Backyard Ecology

We've all been there. We are walking in the woods, in a field, along a creek bank, around our property, or around the local park and we stumble upon an interesting plant. It isn't one that we know and we immediately begin to wonder, "what is that?"

It's a simple question that holds so much potential because once we know what the plant is, we can find out more about it. The plants we find growing in a location can also help tell fascinating stories about the history of that area, provide hints as to the types of animals or even other plants that might also be found there, and so much more. But it all starts with being able to accurately identify the plant.

In today's episode, I am joined by my husband, Anthony Trimboli. Anthony and I discuss some of the reasons why identifying plants you find can be important and some of the resources you can use for identifying plants (including pros and cons of each resource). We also share some of the things we look at when we are identifying plants.

To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here is a rough outline of our conversation and the times we start discussing each topic.

• Importance of identifying plants: 1:34
• Apps: 5:05
• Field guides: 18:45
• Dichotomous keys: 28:00
• Building your own knowledge: 35:53
• Summary: 1:01:46

• Woody Plants in Winter: A Manual of Common Trees and Shrubs in Winter in the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada:https://amzn.to/3q50Yxf *
• Flora of the Southeastern United States by Alan Weakley: https://ncbg.unc.edu/research/unc-herbarium/flora-request/
• Shannon and Anthony's upcoming classes / workshops: https://shannontrimboli.com/events/category/classes/
• Backyard Ecology Website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/backyardecology
• Backyard Ecology Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Backyard Ecology Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/

Episode image:

• Woodland sunflower
• Photo credit: USFWS, public domain

Fall is an extremely important time for pollinators, so having plenty of flowers available at this time of year is crucial if one of your goals is to attract pollinators. Luckily, there are lots of fall blooming, native plants that you can grow in your gardens.

In the last Backyard Ecology podcast episode I talked about five late summer blooming native wildflowers that I love. Lots of people contacted me and said that they loved the episode and would like to hear more of my favorites. So, this time I thought I would share five of the fall blooming native plants that I love.

I'm loosely defining fall as August through October. And just like last time, I'm not saying these are "the best native plants" to include in your pollinator garden. Because the best native plants for your yard and your goals, may not be the same plants that would be best for my yard, your neighbor's yard, or for someone in a different state.

These are simply a few of the many native plants that I love which bloom in the fall, that the pollinators love, that songbirds love, and which work well in a garden setting. You'll have to decide if they are right for you or not. I'm also defining native as native to my area, which means you'll have to double check whether these plants are native to where you live.

To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here are the plants and the time I start talking about each:

• Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.): 2:17
• Ironweeds (Vernonia spp.): 5:54
• Joe-pye weeds (Eutrochium spp.): 7:32
• Devil's walking stick (Aralia spinosa): 11:40
• Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.): 14:47

• Relevant Backyard Ecology blog articles about the plants I talk about:
  • Rough sunflower: https://www.backyardecology.net/rough-sunflower/
  • Tall Ironweed: A Beautiful Source of Fall Nectar and Pollen: https://www.backyardecology.net/tall-ironweed-a-beautiful-source-of-fall-nectar-and-pollen/
  • Joe-pye weed: https://www.backyardecology.net/joe-pye-weed/
  • Devil's walking stick: https://www.backyardecology.net/devils-walking-stick/
  • New England Aster: A Beautiful and Diverse Native Wildflower: https://www.backyardecology.net/new-england-aster-a-beautiful-and-diverse-native-wildflower/
  • Wavy leaf aster – A late feast for pollinators: https://www.backyardecology.net/wavy-leaf-aster-a-late-feast-for-pollinators/
  • Short's aster: https://www.backyardecology.net/shorts-aster/
• 5 Late Summer Blooming Native Plants I Love: https://www.backyardecology.net/5-late-summer-blooming-native-plants-i-love/
• Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting: https://busybeenurseryandconsulting.com/
• Backyard Ecology Website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/backyardecology
• Backyard Ecology Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Backyard Ecology Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/

• Monarch butterfly on New England Asters
• Photo credit: USFWS, public domain

Late summer is often thought of as a challenging time for gardening. It's hot, it's humid, we may or may not be getting regular rainfall, and there are often lots of other summertime activities competing for our attention. But if our goal is to plant for pollinators and wildlife, then it is important to make sure we have plenty of plants blooming at this time of year too.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, I share some of the native plants that I love and why I love them so you can decide if they are right for you. All of these plants bloom in the July / August time frame, attract lots of pollinators, and have a large native range that includes Kentucky. You'll have to look up the plant to see if it is native to where you live.

