plant gardens. It can grow in a variety of sunny to mostly sunny conditions and will provide instant gratification in the form of bright yellow flowers the first year. Those flowers will benefit a wide variety of butterflies, bees, flower flies, and seed-eating insects.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• The biology and life history of black-eyed Susan, including how pollinators and wildlife use it.
• How to incorporate it into your garden.
• What to watch out for when purchasing black-eyed Susan.

Other Backyard Ecology™ resources:

• Discover Your Next Steps Habitat Creation Quiz
• Backyard Ecology™ Community

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Summary

Paula Whyman shares her journey of trying to restore and manage a remnant prairie located on a Virginia mountaintop. Our conversation touches upon some of the challenges she faced, lessons she's learned, and exciting discoveries she's made along the way. Whether you're managing a small backyard or large acreage, Paula's story provides valuable insights and motivation for fostering pollinator and wildlife habitat.

Today's guest

Paula Whyman is an avid nature enthusiast and the author of the book, Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop.

3 things you'll learn from this episode:

• How Paula and her husband have approached the task of restoring and maintaining a mountaintop remnant prairie or meadow.
• Some of the challenges and opportunities associated large-scale private restoration work.
• The importance of patience and accepting that ecological restoration is an ongoing process without a definite endpoint.

Resources Paula mentioned:

• Paula's website
• Bad Naturalist's Newsletter
• Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop*
• Digital endoscope for monitoring nestboxes*

* affiliate links – We receive a small commission for purchases made through these links, but it comes at no extra cost to you. All commissions that we receive through these links goes toward producing Backyard Ecology™ content. We appreciate your support.

Other Backyard Ecology™ resources

• Backyard Ecology™ Community
• Discover Your Next Steps Habitat Creation Quiz

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.