May is Gardening for Wildlife Month, and I’d like to take the opportunity to remind people that the term wildlife encompasses more than just birds and butterflies.  Too often, when people think about wildlife or biodiversity in their garden, those two groups are the only things that come to mind.  But of course there are many, many other types of animal that can be found in a healthy garden.

Bees have been in the news quite a bit recently here in Minnesota, mostly due to their declining numbers and colony collapse disorder.  Because of this news coverage, more and more people are aware of the crucial role bees play as pollinators, and the need to provide them with plenty of safe nectar plants throughout the summer.  When it comes to bees, a safe nectar plant usually means one that hasn’t been treated with a systemic pesticide, which can get into all the plant’s tissue and prove fatal to bees.  But bees aren’t the only species affected by pesticides.  All pollinators, including butterflies, flies, and beetles can be harmed by pesticides in your garden, so take extra caution to ensure that you’re not buying plants that have been pre-treated with pesticides, and minimize your own use of them as well.

Amphibians, like frogs and toads, are also incredibly sensitive to pesticides and other chemicals.  Many people don’t immediately think of frogs as something they’d encounter in their garden, but depending on the landscape, they could be plentiful.  If you want to make your garden a safe haven for frogs, eliminate sources of pesticides, and make sure there is plenty of water.  Rain gardens and small ponds make terrific habitat for many frog species.

In addition to insects and amphibians, you will doubtless encounter mammals in your garden.  Many gardeners dislike the mammals they find in their gardens.  Rabbits and chipmunks will not only eat your vegetables, they’ll also dig holes.  Deer, opossums, and raccoons can trample your plants and raid your vegetable gardens, but these animals need to live somewhere, and if they are visiting your garden it is probably a sign that it is healthy and flourishing.  Fences can keep animal visitors away from anything you really want to protect, and spreading cinnamon, pepper flakes, or human hair can be very effective at keeping some pests away (both mammals and insects).  Furthermore, many people find that eliminating the traditional vegetable row garden and planting intermixed flowers, bushes, and vegetables throughout the yard minimizes the negative impact of animal visitors.  After all, it is harder to decimate an entire crop of peas or spinach when it is spread throughout many parts of the yard, compared to all planted in one easy-to-access row.

If you want to know more about gardening for wildlife, ask a local Master Gardener, or check out some of the websites below:

http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips.aspx
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/gardening.shtml
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/gardening_wildlife.html