I'm not saying these are the "best native plants to plant," because there is no way for me to know if these are the best plants for you without talking to you and learning more about your property and goals. These are simply some of the native plants I love and are in no particular order because my "favorite" has a tendency to change based on which one I'm looking at and what pollinators I'm thinking about.

To make it easier for you to refer back to particular parts of the podcast, here are the plants and the time I start talking about each:

• Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): 3:22
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): 5:43
• Mountain mints (Pycnanthemum sp.): 9:22
• Goldenrods (Solidago sp.): 12:51
• Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum): 17:22

• Relevant Backyard Ecology blog articles about the plants I talk about:
  • Purple Coneflower: https://www.backyardecology.net/purple-coneflower/
  • Black-eyed Susan: A favorite nectar source for butterflies: https://www.backyardecology.net/black-eyed-susan-a-favorite-nectar-source-for-butterflies/
  • Slender Mountain Mint: https://www.backyardecology.net/slender-mountain-mint/
  • Sweet Goldenrod: https://www.backyardecology.net/sweet-goldenrod/
  • Goldenrods: https://www.backyardecology.net/goldenrods/
  • Cup plant: https://www.backyardecology.net/cup-plant/
• Wasps: Victims of an Often Undeserved Reputation: https://www.backyardecology.net/wasps-victims-of-an-often-undeserved-reputation/
• Busy Bee Nursery and Consulting: https://busybeenurseryandconsulting.com/
• Backyard Ecology Website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/backyardecology
• Backyard Ecology Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Backyard Ecology Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/

• Eastern tiger swallowtails on cup plant flowers
• Photo credit: Shannon Trimboli, all rights reserved

I often hear comments or questions such as, "I do what I can in my yard, but I wish more people in my community would plant pollinator gardens." Or, "What can I do to get my community involved and to make my community more pollinator friendly?"

It can feel overwhelming and like there isn't anything we can do beyond our own individual space. But, sometimes all it takes is one person to step forward, raise their hand, and say "This is important. I can take the lead, but I can't do it on my own. Who wants to help?" In many ways, that's what happened in Bexley, Ohio.

Today we are talking to Rebecca Ness. Rebecca is the Vice Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Council in Bexley, Ohio. She is also the Chair of Love Your Alley, which is a local program that encourages community involvement in creating pollinator habitat.

Rebecca and I discuss how the pollinator habitat emphasis for the Love Your Alley program came about, program successes, challenges, and lessons learned. I love how the Love Your Alley Program is bringing the community of Bexley, Ohio together in so many different ways. The program seems like it is a win, not only for their local pollinators, but also for the people who participate in the program.

I also think that the Love Your Alley program can serve as an example, or case study, for people who would like to do something similar in their own community or neighborhood. It is my hope that this conversation will help you gain insights on ways to get your community or neighborhood involved with creating pollinator habitat. Or, at least provide encouragement from knowing that it can be done and that there are others who are not only doing it but are willing to share their experiences.

