Stefan

“to the nest each trip, the pair would have brought in 812 caterpillars per day, or 4060 caterpillars in the five days Stewart watched the nest. The chicks he observed stayed in the nest only eight days before they fledged. These observations are not exceptional. Field researchers have watched bobolinks”
― Douglas W. Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard

“include perennial sunflowers (Helianthus spp.), various goldenrods (Solidago spp.), native willows (Salix spp.), asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), and blueberries (Vaccinium spp.). Including these plants in our gardens, along with the greatest diversity of native flowering plants we can muster, is our best defense against losing local native bee species.”
― Douglas W. Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard

“dominated landscapes twice a year. This makes rest stops such as the Terpstras’ yard essential for migrants, especially in large cities. And each stop, no matter its size, has ecological value. Margy and Dan have shown us all how effective one couple can be in their spare time. I cannot think of better role models.”
― Douglas W. Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard

“Millions of acres that are now lawn in the United States once supported the native herbaceous plants that fed lots of grasshoppers and crickets. Grasshoppers, despite their name, depend primarily on broadleaved forbs, while crickets mostly develop on dead plant material. In pursuit of our obsession for neat landscapes, we have eliminated both in too many places. Finally, areas overrun with invasive groundcovers such as Japanese stiltgrass, vinca, or English ivy wouldn’t support grasshoppers because the plants grasshoppers depend on have been replaced by species they cannot eat. We can bring grasshoppers and other insects back if we plant more of our private and public spaces with the native plant species they require.”
― Douglas W. Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard