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CANFIELD -- Winter has approached and we have hopefully retained some protective habitat for our pollinator insects. Creating and maintaining this habitat is essential for the coming summer's pollinators. In theory, the best practice is, in the fall, to do nothing at all.
Yet, we want our yards to look neat, but they should not be too neat. If leaves need to be raked, place them around dormant shrubs and other plant material which will keep the soil moist and provide nutrients to the plants throughout the winter.
In autumn, we think of the monarch butterfly migration to Mexico, but many of our moths and butterflies remain here in various stages. We are familiar with the wooly moth caterpillar which remains in diapause (a period of dormancy) throughout winter, but it is only one of many moth and butterfly caterpillars that spend winter here. They find an area to curl up under leaf litter and will emerge in spring. Eggs, larvae and pupa may remain in this diapause until spring, and fallen leaves provide shelter for their survival.
In addition, pollinator plants provide food and shelter for birds. Spent flower heads that have gone to seed will feed finches, sparrows and chick-a-dees among other birds during cold months. Sunflowers, asters, coneflowers, thistle, Queen Anne's lace and even goldenrod, when left intact, can provide food during the lean winter months. A beautiful landscape is created when it snows, with the flakes clinging to the seeds and stems.
Many adult insects die before or during our first frost, but by then they will have laid eggs that will hatch in spring and summer. These eggs are often laid in last year's flower stems, so keeping the stems will ensure the spring hatching of beneficial insects for our garden. Hollow stems such as milkweed, bee balm and Joe Pye weed help the bees overwinter by providing a space for them even if the stem is still standing or lying on the ground. When cleaning in spring, standing stems should be left, cutting them between 8 to 24 inches long to protect late emerging bees that may remain inside. The new growth stems will hide any previous year's stems as they grow taller.
According to Penn State University, leaving or creating a section of loose, undisturbed soil in a sunny area will help the bumble bee overwinter. Additionally, brush piles in a hidden corner also can create a safe space for insects.
Rocks, twigs, branches, old logs and wood should be at least 6 inches above ground, providing hiding places for birds, and on warm days they might even find some insects hiding among the rocks.
Consider these 'best practice' habits for a habitat-friendly garden and yard, if you have not already done so.
Listen to presentations by the experts and more to update your skills on habitat management for pollinators at http://go.osu.edu/winterhabitat.
Kane Shipka is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.