• Love Your Alley Resources
  • Webpage: https://bexley.org/loveyouralley/
  • Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LoveYourAlley
  • Private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1519015388490244
• Bexley's Mosquito Management Pilot Program: https://bexley.org/mosquitopilot/
• Backyard Ecology Resources:
  • Website: https://backyardecology.net
  • YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/backyardecology
  • Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
  • Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/

• Alley mural and pollinator garden in Bexley, OH
• Photo credit: Rebecca Ness, all rights reserved

Did you know that Venus flytraps are insect pollinated? Or that they are native to a very small part of eastern North and South Carolina? Or that they rarely eat flies? I didn't either until I stumbled upon a research paper talking about the pollination of Venus flytraps. That paper led me down a rabbit hole of questions and fascinating discoveries about a plant that I had always been intrigued by, but had never taken the time to really learn about.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we're joined by Laurie Hamon. Laurie is an entomologist who recently completed her dissertation at North Carolina State University studying Venus fly traps and their pollination. She is also the author of the paper that I stumbled upon and which sent me on my own quest to learn more about Venus flytraps.

Laurie and I began our conversation by talking about how the only place in the world that you can find Venus flytraps growing naturally is in a small region on the border of North and South Carolina. We also talked about the fact that Venus flytraps are insect pollinated and all the complicated questions that arise from the idea of a carnivorous plant being insect pollinated.

Other topics of discussion included the feeding habits of Venus flytraps (which eat more ants and spiders than flies), the population status of Venus flytraps, where you can find them, and the threats that they face. We wrapped up the conversation by talking about how small populations of this rare and infinitely fascinating species can sometimes be found on private lands or along boggy roadsides. Laurie also provided us with a website where people who are lucky enough to have Venus flytraps on their property can go to learn more about how to care for and protect this charismatic little plant.

• Venus Flytrap Champions website: https://www.venusflytrapchampions.org/
• Laurie's dissertation: The Pollination Ecology of the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and a Status Survey of its Native Populations: https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.20/39455/etd.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
• Laurie's email: [email protected]
• Backyard Ecology Resources:
  • Website: https://backyardecology.net
  • YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQSzkcCJzYK6cBVm66drQA
  • Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
  • Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/

• Venus flytraps
• Photo credit: North Carolina Wetlands, public domain

Summer brings with it butterflies, lightning bugs, caterpillars, hummingbirds, fawns, baby birds, and so much more. It can be a really fun time to just get outside and observe all of the fascinating plants and animals around us. There are also plenty of things that we can be doing at this time of year to help make our yards more attractive to pollinators and wildlife.

My husband, Anthony Trimboli, joins us again for this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast. Anthony has been on the podcast a few times, so you may remember that, like me, he is a wildlife biologist and educator. He also frequently helps me with my nursery and habitat consulting.

This is an episode that I have really been looking forward to sharing with you because we have an exciting announcement to share. We now have a Backyard Ecology YouTube channel! Anthony is taking the lead on it and in this podcast episode, we share some of our plans for the new YouTube channel. In addition to talking about the new YouTube channel, we share some of the many things that you can be doing or observing in your yards at this time of year.

• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQSzkcCJzYK6cBVm66drQA
  • Spring Hole Trail Cam - 18 Species Critter Parade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAvdIlynBFU
• Other Backyard Ecology Resources
  • Attracting Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds to Your Yard: https://www.backyardecology.net/attracting-ruby-throated-hummingbirds-to-your-yard/
  • Trail cameras: A fun way to watch wildlife in your yard: https://www.backyardecology.net/trail-cameras-a-fun-way-to-watch-wildlife-in-your-yard/
  • Attract Butterflies with Overripe Fruit and Melon Rinds: https://www.backyardecology.net/attract-butterflies-with-overripe-fruit-and-melon-rinds/
  • Lightning bugs and Fireflies: A conversation with Lynn Faust, Part 1: https://www.backyardecology.net/lightning-bugs-and-fireflies-a-conversation-with-lynn-faust-part-1/
  • Lightning bugs and Fireflies – A conversation with Lynn Faust, Part 2: https://www.backyardecology.net/lightning-bugs-and-fireflies-a-conversation-with-lynn-faust-part-2/
  • Make a Bee Waterer: https://www.backyardecology.net/make-a-bee-waterer/
  • Create Mudding Spots for Butterflies: https://www.backyardecology.net/create-mudding-spots-for-butterflies/
• Other Resources:
  • Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada by Lynn Faust *: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0820348724/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0820348724&linkCode=as2&tag=backyardecolo-20&linkId=67cfaa76687d86421a5e0ca6d4c54ad8
• Website: https://backyardecology.net
• Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/
• My email: [email protected]

• White-tail deer and her fawn
• Photo credit: USFWS, Midwest Region, public domain

I often get asked what people can plant for bees. I can give good general answers to those questions, because we have a good idea of what types of flowers tend to be attractive to bees in general. We can then use that information along with personal observations made by ourselves and others to fairly easy determine what we can plant in a given area for bees in general.

