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]

The interest in gardening with native plants has been growing steadily, and I am very excited about that fact. Growing native plants in our gardens and landscapes can have many benefits – both for us as the gardeners and for the pollinators and wildlife that also call our yards home. Plus, we have some absolutely gorgeous native plants that deserve to be recognized in their own right.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jennifer Ceska about gardening with native plants. Jennifer is a Conservation Coordinator with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia, Athens. She and her colleagues are doing some amazing work and I am grateful for their efforts to help others learn about and grow native plants.

Jennifer and I both love sharing our knowledge and passion of the natural world, as well as continuing to learn ourselves. We've just always been naturally curious and that is reflected in this very informal conversation.

One of the many topics we discuss is growing regionally appropriate native plants. This is especially important because many plants are native to one part of the country, but not another. For example, I was recently surprised to learn that common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) isn't native to Georgia and can actually become problematic there because it spreads so aggressively.

Jennifer said that she was surprised as well when she first learned that common milkweed isn't native to Georgia because so many resources and online maps show it as native across the eastern U.S. However, newer research has shown that it isn't native to Georgia which is one of the reasons why the State Botanical Garden of Georgia has created a brochure discussing the best milkweeds to plant in Georgia and the ones to avoid.

Other topics of conversation include some of our favorite native species to plant in smaller areas and cues to care for native plant gardens or even when growing native plants in fields and "wilder" areas. Jennifer also shares with us some of the fantastic native plant programs and resources available through the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. If you live in Georgia, then I encourage you to take a look at these valuable resources.

• Jennifer's email: [email protected]
• Brochure about what milkweeds to grow in Georgia gardens: https://botgarden.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/milkweedinformation.pdf
• State Botanical Garden of Georgia: https://botgarden.uga.edu/
• Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/georgia-plant-conservation-alliance/
• Georgia Native Plant Initiative: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/georgia-native-plant-initiative/
• Connect to Protect: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/connect-to-protect/
• Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year Program: https://botgarden.uga.edu/conservation-science/pollinator-plant-program/
• Georgia Grasslands Initiative iNaturalist project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/georgia-grasslands-initiative-ggi
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• My email: [email protected]

• Purple coneflowers in a pollinator garden
• Photo credit: USFWS, public domain

Once upon a time, the moon was the brightest object in the night sky followed by the stars. However, that's no longer the case. Today the night sky is so brightly lit by artificial lights sources that the majority of people living in North America can no longer see the Milky Way from their yards. Even for those of us who can see the Milky Way, it is often greatly dimmed by nearby artificial light sources or sky glow caused by the closest city or town.

Does it matter if our view of the stars is diminished? Actually, it does. All of that extra light that is obscuring the stars is called light pollution and it has significant impacts on a wide variety of wildlife species and can even affect us. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Murry Burgess. Murry is an ornithologist, urban ecologist, and children's author. She is also working on her PhD at North Carolina State University where she is studying the effects of light pollution on barn swallows.

Murry and I start our conversation by defining light pollution and discussing some of its sources. We then talk about some of the different impacts it can have on birds, insects, and even us. During the conversation, Murry shares with us some of the findings from her research with barn swallows and how those results are likely to translate to other bird species. We also discuss some of the ways we can minimize light pollution, both at an individual scale and at larger community-wide scales. And while most of our conversation focuses on light pollution, we frequently interweave other stories and topics related to our mutual passions for wildlife and inspiring others to appreciate the nature around them.

• Murry's contact information:
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Website: https://www.mlburgess.org/
  • Blog: http://notasnakedoctor.squarespace.com/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/murryloub/?hl=en
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/murryloub
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Related Backyard Ecology episodes:
  • 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/
  • Reconnecting with the Natural World at Night: https://www.backyardecology.net/reconnecting-with-the-natural-world-at-night/
• My email: [email protected]

• The Milky Way with sky glow on the horizon.
• Photo credit: EvgeniT, cc-0

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are common and much beloved summer visitors to yards and gardens throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada. In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk about ruby-throated hummingbirds, their northward migration, and how to make our yards more hummingbird friendly. We are joined in this conversation by Cyndi Routledge who is the CEO of Southeastern Avian Research (SEAR).

