Latest news with #Tallamy
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Marginal Way Centennial Talk series: Experts help Ogunquit tune into nature
OGUNQUIT, Maine — Biodiversity loss and bird migration take center stage this month as two acclaimed scientists visit Ogunquit to share insights on preserving the natural world as part of the Marginal Way's Centennial Talk series. On Monday, June 23, entomologist and author Doug Tallamy returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse for a 7 p.m. presentation titled 'Nature's Best Hope.' Tallamy, well known for his 2016 talk 'Bringing Nature Home,' will emphasize the urgent need to restore biodiversity as global insect and bird populations decline at alarming rates. In his new book 'How Can I Help,' Tallamy offers practical steps individuals can take to support native ecosystems— starting in their own backyards. Tallamy is also behind the grassroots conservation movement Homegrown National Park, which aims to restore 20 million acres of habitat using native plants. Tallamy's presentation is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with lobby displays by Maine Audubon, the Wild Seed Project, Master Gardeners of York County, the Marginal Way Committee, and the Marginal Way Preservation Fund. Tallamy's books will be available for purchase and signing before the presentation. On Thursday, June 26, the series concludes with 'A World on the Wing,' a talk by acclaimed ornithologist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Scott Weidensaul at the Barn Gallery on Shore Road and Bourne Road. His 7 p.m. presentation will describe the science and wonder of global bird migration – 'the navigational and physiological feats that enable birds to cross immense oceans, fly above the highest mountains, or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch.' Weidensaul, who has tracked birds since his youth, now contributes to research using miniature tracking devices and global datasets such as Cornell's eBird. His current work with the Motus Wildlife Tracking System reveals real-time migratory patterns—even for hummingbirds and dragonflies. Birds are what connected Weidensaul to Marginal Way. His first visits to Ogunquit were with 'birding friends who knew it well, watching harlequin ducks and loons on blustery late-winter days.' What advice does Weidensaul have for those entrusted to care for the Marginal Way? 'Don't let it become too tidy or manicured,' he said. 'If you do it will lose some of its charm but also its value as a habitat for all the small birds that use the thickets and nooks. Nature likes a bit of a mess.' The final Centennial Talk also includes a book signing and is free with unreserved seating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information about either event, contact ogtnativeplants@ This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Marginal Way Centennial Talk series: Experts help Ogunquit tune into nature
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
If You Love Moths (and You Should), Replace Your Porch Light With Something Better
If you care about the environment, you should care about moths. 'Without them, we would disappear from this planet in short order,' says Doug Tallamy, entomologist and author of several books about creating insect-friendly backyards. That's because insects, including moths, pollinate plants and feed other animals, especially birds and bats, which makes them a key part of the ecosystem. Moth caterpillars make up most of the diet of young birds, so without moths, there would be fewer chickadees, robins, and bluebirds in yards and parks. Bird populations are on the decline already; the United States has lost about 3 billion birds in the past 50 years. The world, meanwhile, is experiencing a massive decline in insect populations. 'Light pollution is one of the major causes of insect decline,' said Tallamy, alongside other factors including habitat loss and pesticides. Scientists believe that in nature, nighttime insects orient themselves to the ultraviolet light from the moon. In artificial lights, it's the blue wavelengths that mislead them. Left: My porch lamp at full white brightness. Right: Adjusting it to a warm yellow or orange doesn't impact how clearly I can see but saves a lot of moth lives. Grant Clauser/NYT Wirecutter So simply changing your lights from white and blue wavelengths to yellow ones can save countless insect lives. After I switched my front and back porches from bright white to orangey-yellow, I stopped seeing insects swirling around my lamps like a mosh pit. And there's evidence to back up the theory: A 2016 study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference showed that warm-toned LED lights attracted significantly fewer insects than incandescent or fluorescent lights. Smart bulbs allow you to turn down the blue wavelengths, offering your moth friends a yellow light that is still bright enough for you to see by but won't turn your lamp into a Death Star. You can opt for either white tone-adjustable bulbs, which allow you to tune the light from cool white to warmer hues, or 100% color-adjustable bulbs, which are capable of producing millions of colors. The color-adjustment feature looks slightly different in each smart-bulb app. Choose either a warm yellow or a white that's less than 3,000 K. WiZ app for iOS, LIFX app for iOS, Wyze app for iOS Not all smart-bulb apps display color temperatures (as the app for our top-pick WiZ bulb does), but if yours does, it's best to select 3,000 K or lower, as the DarkSky Project, an advocacy group focused on the effects of light pollution on humans and wildlife, recommends. However, a warm yellow or orange light isn't the best for reading. When I want to sit outside in the evening to read a book, I use the Wirecutter-recommended Glocusent Bookmark Style Reading Light for supplemental light and leave the porch light in bug-safe mode.
