Eastern Carpenter Bees: How to Peacefully Co-exist and Why They Are Important
Backyard Ecology™
Summary While carpenter bees get a bad rap, they are also important pollinators and play a vital role in the ecosystem. Their bad reputation can also sometimes be overblown. So, let’s talk a little bit about carpenter bees, why they are important, and how to discourage them from nesting in places where you don’t want them. 3 things you’ll learn from this episode: Where you can find eastern carpenter bees and how to identify them. Why you need carpenter bees if you want gulf fritillary butterflies whose caterpillars host on purple passionflower vines. Simple, non-lethal ways to...
info_outline
Doug Tallamy’s Habitat Restoration Story and How You Can Help Save Nature
Backyard Ecology™
Summary Dr. Doug Tallamy shares the story of how he and his wife transformed their newly built home located on a former hayfield into a thriving forest ecosystem. We talk about how they got started, their struggles along the way, the habitat wins they’ve celebrated, and what his next steps are for his property. He also shares what he’s most excited about, his thoughts on creating habitat that you can maintain as you get older, information about his newest book, and much more. Today’s guest Dr. Doug Tallamy has been an entomologist at the University of Delaware for 44 years and is the...
info_outline
Darkness Matters: Light Pollution’s Threats and Simple Ways to Help
Backyard Ecology™
Summary Darkness is a vital, and often overlooked, component of our ecosystems. Unfortunately, we’re losing it to light pollution. Decreasing the light pollution around your home will not only benefit the environment but will also benefit you because you’ll be able to see better without all the excess glare and will save money because you aren’t paying to light up the sky. 3 things you’ll learn from this episode: Why darkness is so important. What light pollution is and how prevalent it is. 4 simple ways you can combat light pollution around your home. Studies...
info_outline
BirdCast: Revealing the Mysteries of Bird Migration
Backyard Ecology™
Summary Twice a year billions of birds migrate across the U.S. We’ve only recently discovered just how large that number really is. Being able to quantify that number is thanks to a large degree to a program called BirdCast which anyone from backyard birders to scientists to emergency managers can use. Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of bird migration. Today’s guest Dr. Andrew Farnsworth is a visiting scientist at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a member of the BirdCast Team, which is using radar to track and study bird migrations over the U.S. 3 things you’ll learn from...
info_outline
How to Do Spring Garden Cleanup for Pollinators and Wildlife
Backyard Ecology™
Summary As gardeners, it’s common to get the gardening itch in late winter and early spring. The temptation to finish cleaning up our gardens during this time is a natural temptation. However, when doing your spring garden cleanup, it’s important to remember why you didn’t do those activities in the fall. Remembering that can help you choose what to do and when so that you can best support the pollinators and wildlife that visit your property. 3 things you’ll learn from this episode: When and how to deal with the leaves that you left from the fall. When and how to cutback any standing...
info_outline
Exploring the Fascinating World of Ground Nesting Bees
Backyard Ecology™
Summary Ground nesting bees represent a significant portion of our native bee population, yet they often go unnoticed due to their solitary nature and unique nesting habits. In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of ground nesting bees and how we can get involved in their study and conservation. Today’s guest Dr. Jordan Kueneman is a research associate in the Danforth lab of Entomology at Cornell University. He is also the creator of the Ground Nesting Bee project on iNaturalist where he is collecting observations of ground-nesting bee aggregations. 3 things you’ll learn from...
info_outline
How to Attract More Birds to Your Yard
Backyard Ecology™
Summary When someone decides they want to attract birds to their yard, often the first thing they do is put up a birdfeeder (or two). It’s what we did when I was a kid, and it’s what countless other people I know have done. There’s nothing wrong with putting out a birdfeeder. They’re a great way to bring the birds to locations where it’s easy for us to watch them. But, if you want to attract more birds (and better care for the ones you are already attracting), then you need to take more of an ecosystem approach. As an added bonus, you’ll also attract and provide for other...
info_outline
From Suburban Yard to Wildlife Haven: Amanda’s Story
Backyard Ecology™
Summary Amanda shares the journey she and her husband have taken to transform their small, suburban yard into a vibrant habitat for birds and pollinators. We discuss the various projects they’ve undertaken, the challenges of DIY landscaping, the importance of community support, and the positive reactions from neighbors and family. Their story shows how creating wildlife habitat can benefit both the environment and the property owners’ well-being. Amanda encourages others to start small, focus on native plants, and seek community support to achieve similar successes. Today’s guest Amanda...
info_outline
We’re back!
