TIp Number One: Nature’s Mulch
If you still have some weeding to do, November has been rainy, and the best time to pull weeds is after a rain. Throw them in the compost pile or on garden beds, or tuck them under shrubs (preferably before they go to seed!). Instead of bagging leaves, allow some leaf litter, nature’s mulch. Leaves, weeds and garden trimmings decompose quickly, adding nutrients to the soil, while also providing hiding places for beetles and other beneficial insects. Birds benefit, too. They forage for insects in that mulch and leaf litter. But don’t forget to leave some bare places, free of mulch, for our ground-nesting native bees. Most of our California native bees are solitary bees that burrow into the ground to nest. Some use old beetle holes, hollow stems or decaying logs. And just in case you were wondering: unlike honeybees, our native bees do not make honey—and they are not aggressive bees.
(Tip Number Two next week!)
Tip Number Two: Tiny houses and bathing options
Last week I covered nesting sites for native bees, but it’s not just native bees that are looking for places to raise a family. Many other beneficial insects —tiger beetles, rove beetles, ladybugs, assassin bugs— are also on the lookout for a tiny home. A small rock pile, an old log or board, and compost piles are very attractive options.
A sunny boulder or large rock offers sunbathing opportunities for butterflies and insect-eating lizards. Beneficial insects and the not-so-beneficial are both on the menu. While the backyard bird population is mainly focused on food options, watering holes are a welcome surprise. Not just for refreshment, but also a place to clean up. And they don’t have to be flashy. Yes, waterfall pools and fountains have their fans, but a saucer on a stump filled daily with clean water gets the job done. And if you place your watering hole within easy view of a window, deck or patio, I guarantee it will be good entertainment. Bush tits and other small birds seem to love crowding together (even in small watering holes) for a vigorous bath. Larger birds—robins and jays, for example—tend to monopolize a watering hole, but when they eventually leave, those patiently waiting waste no time for a quick dip.