Welcome to the December Newsletter for the Teach A Person to Fish Society. Tis the Season of Giving! And we hope you will join us in celebrating the tremendous work that our volunteers and partners have accomplished this year. In the month of December, we received $12,312 in donations, which we supplemented and processed into $29,268 of in-kind donations, bringing our grand total of meals delivered to an unprecedented 5,397! Yes! You read those numbers correctly! That is a truly phenomenal amount of food being lovingly prepared in our TAPTF Society kitchen. Acts of kindness and support for others, remind us of the power we have to impact lives directly, and create ripples of goodwill that spread through communities. Thank you to our volunteers, supporters and our donors. Together we are doing great things.
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
-Helen Keller
Helping pollinators in the winter is crucial because many pollinators, like bees, butterflies, and other insects, rely on the colder months to rest, overwinter, or find shelter. During this time, their usual food sources are scarce, and they face increased vulnerability due to harsh weather conditions, predation, and habitat loss. By providing winter-friendly habitats and resources, we help ensure their survival through the winter, allowing them to thrive again when spring arrives. Here’s a few tips that can help your garden become a Winter Haven for our precious little pollinators.
Leave Dead Plant Stems and Seedheads Standing
Many pollinators, especially bees, overwinter in dead plant stems and seedheads. Plants like sunflowers, coneflowers, and asters provide important shelter and food sources for birds, insects, and other wildlife.
Provide Winter-Flowering Plants
Some plants bloom in late winter, providing essential nectar for pollinators, particularly early-flying bees. Look for winter-flowering plants like: Hellebores, Witch Hazel, Mahonia, Winter Aconite, Snowdrop, and Heather.
Plant Winter-Active Species for Spring Pollinators
Plan ahead by planting species that will flower early in the spring and provide early nectar for pollinators emerging after winter. Some good choices include: Crocus, Lungwort, Primrose, and Corydalis.
Create a Habitat Pile
Piles of wood, sticks, leaves, and other natural materials can provide winter shelter for insects. If you can create a small “habitat pile” or log pile at the edge of your garden, it will act as a refuge for insects and small pollinators during the winter and your new tenants will help your garden flourish in the spring.
Avoid A Tidy Garden
Resist the urge to tidy up everything for winter. Many pollinators, such as caterpillars, larvae, and bees, spend the colder months in garden debris. A “messy” garden in winter can be a sanctuary for them. Butterflies, like the Mourning Cloak, hibernate as adults or pupae during the winter. By leaving areas of your garden undisturbed, you help provide safe spots for these insects to overwinter. Fallen leaves provide shelter for small pollinators like ladybugs, moths, and some types of solitary bees. Avoid raking everything up! Let the lawn go long and wild with clovers, dandelions, and grasses that will provide food and shelter for pollinators even in cooler months. And leave the leaves for another day!
Ensuring pollinators survive through winter helps support our food system, our ecosystem, and our survival. By doing fewer chores in the winter, we can do more to protect these essential creatures!
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