That’s why Jessica Damiano, a well-acclaimed gardening columnist for the Associated Press—like, super famous—calls trees the caterpillar’s best friend. These caterpillars are vital to a diverse and rich food web. It’s that level of passion and insight that makes her such a powerful force in the garden education space. She imparts this wisdom through her award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. Subscribers can access her gardening tips and advice by visiting https://jessicadamiano.substack.com/.
In her latest presentations, Damiano emphasizes the importance of crafting an optimal microhabitat underneath trees and other structures to nurture caterpillar development. Doug Tallamy is a distinguished entomologist and the author of Nature’s Best Hope and Bringing Nature Home. He powerfully reinforces her assertions by highlighting the critically important role of our native trees. He reminds us that these trees are the ones creating the caterpillars that form the basis of local ecosystems.
Caterpillars, Tallamy notes, fall from trees and pupate in the soil. The landscaping decisions we make under these trees have a big impact on whether or not these caterpillars will make it to adulthood.
“But those caterpillars drop from the tree and they pupate in the ground. And how we landscape under those trees determines whether or not those caterpillars will survive,” – Doug Tallamy.
To foster caterpillar success, Tallamy recommends making wide, uncompacted soils around trees. He cautions that constant foot traffic or regular mowing of these strips may negatively impact the delicate, young insects.
“We want uncompacted areas where we’re not walking, which means (planting) beds around our trees. If you’re mowing or walking under them, you’re squishing all those caterpillars,” – Doug Tallamy.
Instead, Tallamy urges gardeners to make selections that best fortify the food chain. Through it, they can prioritize that their decisions give power to a wealth of life. He argues that selecting appropriate plants is probably the most significant thing people can do to cultivate biodiversity in residential yards.
“Choose plants that are going to support the food web, the ones that will share the most energy with other living things,” – Doug Tallamy.
By understanding the delicate relationship between trees and caterpillars, gardeners can take actionable steps to create a more hospitable environment for these vital insects. Damiano’s work serves as an important reminder of the interconnectedness of all living systems and the role individual gardeners play in promoting ecological health.
