Leamington Horticultural Society

10/05/2026

10/04/2026

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122320952684023150&id=61550694509985

Since 1970, North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds.

That number is difficult to imagine, but the real story is what happens underneath it. Birds depend on insects. Raptors depend on smaller birds and mammals. Remove one part of that system, and the effects can move through the entire food web.

A single chickadee family, for example, can consume thousands of caterpillars while raising a brood. Those insects are not simply pests waiting to be eliminated. They are food for birds, fuel for ecosystems, and an essential part of the cycle that keeps other species alive.

This is why a yard covered in chemicals can look healthy while supporting surprisingly little life. A perfectly trimmed lawn may be green and tidy, but a landscape filled with native plants can provide food and shelter for far more insects, birds, and other wildlife.

You don’t have to turn your entire yard into a wilderness. Start small. Plant native flowers and shrubs. Reduce unnecessary pesticide use. Leave some areas of the yard unmowed. Keep leaf litter and natural vegetation where appropriate. Connect small patches of habitat whenever possible.

When insects have places to live, birds have more opportunities to feed. When birds have enough food and nesting habitat, predators higher up the food web benefit too.

A healthy ecosystem isn’t built from the top down. It begins with the plants, soil, and insects at the foundation.

Sometimes helping wildlife doesn’t require doing something extraordinary.

It means leaving enough room for the rest of the food web to exist.

09/28/2026

New Species Profile! | English ivy is a popular choice for gardeners, but did you know that it is invasive?
It can pose a significant risk to other plants because it grows rapidly, can sprawl over 20 metres, and can root from a single node! Visit the link to view the species profile and learn more about English ivy! https://bit.ly/4yWPPjR