Conservation Tips
Conservation Tip #1- Keystone Plants- Doug Tallamy
Doug Tallamy: “Gardeners need to recognize that their little piece of the world is part of the future of conservation.”
One person can shrink their lawn.
One person can put in a pollinator garden.
One person can take out their invasive plants.
Most notably, one person can put in KEYSTONE PLANTS.
Keystone plants are massive ecological boons to the environment in the numerous species they support. If you’re looking to make a big impact on the health of our local ecosytem, consider incorporating these North American native plants into your landscape.
TOP HERBACEOUS Plants- All of these are in our Zone/Zones
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Aster (Aster spp., Eurybia spp. Symphotrichum spp.)
Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
TOP WOODY PLANTS
4. Oak (Quercus spp.)
5. Cherry (Prunus spp.)
6. Willow (Salix spp.)
7. Birch (Betula spp.)
8. American Elm (Ulmus americana)
9. Cottonwood (Populus spp.)
To save time at GC meetings, we decided to mention tips quickly at meetings and direct members to our website for the details.
Goldenrod (volunteer)
(Solidago spp.)
White Wood Aster (Late summer picture
Aster spp., Eurybia spp. Symphyotrichum spp.
Sunflower
(Helianthus spp.)
Conservation Tip # 2 Spotted Lantern Fly
We know what a pest this insect is—especially since it has no known predators. Here are ways to deal with it.
IDENTIFY AND DESTROY THE LARVAE IN EGG MASSES !
The Spotted Lanternfly lays its eggs on any flat surface: tree trunks, branches, rocks and stones, lawn equipment or ornaments stored outside.
The egg cases look like caked mud that may or may not appear as if cracked from the sun. The masses are tan or grey in color but it would pay to consider any colored area that appears caked mud.
There is an instructional video on the Penn State Extension Web Site which demonstrates use of a plastic card, (credit card size) to cover and squish the tiny eggs right where they are. The demonstrator advises us to make sure to squish them “til the juices run” and to “be certain to squish each of the tiny eggs” in the egg mass.
After squishing, he scrapes the mass into a plastic bag filled with hand sanitizer or alcohol, puts that bag into another plastic bag and deposits that into the trash.
He says “GETTING RID OF THE EGGS BY KILLING THE LARVAE BEFORE THEY HATCH IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE THING INDIVIDUALS CAN DO TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD”.
Another simple way to prevent spread is to check any vehicles you might know are coming into our area from infected areas, currently Lancaster and surrounding counties in Eastern Pa. Check for the insects hiding in wheel wells or under hoods. They definitely “hitchhike” in that way since adults only fly short distances and the nymphs can only hop!
The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), also known as a lanternmoth, is neither a fly nor a moth. This insect is a member of the Order Hemiptera (true bugs, cicadas, hoppers, aphids, and others) and the Family Fulgoridae, also known as planthoppers.
While the Spotted Lanternfly prefers the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), it feeds on a variety of host plants including fruit trees, ornamental trees, woody trees, vegetables, herbs, grains and vines. Spotted Lanternfly is known to feed on over 70 host plant species!
It causes serious damage including oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling and dieback in trees, vines, crops and many other types of plants. In addition to plant damage, when spotted lanternflies feed, they excrete a sugary substance, called honeydew, that encourages the growth of black sooty mold.
Hopefully, we can “hop” ahead of them to spy those egg masses when/if they appear on any flat surface outside, and be aggressive in destroying them.
We can spread the news of how to get rid of the egg masses to our friends and neighbors. Hopefully, we can stay ahead of them and avoid allowing them to become a wide spread, annoying and more importantly, destructive problem here in our area.
How to Identify
In all three stages: eggs, nymph and adult
For more information: Spotted Lanternfly (psu.edu)
Conservation Tip #3- Helping Birds Survive Winter
Adapted from National Garden Clubs website article by Pat Neasbitt
Birds need the same three things to survive as all other living creatures: food, water and shelter.
1.Suet cakes are inexpensive and provide fat that is a source of much-needed calories that are converted to body heat.
Good recipe for homemade suet cake is in the link below.
2. Birdseed is high in carbohydrates that are turned to glucose to meet the high-energy needs of birds. Look for those high in black-oil sunflower seeds and white proso millet. Avoid the cheap mixes. If you only feed one thing, make it black-oil sunflower seeds (not striped).
3. If possible, put bird feeders about 5-10’ from shrubs or trees in a south-facing area that provides protection from cold north winter wind and predators.
4. Water is an absolute necessity for all living creatures. Keep ice broken in your water source if it freezes by keeping a hammer nearby. Or use a small birdbath heater or a heated bird bath.
5. Shelter can mean life or death for birds in the winter. Try to plant some evergreens that provide good shelter in the winter.
6. Plant some native shrubs and trees that have nuts and berries.
7. Do not deadhead or cut back perennials until early spring. Birds still eat seeds from some of them during the winter.
8. If you want birds in your yard, DO NOT use insecticides. Stay safe and Help the Birds!
