Douglas W. Tallamy is the author of Bringing Nature Home. He is professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware.
Tallamy has taught insect taxonomy, behavioral ecology for nearly three decades. His research has focused on better understanding the many ways insects interact with plants and how these interactions determine the diversity of animal communities.
Tallamy has taught insect taxonomy, behavioral ecology for nearly three decades. His research has focused on better understanding the many ways insects interact with plants and how these interactions determine the diversity of animal communities.
Bringing Nature Home, Tallamy's book is an invaluable resource and read for anyone trying to sustain wildlife with native plants.
"All plants are not created equal, particularly in their ability to support wildlife. Unless we restore native plants to our suburban ecosystem, the future of biodiversity in the United States is dim. We can no longer hope to coexist with other animals if we continue to wage war on their
homes and food supplies." Doug Tallamy
After reading Bringing Nature Home, I made the decision to fight invasive alien plants as if my life depended on it. I still have a love affair with daylilies, but I have chosen to plant over seventy five percent of our garden in native plants. Choosing not to use pesticides, removing the invasive buckthorn trees shading the native plants found growing within the forest floor, removing the phragmite plants in the surrounding wetlands and planting more native plants in our garden, my husband and I are enjoying the following list of birds, insects and animals within the boundaries of our yard.
- Cardinals
- Blue Jays
- Morning Doves
- Goldfinches
- Robins
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Bluebirds
- House Finch
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Purple Finch
- American Tree Swallow
- House Sparrow
- White Throated Sparrow
- Eastern Towhee
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Mallards
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- Ruby Throated Hummingbird
- Baltimore Oriole
- Ravens
- Crows
- Barred Owl
- Cooper's Hawk
- Blue Heron
- Sharp-Shinned Hawk
- Bats
- Grey Squirrels
- Red Squirrels
- Chipmunks
- Skunks
- Raccoons
- Possums
- White Tailed Deer
- Fox
- Rabbits
- Snapping Turtles
- Frogs, Spring Peepers
- Toads
- Numerous Varieties Butterflies
- Grasshoppers
- Snakes
- Walking Stick
- Numerous Varieties Bees
- Numerous Varieties Insects
Become empowered and part of the solution. Plant native plants, trees and shrubs. The success is up to each of us. One back yard at a time connected to a neighbors yard and another yard....