Backyard Ecology™
Summary I am so excited to be relaunching the Backyard Ecology™ podcast! New episodes will be released every other week, and we have some exciting guests already lined up. Going forward, in addition to the traditional audio version of the podcast episodes, there will also be a video version available for the episodes with guests. The video version will be available on the Backyard Ecology™ YouTube channel. Links and Resources YouTube channel: Website: Newsletter: Support: Thank You Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to...
info_outline
Top 10 Backyard Ecology Podcast Episodes: October 1, 2022 – October 1, 2023
Backyard Ecology™
I can’t believe that 2023 is almost over! This year has flown by! For the past several weeks, I’ve been doing top 10 roundups of the different types of Backyard Ecology content. We’ve talked about the videos, the blog articles, and the nature trivia style shorts. So, let’s wrap it up with a rundown of the top 10 podcast episodes of the year. 🦋 9b) Everything You Want to Know About Nesting Birds with NestWatch 🦋 9a) Birding Tools and Technology to Help You Be a Better Birder 🦋 8) Exploring Urban Ecology: Understanding and Appreciating Nature Where We Live ...
info_outlineDid you know that in addition to the regular Backyard Ecology videos that Anthony creates, he also produces a series of nature-trivia style short videos? Most of these videos are literally only a few seconds long so are perfect “bite-sized” samples if you’re just getting started or are looking for something to watch for a few seconds on your phone.
So, let’s quickly run through the top 10 Backyard Ecology shorts based on number of views as of Thanksgiving 2023. Since the videos are so short, I’m just going to list the titles and let your curiosity decide whether to follow the link and explore further.
🦋 10) Caterpillar's Poop Stick Defense! https://youtube.com/shorts/R_mMaD2TadU
🦋 9) Ragweed SUPER FOOD for Birds! https://youtube.com/shorts/CfOM56BYZ_8
🦋 8) Hummingbirds Eat Nectar and WHAT! https://youtube.com/shorts/-IOGXUiOozY
🦋 7) Butterfly Garden Must Have! https://youtube.com/shorts/UppahIW3EnQ
🦋 6) These Cute Larvae Aren't Caterpillars! https://youtube.com/shorts/rorND6RmcGg
🦋 5) Bumblebees VS Carpenter Bees Easy ID! https://youtube.com/shorts/slBX3utAcdI
🦋 4) What Is This Weird Plant Growth! https://youtube.com/shorts/lhrmJlsKNfk
🦋 3) Have You Seen Invasive Tree of Heaven? https://youtube.com/shorts/Vqmq_8Bc3rc
🦋 2) This Caterpillar Looks Like What! https://youtube.com/shorts/Wkqy-qO8z98
🦋 1) Wolf Spider Momma Has How MANY Babies! https://youtube.com/shorts/MA7IjE8Jyyc
Bonus
🦋 See Me Fly Like Monarch and Viceroy Butterflies! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Dzpde6I3ju8
Other Episode-Related Links
🦋 Top 10 Backyard Ecology Videos https://www.backyardecology.net/top-10-videos/
🦋 3 Awesome Native Trees to Replace Bradford Pear! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYPak0l1exo
🌻 🌻 🌻
Thank you to our supporters on Patreon who go above and beyond each month to financially contribute towards making the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel possible. Thank you also to everyone who has made one-time donations to support the Backyard Ecology blog, podcast, and YouTube channel.
🌻 🌻 🌻
Become a Backyard Ecologist:
🦋 The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter: https://www.backyardecology.net/subscribe/
🦋 Backyard Ecology Community: https://www.backyardecology.net/community/
🦋 Group coaching: https://www.backyardecology.net/group-coaching/
Backyard Ecology content:
🦋 Website: https://backyardecology.net
🦋 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/backyardecology
🦋 Blog: https://www.backyardecology.net/blog/
Support Backyard Ecology:
🦋 Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/backyardecology
🦋 Make a one-time donation: https://www.paypal.com/biz/fund?id=K7F3HJLJT9F8N