Procrastinating yard work could help pollinators

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Warmer spring days are on the way, which means there’s plenty of yard work to do. But if you’re looking for an excuse to procrastinate -- waiting could help pollinators.

Experts say yard waste is the perfect hibernation spot for wild bees and other insects. They’re often buried in piles of leaves, pine needles, under the topsoil, or even in plant stems.

If you clean up early and temperatures dip, the bugs won’t have a place to hide from the cold and could die, which hurts the ecosystem as a whole.

“Pollinators are really important for our environment for a number of different reasons. They help with what are called pollination services. So, they help to carry nectar and pollen from one plant to another. It helps to improve biodiversity. and generally, if you like a beautiful garden, you want to make sure you provide the space for pollinators to thrive,” said Keyy Crowningshiled with ADK Action.

There’s no good way to tell if there are pollinators hiding in your yard or garden, so experts suggest waiting until temperatures are consistently above 50 for a week or more before taking care of your yard work.

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