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Suitable_Broccoli804 t1_isvnt28 wrote

Reply to comment by AvogadrosMoleSauce in This whole sub right now V3 by KJK998

#LeavetheLeaves: https://xerces.org/blog/leave-the-leaves

“Besides providing the right plants, and protecting your garden from pesticides, one of the next most valuable things you can do to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the winter cover they need in the form of fall leaves and standing dead plant material… the vast majority of butterflies and moths overwinter in the landscape as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult. In all but the warmest climates, these butterflies use leaf litter for winter cover. Great spangled fritillary and wooly bear caterpillars tuck themselves into a pile of leaves for protection from cold weather and predators. Red-banded hairstreaks lay their eggs on fallen oak leaves, which become the first food of the caterpillars when they emerge. Luna moths and swallowtail butterflies disguise their cocoons and chrysalises as dried leaves, blending in with the ‘real’ leaves”

🙂🦋🐝🐛

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asspirate420 t1_isvssrm wrote

i’m leaving them because i’m a lazy shit and also i like fireflies too

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Suitable_Broccoli804 t1_isw7mq2 wrote

You’re using your energy for better things- you’re helping fireflies and other critters that live in the leaves by leaving the leaves alone. Fallen leaves are very pretty anyway. I don’t think leaves on grass looks messy, especially ever since I learned how many invertebrates live in them… and this helps to feed the birds too…

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Tarantula_Saurus_Rex t1_isxd34b wrote

How do leaves help with fireflies?

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Suitable_Broccoli804 t1_isxh4z3 wrote

Fireflies lay their eggs in leaf litter. They are beetles and the larvae live in dead leaves. I just searched the internet about it and these are some articles/blogs about it:

https://mygreenmontgomery.org/2022/do-you-like-fireflies-leave-the-leaves-to-save-them/

https://www.dukefarms.org/making-an-impact/stewardship-at-home/creating-a-firefly-habitat/

https://hgic.clemson.edu/leave-the-leaves-for-the-fireflies/

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Tarantula_Saurus_Rex t1_iszu6yp wrote

Neato. A reason to avoid all my oak tree leaves!

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Suitable_Broccoli804 t1_it0sndg wrote

Oak trees are incredibly popular for hundreds of butterfly and moth species!

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Tarantula_Saurus_Rex t1_it1z76n wrote

Omg I know. I have this literal canopy of oak trees covering my cabin. On all sides of my house. They're huge, old, creeky, and super messy this time of year with twigs and tons of acorns. The amount of moths and butterflies around here is crazy. In the summer, every day, I have to scoop them out of my front vestibule by the dozens. I grab them all and put them in the grass because the birds see and come to eat them.

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burnthamt t1_isvzaae wrote

People rake the leaves so their lawn stays nice. r/NoLawns

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Suitable_Broccoli804 t1_isw6i46 wrote

r/NoLawns is great and growing in popularity over time. Glad that the lawn aesthetic is dying out, and that native plants that help pollinators are increasingly more and more popular.

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ThemesOfMurderBears t1_isya6a0 wrote

Since I've becoming a homeowner, there was one fall where I didn't touch the leaves. My wife had just had a back surgery, so I was on full time parent-and-home-duty -- all while still working.

Come spring, my lawn was pretty much completely clear of leaves anyway.

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Determined_Cucumber t1_iswwo9c wrote

Well if anything I’m at least gonna rake my driveway. I can’t even see the entrance anymore.

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TheBlueSapphire t1_isy77ud wrote

I would to leave the leaves but the only problem that i have is it will damage my lawn and I get a patchy lawn. I usually mulch the leaves this way I don’t have to throw leaves away and its a good fert as well

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Suitable_Broccoli804 t1_isybs2f wrote

Yes, leaves are good fertilizer. Personally, I think perfect looking/golf course/ country club-looking lawns have become less attractive the more I have learned about the amount of chemicals, monoculture, and destruction of natural landscape that is involved in the maintenance of a certain aesthetic. Maybe the patches in your lawn really aren’t a big deal to most people, but yeah I guess many people learned that their yard is supposed to look a certain way (according to some people). I just hope that people over time care to help out invertebrates because I’ve noticed a massive decline in fireflies and insects in general over my lifetime. 🍂🍁🪲🐛🦋 I miss the fireflies and other insects that used to fly up to lights outside at night… there aren’t as many anymore.

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