Did you know that there are some species of trees that are so good at supporting wildlife and our food webs that they are called “keystone” species? For instance, an Oak Tree can host 473 different species of butterflies and moths in their caterpillar stage. This is a jackpot for birds who on average provide over 500 caterpillars a day, the sole food source, to feed their chicks!!
In comparison, a non native tree like a Ginkgo that was brought over from Asia hosts zero caterpillars. Other keystone trees native to our region include Black Cherry (411) and Native Willow (399).
Planting flowers? Bushes? Want to help out our local pollinators? Goldenrod, Asters and native Strawberries along with others can be found on the National Audubon or National Wildlife websites. Type in “native plant finder” and your zip code.