Why fall yard care could start with doing less – but not nothing

Fallen leaves, long treated as debris to be bagged and hauled off, actually form critical winter habitat for native bees, moths, fireflies and ground beetles, according to a researcher of yard ecology.

Up to 70% of native bee species nest in the ground or under leaf litter, and raking strips away the insulation, moisture and nutrients that trees spent all summer pumping into their foliage.

The recommended compromise: move leaves into garden beds rather than removing them, skip the mulching mower's high-velocity blades where possible, and wait until consistent 50-degree days before spring cleanup.

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