Leave early spring yard work to the birds and bees

With above-normal temperatures, some Iowans have gotten a headstart on their outdoor chores. When it comes to spring yard work, it's perfectly acceptable to take it easy. In fact, erring on the 'lazy” side can boost our population of bees and other important pollinators-a boost which is needed more than ever as increasing evidence points to sharp declines in many species.

Pollinators, such as butterflies, birds, bees and other insects, are vital to creating a healthy future. In fact, pollinators are directly responsible for nearly every third bite of food we eat.

Piles of leaves, dried grasses, brush piles and other natural sites may look untidy, but they serve as vital shelters for beneficial insects to hibernate and overwinter in various life stages. Untilled soil and woody materials-even standing, dead trees that are left in place when they don't pose a safety risk-provide nesting habitat for ground and tunnel nesters.

Iowans eager to jump the gun in their spring cleanup efforts could be destroying those insects we enjoy observing on sunny days and warm nights. If you're among the many who perceive a declining number of lightning bugs, for example, those tidy lawns are part of the reason why.

Lightning bugs lay their eggs on the ground, or under bark, overwintering in a larval stage. It may take a season or more to mature and emerge in the summer. By eliminating places where the insects overwinter and by cleaning up or burning too soon in the spring, lightning bugs and other beneficial insects face an uphill battle.

On another front, those early spring bloomers, such as dandelions, might be the bane of American lawns, but serve as a valuable early source of food for bees, which feed on its nectar until other flowers become available. If your neighbor complains about the dandelions in your yard, just see it as an 'educational moment” and explain that you're doing your part to save pollinators.

Similarly, so-called 'trash trees” like willow, boxelders and silver maples are often the first trees to bloom in Iowa, bursting forth to feed bees and other insects. Pay attention this year when the lindens/basswoods (same tree) bloom because they will be a-buzz with bees of every type feeding. Some butterflies depend upon specific tree species, just like the monarch when it reaches Mexico. For example, our native wild cherry trees are the host species for the tiger swallowtail. We even use the phrase, 'trees are meadows in the sky,” to illustrate just how important mature trees are to so many lives, including mammals, birds and insects. One mature oak can feed over 500 species of wildlife!

Trees Forever has been at the forefront of efforts to increase pollinator habitat through partnerships with the Iowa Department of Transportation, agricultural partners and a host of volunteers. In neighborhoods, on farms, in parks and along streams and rivers, we incorporate native habitat, including grasses, flowers and trees, in addition to encouraging the preservation of mature trees.

On both farms and in communities, strong peer pressure has developed over the years to keep our landscapes well-manicured. This spring, it's time to turn the tide and even allow ourselves to be a bit lazy. Leave some of that work to the birds and bees!

' Shannon Ramsay is founding president and CEO of Trees Forever in Marion. Comments: Shannon@TreesForever.org