San Francisco Chronicle
22-04-2025
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Oaks excel at supporting the food web (including us). Arbor Day is a reason to plant one
In 1872, a Nebraska newspaper editor and tree lover named J. Sterling Morton proposed dedicating a day to planting trees in his home state. The idea, shall we say, took root. That year, April 10 became the first organized Arbor Day, and approximately 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska. Two years later, Nebraska Gov. Robert Furnas proclaimed April 10 the state's Arbor Day. Other states soon set their own Arbor Day dates to coincide with the best time to plant trees there. And in 1970, President Richard Nixon declared the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day, although many states continue to observe their own, which sometimes align with the national holiday. If you plan to plant a tree this year, why not consider an oak? 'An oak is the best tree to choose because it is the No. 1 plant for supporting the food web, ' says University of Delaware entomologist and native plants champion Doug Tallamy, the New York Times bestselling author whose books include 'The Nature of Oaks.' 'Plants capture energy from the sun and, through photosynthesis, turn it into food — simple sugars and carbohydrates — that supports all the animals on the planet,' Tallamy explained. 'All life on Earth comes from energy provided by the sun,' he said. 'But we can't eat the sun. Plants allow us to do that. We're essentially eating energy from the sun because plants capture that energy and turn it into food — and oaks are the ones that share the most energy with other living things.' One reason oaks are so beneficial to the ecosystem is because, as native plants, they evolved alongside native insects, so those insects recognize them as food, Tallamy said. Oaks also belong to a large genus that's been around for 56 million years, so wildlife has had a lot of time to adapt to them. In all, there are 91 species of oaks across North America, so, he said, insects from coast to coast have adapted to them. 'A lot of people think they don't have a property big enough for an oak,' Tallamy said, 'but there are dwarf oaks, like Quercus prinoides, a dwarf chestnut oak. And as you go farther west, there are a lot more dwarf oaks' to choose from. Which oak do you want? When selecting any plant for your property, it's important to put the right plant in the right place. So Tallamy advises matching up your soil type and growing conditions with an appropriate oak species. 'Some oaks like acidic soil,' he said. 'There are oaks that like base soil. There are oaks that like rocky outcrops and ones that like bottomland.' Consider, too, your hardiness zone and the sunlight exposure of the site. 'If you put an oak in the front yard in the mid-Atlantic states, for example, it's going to support 557 species of caterpillars, and all of those are crucial food sources for birds,' Tallamy said. And I can't think of a better reason to plant an oak this Arbor Day. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___
The Independent
22-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Oaks excel at supporting the food web (including us). Arbor Day is a reason to plant one
In 1872, a Nebraska newspaper editor and tree lover named J. Sterling Morton proposed dedicating a day to planting trees in his home state. The idea, shall we say, took root. That year, April 10 became the first organized Arbor Day, and approximately 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska. Two years later, Nebraska Gov. Robert Furnas proclaimed April 10 the state's Arbor Day. Other states soon set their own Arbor Day dates to coincide with the best time to plant trees there. And in 1970, President Richard Nixon declared the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day, although many states continue to observe their own, which sometimes align with the national holiday. If you plan to plant a tree this year, why not consider an oak? 'An oak is the best tree to choose because it is the No. 1 plant for supporting the food web, ' says University of Delaware entomologist and native plants champion Doug Tallamy, the New York Times bestselling author whose books include 'The Nature of Oaks.' ' Plants capture energy from the sun and, through photosynthesis, turn it into food — simple sugars and carbohydrates — that supports all the animals on the planet,' Tallamy explained. 'All life on Earth comes from energy provided by the sun,' he said. 