When people think about attracting hummingbirds to their yards, the most common reaction is to put up a hummingbird feeder. However, making your yard more attractive to hummingbirds goes way beyond just putting up a feeder. Approximately, 80% of a ruby-throated hummingbird's diet consists of soft-bodied insects. Hummingbirds also prefer natural nectar sources over sugar-water while they are nesting and raising young. Water sources and places to build nests or find shelter from storms are also important factors that hummingbirds look for when choosing their territories.

Cyndi and I spend a significant amount of time discussing what makes good hummingbird habitats and how we can use this knowledge to make our yards more attractive to ruby-throated hummingbirds. Cyndi also shares with us the proper way to maintain our feeders if we choose to put up hummingbird feeders. As she points out, hummingbird feeders are for our enjoyment, not the hummingbirds' survival. So, if we choose to put out feeders, then it is our responsibility to make sure that they aren't going to inadvertently harm the birds. Other topics in our conversation include the ruby-throated hummingbird's migration north, some common myths and folktales that we often hear, how hummingbirds are adapted to survive cold temperatures, the different roles of the male and female hummingbirds, and much more.

• Southeastern Avian Research:
  • Website: https://southeasternavianresearch.org/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southeasternavianresearch/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Related Backyard Ecology episodes:
  • Winter Hummingbirds in the Eastern U.S.: https://www.backyardecology.net/winter-hummingbirds-in-the-eastern-u-s/
• My email: [email protected]

• Ruby-throated hummingbird drinking nectar from an obedient plant flower.
• Photo credit: USFWS Midwest Region, public domain

Grassland birds such as bobwhite quail, meadowlarks, sparrows, northern harriers, burrowing owls, and many others represent one of our fastest declining groups of birds. In many ways, this makes sense since grasslands are some of our fastest declining ecosystems, especially in the eastern U.S. Yet, many people don't realize how rapidly grassland birds and the grassland ecosystems they depend on our disappearing.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Jeremy French about grasslands and grassland birds. Jeremy is the Interior Low Plateau Ecoregion Coordinator for Quail Forever and the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative.

Jeremey and I begin our conversation by talking about grasslands and the fact that many people don't realize just how common grasslands were in the eastern U.S. Both of us share that we didn't always know about our Eastern grasslands either. We may have known something about the grasslands in parts of Florida, but not for the rest of the eastern U.S. Yet, the plants, animals, and even historical accounts of the first European explorers to the area all provide hints of a very different and much more diverse landscape than the near solid forest that many of grew up thinking existed here.

Our conversation then moves to the grassland birds that depend on the grassland ecosystems that are rapidly disappearing and have often been forgotten. We talk about some of the different types of grassland birds, how they are declining, and actions we can take on our own properties to help support grassland birds. We also share how important we both believe it is to learn about our grassland plants, grassland birds, and other organisms, as well as how some of the hardest and most eye-opening questions we've been asked have come from people just starting to learn about a topic. We wrap up with Jeremy telling us a little bit about the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative, Quail Forever, and ways that these two organizations can help our listeners.

• Jeremy's email: [email protected]
• Quail Forever
  • Website: https://www.quailforever.org/
  • Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/quailforever
• Southeastern Grassland Initiative
  • Website: https://www.segrasslands.org/
  • Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/southeasterngrasslands/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Related Backyard Ecology episodes:
  • A Conversation with Kyle Lybarger from the Native Habitat Project: https://www.backyardecology.net/a-conversation-with-kyle-lybarger-from-the-native-habitat-project/
  • Acorns, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, and More: Responses to Forest Disturbances: https://www.backyardecology.net/acorns-birds-reptiles-amphibians-and-more-responses-to-forest-disturbances/
  • Conserving our Southeastern Grasslands with Dwayne Estes: https://www.backyardecology.net/conserving-our-southeastern-grasslands-with-dwayne-estes/
• My email: [email protected]

• Eastern meadowlark on a fence post.
• Photo credit: USFWS Midwest Region, public domain

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive species of leafhopper (a type of insect) that was accidentally brought to the U.S. from Asia. It was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has spread to multiple states since then.

This episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast is all about the spotted lanternfly and is a little different than most episodes, because I don't just have one guest – I have four guests. Each of the guests on this episode represents a different part of the spotted lanternfly story and response.

Erin Otto is the National Policy Manager for the spotted lanternfly and is with the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or APHIS. She joins us to help us understand the overarching work and coordination at the national level in regard to spotted lanternflies.

Dana Rhodes is the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's State Plant Regulatory Official. She brings with her the "been there, done that" wisdom, experiences, and lessons learned of a state that has been dealing with spotted lanternflies for several years now.

Subba Reddy Palli is Kentucky's State Entomologist and a Department Chair at the University of Kentucky. He represents those states that are on the leading edge, don't have spotted lanternflies yet, and would like to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Tracy Leskey is a Research Entomologist and Director at the USDA's Appalachian Fruit Research Station. Tracy joins us to share some of the research going on related to spotted lanternflies. The researchers aren't always the most visible individuals when it comes to emerging threats, but the work they do is vital to helping resource managers and others better understand the threat and ways to stop it, or at least manage it.

Our conversation covers a wide range of topics including basic biology of the spotted lanternfly, information about its life cycle, the impacts caused by the spotted lanternfly, how it spreads, ways to manage it, current research, and much more. One of the points that came up over and over again in our conversation is how this is such a collaborative team effort. Federal agencies, state agencies, cities and local municipalities, universities, corporations, industries, and private individuals are all working together to address the spotted lanternfly. We all have a role to play when it comes to combatting this invasive species.

• National Plant Board's members page: https://www.nationalplantboard.org/members.html
• Penn State Extension spotted lanternfly page: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly
• Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture spotted lanternfly page: https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/Entomology/spotted_lanternfly/Pages/default.aspx
• Stop SLF website: https://www.stopslf.org/index.cfm
• USDA APHIS spotted lanternfly page: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/slf/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• My email: [email protected]

• Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) winged adult and 4th instar nymph.
• Photo credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture, public domain

When it comes to planting for pollinators or gardening for pollinators, the traditional advice has always been to plant larger patch sizes or clumps of plants. The thought is that the larger patch sizes will be easier to see and more attractive to pollinators than smaller clumps or patch sizes. But saying that assumes that all pollinators are attracted to the same thing and that they respond to different species of plants in the same way.

In this episode of the Backyard Ecology podcast, we talk with Tristan Barley. Tristan recently received his Masters degree from Miami University in Ohio, and is currently a PhD student in Entomology at the University of Illinois. The research that Tristan conducted for his Master's thesis questioned the traditional advice.

Tristan's research looked at whether all pollinators prefer larger patch sizes and whether those preferences would vary not only based on the type of pollinator but also based on the type of plant. Perhaps, not surprisingly, he found that patch size preferences were different for some pollinators compared to others, specifically bumble bees and some of our tiny bees. He also found that the species of flower sometimes influenced the pollinator's patch size preference. In addition, Tristan looked at how different patch sizes affected seed production in one of the plant species he studied. It was interesting to think about the influences of patch size from the plant's perspective, and not just from the pollinator's perspective.

Our conversation discussed his research including what his findings meant from a practical standpoint and how we can apply his findings in our own pollinator gardens and pollinator plantings. We also talked about how many different types of animals visit flowers and how much happens on a flower. We both recommend taking time to just stare at a flower and enjoy getting to know everything that visits the flower.

• Do Pollinators Prefer Dense Flower Patches? Sometimes Yes, Sometimes No: https://entomologytoday.org/2022/01/12/pollinators-prefer-dense-flower-patches-sometimes-yes-no/
• The Effects of Flower Patch Density on Pollinator Visitation: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=miami1605828141532099&disposition=inline
• Bauer Lab at Miami University: https://jonathantbauer.com/
• The Dolezal Bee Research Lab: https://publish.illinois.edu/dolezalbeelab/
• Backyard Ecology's website: https://backyardecology.net
• Related Backyard Ecology resources:
  • Conserving our Southeastern Grasslands with Dwayne Estes: https://www.backyardecology.net/conserving-our-southeastern-grasslands-with-dwayne-estes/
• My email: [email protected]

• Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)growing in a prairie.
• Photo credit: Jason Johnson, Iowa NRCS, public domain