We have been talking about Climate Change for many years now. From the days of hearing about the hole in the ozone layer (remember that?), global warming (old term) has been on the radar pretty much consistently. Those of us who work in/with Nature are the canaries of Climate Change. We notice any anomaly that occurs in the environment.

Over the last few years, I’ve observed a diminished number of butterflies in the garden. My organically maintained garden full of butterfly magnets for plants used to see a diverse range of butterflies but now hosts fewer and fewer of them and that is cause for concern. Grave concern. I’ve spent countless hours trying to understand what’s happening. Was it something I said to put off the beloved visitors? Frivolity aside, I really have agonized over the situation. I’ve questioned every action taken and have failed to find an explanation. But, there are distinct possibilities.

Two things seem plausible. They are not really separate but rather belong to a cause and effect scenario. The first, is that a few years ago, a neighbor began using a landscaping service to spray their property with an ‘organic’ chemical to kill whatever ticks might be around. Now, any spray of any kind, from simple vinegar solutions to aforementioned organic solutions to synthetic inorganic compounds is never specific. They kill any vulnerable bug – good and bad. They are not bug specific. And while a property is being treated, the wind carries the spray well beyond the property lines. I have no doubt that over the years my garden has received its fair share of that organic application every two months during the growth seasons. Hence, adults, larvae or eggs of good insects have possibly been killed. A crying shame of a terrible loss.

Additionally, these neighbors actually do not garden at all. It’s all mostly closely cropped grass lawns. Nothing would want to or could live there! The way to keep the tick population down is to have lots of plants attractive to birds and other pollinators which would control those darn ticks. This logic completely eludes the neighbors. I also have great concern for the long term health consequences for their young children and dogs who play on the sprayed grass. It’s all very frustrating.

The other factor is of course the climate that is indeed changing. We’re all contending with milder winters, too much rain, too little rain, unprecedented heat, frequent and more fierce storms – all wildly alarming. As a result, the native flora and fauna that have co-evolved are thrown out of sync. Spring arrives ahead of schedule because of the warmer winter preceding it. Flowers bloom but they are earlier than expected and their specific pollinator are not present. They either have yet to return from their winter retreats or are still to awaken from their seasonal sleep.

This year, the milkweeds and several other plants bloomed too early – no doubt because of the very hot temperatures in June and July. Well before many butterflies show up. I have, to date, this season, noted only a couple of swallowtails and exactly one Monarch. Really sad.

Other plants are late to bloom. So the eternal optimist in me is hoping the butterflies will show up when those tardy flowers decide to perform.

And then, there is the sad fact that because of the prolonged heat wave(s), lack of timely rain followed by too much rain, all the nicely developing fruits such as apples, pears and persimmons have dropped off. Nary a fruit remains. I’m trying to understand how, if at all, to handle the shifting climate which, in truth, is a moving target. Any thoughts?

Meanwhile, the dreaded Spotted Lantern fly has reached my part of world. Ugh. Unsurprisingly, they were first seen on the Concord grapevine and were ruthlessly crushed right away. The bugs not the grapes. If the grape harvest will happen at all remains to be seen. The pests have been seen elsewhere in the garden as well. Again, vinegar or soap sprays are recommended but I’m not sure they will actually work because they must come in direct contact with the bugs. In which case, if I can actually see them, I might as well crush them and thereby prevent spraying any beneficial critters hanging around.

On inquiring how a couple of public gardens in my area are dealing with this particular pest, I’m told they vacuum them when they’re seen. Beyond that, they’ve noticed some predation but are awaiting for some sort of natural balance to occur. In my garden, we’re counting on the birds to come feast on the pests! So, we are back to saying that we must plant to support the beneficial wildlife!

Tried and true old fashioned knowledge and practices are going to have to be revived and made de rigueur.

(c) 2024 Shobha Vanchiswar

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