By Kristine Adel
Seriously, this is a true case of ‘less is more’ because the more work we put into having what we think of as a well-kept yard, the more harm we inadvertently do to the pollinators around us, especially the ones we are most fond of like butterflies and lightening bugs (also known as fire flies or glow worms, depending on where you’re from).
Before we get into the details though, let’s back up a step and take a look at the bigger picture.
When was the last time you looked at a field covered in wild asters, orange butterfly weed, blue mistflower, or black-eyed Susans, and thought, “Those plants are too tall, too colorful, and way too pretty. Somebody ought to mow all that down to about two and half inches – four at the most?”
Or when was the last time someone told you that they love hiking in the woods – if only somebody would tidy the place up, maybe bag up all those messy leaves and random sticks and send them off to the landfill?
Or how about, “I hate seeing all those stars at night; we should plant another huge pole out here with such a bright light on top that we can’t see the stars at all, and we’ll have to put up blackout curtains just to get some sleep.”
I’ll bet never.
In this article, we’re going to delve into three things that are truly ‘things’…things we need to know and things we need to do to protect our precious native pollinators because they are responsible for pollinating at least 80% of our flowering plants and more than half of our commercial crops.
First, who decided our yards need to be mowed every week when a slightly taller lawn would be a more welcoming place for the butterflies, bees, and other pollinators we love – a lawn where violets, lyre leaf sage, and an occasional dandelion are allowed to add a bit of color? I don’t know.
Whoever it was didn’t understand how important it is to our native pollinators to stop cutting up all the food before it has a chance to bloom, especially in the Spring when most of these little critters are just emerging from the places they’ve overwintered – places like the leaf litter on the edge of the yard, the fallen sticks under the trees, the dried stalks of wildflowers still standing in the fields, or any protected soil around us, whether it be under the leaves, in the garden, or under the woodpile. Like most of us, those little bugs just want a bit of breakfast when they wake up.
So “No Mow May” is ‘a thing’. Honest. It’s not being lazy. It’s providing a healthy start for the pollinators. Maybe we don’t want to give up mowing entirely, but we might consider starting later in the year, letting it grow taller, and maybe not mowing every week.
But it’s not just the grass we need to leave alone, which leads us to our second thing …
“Leave the Leaves” is also ‘a thing’. Not only does leaf litter protect pollinators that overwinter in the soil, but leaf litter is also incredibly important to butterflies and moths. Although many different adult species of butterflies and moths do migrate, like the Monarchs who fly all the way to Central America when it gets cold, many do not. Many stay right here with us through the Winter season. The many adult lepidoptera who do stay crawl into crevices in the bark of trees, inside sheds, or into other places low to the ground in the leaf litter where they go dormant until Spring. Even those who do migrate as adults, they can’t go anywhere as caterpillars, and they often burrow into leaf litter to cocoon while dormant.
Some leaves probably ought to be collected, like black walnut, which will kill nearly any other plant that grows. Most of them, though, ought to be left alone to decompose on their own, especially in the gardens where they not only protect the pollinators, but they also help to protect your plants plus add nutrients to your soil.
If you feel you absolutely must get rid of the leaves and sticks in some areas, please don’t mulch and shred them along with everything living in them – just move them to a place in the yard where they won’t bother anyone. Investigate the possibility of using fallen sticks to add a dead hedge to your garden. You might even put up a little sign to let the neighbors know you’re not neglecting your lawn; you’re establishing a “Pollinator Habitat.”
Remember: The only place you won’t find your favorite pollinators awaking from their winter slumber is anywhere near a meticulously mowed lawn with its short, uniform grass, covered in herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Sadly, this is especially true of lightening bugs. Just about everywhere you go in Patrick County, you will find yourself not too far from a waterway, whether it be a big river or a tiny creek. Lightening bugs are always found near water, and they thrive in the varied vegetation in the surrounding areas, from the soil they live in most of their lives as larvae, to the flowers they visit as adults, to the tops of the grass blades where they sit, waiting for the sun to go down, and finally, to the trees they light up in the dark while looking for true love (or whatever it’s called when lightening bugs find each other).
That’s about all we used to need to know in order to have an abundance of lightening bugs. But sadly, not anymore. Lightening bugs are fast disappearing from many places where they once thrived. Maybe people didn’t used to know. But we know now.
The sad truth is lightening bugs aren’t good at relocating. In fact, they’re really bad at it. So if we clear away all the leaves and debris they need as larvae, mow down the places where the adults feed and live, and interrupt their mating process by blinding them with bright outdoor lighting, we risk eliminating them from those places altogether.
That leads us to the third and last thing on this list of things that are ‘a thing,’ “Better, Not Brighter.”
Better lighting is definitely ‘a thing.’
With this thing, you may have to lift a finger or three, but I’m certain it will be worth the effort.
First, install motion sensor lights outdoors on your driveways and foot paths that will only light up when needed. Next, place timers on your patio and deck lighting that will automatically turn off when not in use. Both of these items are available on-line or at most any hardware store. Last, if you live in a rural area without street lights, call the utility company and ask them to turn off the huge pole lights near your house so you can see the lightening bugs when they come out to dance under the stars.
If you’re lucky, all that’s left to do this summer is pull up a lawn chair, grab a snack, and watch the show. The experience may even bring back some happy childhood memories – or help create new memories for you, your kids, or your grandkids.
In this new year with the upcoming new spring season, let’s truly begin anew with a commitment to remember and practice these three ‘things’: “No Mow May,” “Leave the Leaves,” and “Better Not Brighter.”
These three things will make supporting and protecting our native pollinators super easy and will allow us to become a better partner with nature’s cycles by remembering: “Less is More.”
And that’s another thing you can add to your list. Happy Gardening Everyone! It’s never too early to start making plans.
Mark your calendar for Saturday March 7, and come to the Patrick County Master Gardener Association’s 2026 Spring Symposium – “Supporting our Native Birds and Bees.”
For tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/patrick-county-master-gardener-spring-symposium-tickets-1979418799915.
Find us on Facebook. Contact us at patrickmastergardeners.org, and tune in to WHEO on Tuesday morning, February 24 at 8:30 a.m. for a discussion on Pollinator Gardens.