'But we can't eat the sun. Plants allow us to do that. We're essentially eating energy from the sun because plants capture that energy and turn it into food — and oaks are the ones that share the most energy with other living things.' One reason oaks are so beneficial to the ecosystem is because, as native plants, they evolved alongside native insects, so those insects recognize them as food, Tallamy said. Oaks also belong to a large genus that's been around for 56 million years, so wildlife has had a lot of time to adapt to them. In all, there are 91 species of oaks across North America, so, he said, insects from coast to coast have adapted to them. 'A lot of people think they don't have a property big enough for an oak,' Tallamy said, 'but there are dwarf oaks, like Quercus prinoides, a dwarf chestnut oak. And as you go farther west, there are a lot more dwarf oaks' to choose from. Which oak do you want? When selecting any plant for your property, it's important to put the right plant in the right place. So Tallamy advises matching up your soil type and growing conditions with an appropriate oak species. 'Some oaks like acidic soil,' he said. 'There are oaks that like base soil. There are oaks that like rocky outcrops and ones that like bottomland.' Consider, too, your hardiness zone and the sunlight exposure of the site. 'If you put an oak in the front yard in the mid-Atlantic states, for example, it's going to support 557 species of caterpillars, and all of those are crucial food sources for birds,' Tallamy said. And I can't think of a better reason to plant an oak this Arbor Day. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
Associated Press
22-04-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Oaks excel at supporting the food web (including us). Arbor Day is a reason to plant one
In 1872, a Nebraska newspaper editor and tree lover named J. Sterling Morton proposed dedicating a day to planting trees in his home state. The idea, shall we say, took root. That year, April 10 became the first organized Arbor Day, and approximately 1 million trees were planted in Nebraska. Two years later, Nebraska Gov. Robert Furnas proclaimed April 10 the state's Arbor Day. Other states soon set their own Arbor Day dates to coincide with the best time to plant trees there. And in 1970, President Richard Nixon declared the last Friday in April as National Arbor Day, although many states continue to observe their own, which sometimes align with the national holiday. If you plan to plant a tree this year, why not consider an oak? 'An oak is the best tree to choose because it is the No. 1 plant for supporting the food web, ' says University of Delaware entomologist and native plants champion Doug Tallamy, the New York Times bestselling author whose books include 'The Nature of Oaks.' 'Plants capture energy from the sun and, through photosynthesis, turn it into food — simple sugars and carbohydrates — that supports all the animals on the planet,' Tallamy explained. 'All life on Earth comes from energy provided by the sun,' he said. 'But we can't eat the sun. Plants allow us to do that. We're essentially eating energy from the sun because plants capture that energy and turn it into food — and oaks are the ones that share the most energy with other living things.' One reason oaks are so beneficial to the ecosystem is because, as native plants, they evolved alongside native insects, so those insects recognize them as food, Tallamy said. Oaks also belong to a large genus that's been around for 56 million years, so wildlife has had a lot of time to adapt to them. In all, there are 91 species of oaks across North America, so, he said, insects from coast to coast have adapted to them. 'A lot of people think they don't have a property big enough for an oak,' Tallamy said, 'but there are dwarf oaks, like Quercus prinoides, a dwarf chestnut oak. And as you go farther west, there are a lot more dwarf oaks' to choose from. Which oak do you want?When selecting any plant for your property, it's important to put the right plant in the right place. So Tallamy advises matching up your soil type and growing conditions with an appropriate oak species. 'Some oaks like acidic soil,' he said. 'There are oaks that like base soil. There are oaks that like rocky outcrops and ones that like bottomland.' Consider, too, your hardiness zone and the sunlight exposure of the site. 'If you put an oak in the front yard in the mid-Atlantic states, for example, it's going to support 557 species of caterpillars, and all of those are crucial food sources for birds,' Tallamy said. And I can't think of a better reason to plant an oak this Arbor Day. ___ Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. ___ For more AP gardening stories, go to