However, we still have a lot to learn when it comes to knowing what types of flowers certain types of bees prefer or what we can plant for specific types of bees. This is especially true when it comes to our native bees. Ask a Bumble Bee, is a new community science, or citizen science, project that is striving to answer some of those questions specifically for bumble bees. Finding out what types of flowers bumble bees prefer and what we can plant for them is especially important, because many species of bumble bees appear to be declining in number.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jenan El-Hifnawi. Jenan is the Project Coordinator for Ask a Bumble Bee. Jenan joins us to talk about the project, the types of questions it hopes to answer, and how anyone who is interested can help out by observing bumble bees on flowers. Along the way we also share some of our own stories and experiences.

• Ask a Bumble Bee website: https://u.osu.edu/askabumble/
• Jenan's email: [email protected]
• Related Backyard Ecology episodes:
  • Are Larger Patch Sizes Better When Planting for Pollinators?: https://www.backyardecology.net/are-larger-patch-sizes-better-when-planting-for-pollinators/
  • Factors that Make Pollinator Gardens More Attractive to Pollinators: https://www.backyardecology.net/factors-that-make-pollinator-gardens-more-attractive-to-pollinators/
  • Wasps: Victims of an Often Undeserved Reputation: https://www.backyardecology.net/wasps-victims-of-an-often-undeserved-reputation/
  • Checking In After 50 Episodes of the Backyard Ecology Podcast: https://www.backyardecology.net/checking-in-after-50-episodes-of-the-backyard-ecology-podcast/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Backyard Ecology's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/
• My email: [email protected]

• Bumble bee on purple coneflower
• Photo credit: USDA, public domain

Glades are ecosystems where the soils are really shallow and rocky, often with patches of rock showing on the surface. They can be found all over the world, including multiple states within the eastern U.S. These ecosystems are unique areas that support some really interesting and sometimes highly specialized or rare organisms.

Admittedly, they can also be frustrating for homeowners who may have one in their yard and be trying to force it to conform to the standards of a "normal" yard because they think something is wrong with it. However, sometimes all it takes is discovering that there isn't anything wrong with that area, but instead it is something special and can be celebrated for its own uniqueness.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are talking with Dr. Kim Cleary Sadler. Kim is a professor of biology education at Middle Tennessee State University and co-director of the Center for Cedar Glade Studies.

Glades are classified by the type of rock that is found there. So, you can have limestone glades, chert glades, sandstone glades, shale glades, etc. Much of Kim and my conversation focuses on limestone glades, or what in some areas are more commonly known as cedar glades. However, we also touch on a few other types of glades and the basic concepts that we talk about can be applied to pretty much any type of glade.

In this episode, Kim and I discuss some of the characteristics of glades, some of the different types of organisms you can find there, ways homeowners can deal with glades on their properties, and much more. We also share numerous stories related to our experiences with glades.

• Center for Cedar Glade Studies: https://www.mtsu.edu/glade-center
• Kim's email: [email protected]
• Related Backyard Ecology episodes:
  • Liking lichens: A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Lichens: https://www.backyardecology.net/liking-lichens-a-glimpse-into-the-fascinating-world-of-lichens/
  • Checking In After 50 Episodes of the Backyard Ecology Podcast: https://www.backyardecology.net/checking-in-after-50-episodes-of-the-backyard-ecology-podcast/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Backyard Ecology's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/
• My email: [email protected]

• Couchville Cedar Glade in spring
• Photo credit: Darel Hess, all rights reserved

Glades are ecosystems where the soils are really shallow and rocky, often with patches of rock showing on the surface. They can be found all over the world, including multiple states within the eastern U.S. These ecosystems are unique areas that support some really interesting and sometimes highly specialized or rare organisms.

