Wildlife Alert – Tiny Creatures in Your Backyard
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Most people know that our home landscapes can be wildlife habitat. Most people are familiar with the more charismatic wildlife in our area such as bear, deer, turkey, white squirrels and even groundhogs. However, most people do not realize the incredible tiny wildlife we may have in our landscapes. Nor do they realize how harmful some of our landscaping practices can be to these delicate creatures.
Tiny Wildlife In Your Backyard
Image SREL Herpetology
Creatures such as salamanders, lizards, box turtles, caterpillars, fireflies, beetles, etc. live in the leaf litter on our forest floors. Trees drop leaves each year building up a thick layer of rich organic matter on forest floors. This ‘duff’ layer is home to many creatures living out their lives protected by the moist leaf litter. Turtles of the High Country is a great article about the several species of turtles in WNC.
One of the easiest things you can do to make your landscape more environmentally friendly is to leave the leaves each fall. Many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals depend on the fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.
In fact, Henderson County is home to the unusual and rare blue ghost firefly. Blue ghost fireflies appear in our area for just two weeks or so each year. Blue ghost firefly males glow just over the ground looking like so many fairies dancing through the night. This unique display occurs from the beginning to the end of May as the male blue ghosts use their unique bluish white luminescence to attract a mate. Leaf litter is critical to this species because the female blue ghost firefly is wingless and lives in the leaf litter on the forest floor.
Protecting Tiny Wildlife In Your Backyard
How can you protect the diminutive creatures in your backyard? Start by doing less mowing and blowing.
- Keep existing woodlands intact and DO NOT CLEAR THE LEAVES OFF OF THE FORST FLOOR!
- Plant native trees and shrubs to form woodlands.
- Retain your leaves in the fall allowing them to accumulate year after year.
- Reduce activities in sensitive areas such as wetlands and stream sides.
- Maintain a 30′ buffer around streams.
- Allow a portion of the landscape to revert a native state.