Admittedly, they can also be frustrating for homeowners who may have one in their yard and be trying to force it to conform to the standards of a "normal" yard because they think something is wrong with it. However, sometimes all it takes is discovering that there isn't anything wrong with that area, but instead it is something special and can be celebrated for its own uniqueness.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we are talking with Dr. Kim Cleary Sadler. Kim is a professor of biology education at Middle Tennessee State University and co-director of the Center for Cedar Glade Studies.

Glades are classified by the type of rock that is found there. So, you can have limestone glades, chert glades, sandstone glades, shale glades, etc. Much of Kim and my conversation focuses on limestone glades, or what in some areas are more commonly known as cedar glades. However, we also touch on a few other types of glades and the basic concepts that we talk about can be applied to pretty much any type of glade.

In this episode, Kim and I discuss some of the characteristics of glades, some of the different types of organisms you can find there, ways homeowners can deal with glades on their properties, and much more. We also share numerous stories related to our experiences with glades.

• Center for Cedar Glade Studies: https://www.mtsu.edu/glade-center
• Kim's email: [email protected]
• Related Backyard Ecology episodes:
  • Liking lichens: A Glimpse into the Fascinating World of Lichens: https://www.backyardecology.net/liking-lichens-a-glimpse-into-the-fascinating-world-of-lichens/
  • Checking In After 50 Episodes of the Backyard Ecology Podcast: https://www.backyardecology.net/checking-in-after-50-episodes-of-the-backyard-ecology-podcast/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
• Backyard Ecology's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• Subscribe to Backyard Ecology emails: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/
• My email: [email protected]

• Couchville Cedar Glade in spring
• Photo credit: Darel Hess, all rights reserved

I can't believe that I've been podcasting for a year and a half and that this is my 50th episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast! I am truly honored and humbled that so many people enjoy hearing what I have to say and are following the podcast.

Looking back, we've covered such a wide range of subjects including:

• crayfish,
• land snails (I still laugh every time I think about that episode),
• lightning bugs,
• hummingbirds,
• grassland ecosystems,
• all kinds of topics related to gardening for pollinators,
• probably just as many topics related to gardening with native plants,
• vernal pools,
• invasive species,
• habitat management,
• and much, much more.

I'm eternally grateful for all of the scientists, educators, and resource managers who have taken the time to talk with us. I've had so much fun learning from and geeking out with each of them.

I also appreciate each of you who have taken the time to email me and share your own thoughts, experiences, and discoveries. Those emails always bring a smile to my face.

As this 50th episode approached, I kept trying to think of the "perfect" topic to cover. After all, isn't 50 supposed to be a big milestone? Regardless of whether we're talking birthdays, anniversaries, or podcast episodes. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really didn't want to do a typical episode this time.

Instead, I wanted to stop a second and check in with you. I wanted to find out your thoughts. After all, I don't want to just be blabbering into the digital airwaves. I want the Backyard Ecology podcast to be valuable to you and that means I need to make sure it is meeting your needs.

To allow me to more easily gather and distill everyone's thoughts and feedback I've created a short survey. The link to the survey will be in the show notes and on the webpage for this episode. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your answers will help guide me as I produce future episodes of the Backyard Ecology podcast. The survey will be available until June 12, 2022.

As a thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, anyone who fills out the survey will have the option to enter a drawing to win 1 of 5 copies of my new book, Attract Pollinators and Wildlife to Your Yard: 15 Free and Easy Ways.

Before I wrap up, I wanted to say once again how grateful I am to my Patrons on Patreon who help support this podcast, for everyone who listens to this podcast, and to the guests who have shared their knowledge and passion with us.

Until next week, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy the nature in your own yard and community.

• Survey: https://forms.gle/eh7mGD2wwx41g4SG6
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Backyard Ecology's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
• My email: [email protected]