Preserving Native Habitats in Louisiana

Spider on Sunflower & Black & Blue Damselfly by naturegirl7

Habitat, Habitat, Habitat.... If you plant it, they will come. To attract wildlife to your garden you must provide the 3 major requirements for the survival of any creature:

Food - in the form of plants (nectar, berry, and nut producing) and/or feeders.
Shelter/Cover/Nesting Sites - Evergreens are especially important for wintering Hummingbirds and natives are preferred nesting sites. Nest boxes can also be a pleasing addition to the garden or dead trees and limbs can be left standing.
Water - from a large pond to a birdbath, but dripping or moving water is most appealing.

Ruby-throated on Red Morning Glory & Giant Swallowtail Postcard by naturegirl7

Our property is a registered National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat (number 21325). We do everything possible to keep it natural and wild since natural wildlife habitats in the area are being destroyed at such a rapid pace. You don't have to have a large piece of property, even a small backyard can become a sanctuary for wild creatures.

Food can be provided in a number of ways. In our habitat we plant many low maintenance native and old-fashioned plants that provide nectar, berries, fruit and nuts while also sustaining insects, another source of food. We also supplement the natural diet with a number of different feeders.

Natural Food

Here are some of the creatures favorites:

Nectar Producing for Hummingbirds and Butterflies - Salvias, Indian Pink (Spigellia marilandica), Coral Honeysuckle (Lonceria sempervirens), Black-eyed Susan family (Rudbeckia spp.), Coreopsis, Morning Glory (Ipomoea spp.). See more at our Hummingbird Gardening and our Gardening to Attract and Sustain Butterflies lenses.

Berries, Fruit and Nuts - Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), Flowering Dogwood (Cornus floridia), Black Cherry ( Prunus serotina), Huckleberry and Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), Oak, Pecan and Hickory to name a few.

Supplemental Feeders

Sugar Water - Make your own mixture, using white, granulated sugar at 4 parts water to 1 part sugar (ex. 1 cup of water to 1/4 cup of sugar). No boiling is required, just mix until the sugar is dissolved. Store extra in the refrigerator. Soak the feeders in a mild bleach solution for an hour when they look moldy. Don't soak too long or the plastic and metal parts will become corroded.

Seed - We feed Sunflower, cracked and whole corn (mostly for the birds) and Golden Nuggets (for the mammals).

Suet - We make our own suet. A wide variety of birds visit our suet feeder. We put it out year-round, so we make a "no-melt" kind that can take the summer heat.

Home Made Suet

Mealworms for the Bluebirds

Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. The darkling beetle goes through four life-stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Larvae typically measure about 2.5cm or more, whereas adults are generally between 1.25 and 1.8cm in length.
Mealworms are used as a food source for reptile and avian pets. They are also put out for wild birds in bird feeders, particularly during the nesting season when birds are raising their young. They can be purchased at most pet stores and are also available via mail order and the internet. Mealworms are usually sold in a container with bran or oatmeal for food. Mealworm feeders are available on-line or you can make your own. Mealworms are easy to raise and many lessons can be learned during the process.

A variety of tall and understory, mostly native, trees and shrubs will provide places for the birds to seek shelter. Evergreens are especially good for winter shelter during cold weather. These trees and shrubs will also be used by most birds during the nesting season. But all birds and animals do not nest in shrubs and the branches of trees. Many either drill out a cavity in a rotten area of a tree or use one that another bird made. So we leave as many dead trees up as we can. We only take them down if they endanger structures or automobiles. Many of the cavity nesting birds will also use man-made nest boxes, so we maintain a nest box trail of about 30 nest boxes of various sizes that are used by a variety of birds on our property.

A source of water is extremely important in a backyard habitat. Dripping or running water is best, but a bird bath will do. Today there are a variety of water features that you can add to your garden. There are even solar powered pumps and some charge batteries so that they run, even when the sun is down. Misters are great for the birds, too. In fact ours flock to any area that we are watering to take advantage of the sprinkler.

Visit our Naturally Native Gallery.

Wildflowers of Louisiana Poster at Zazzle  Flying Squirrel Postcard at Zazzle
           
Winter Robin Poster at Zazzle.       River Turtles Postcard at Zazzle              
Screech Owl Postcard at Zazzle     Red Iris Postcard at Zazzle
        

Motto of the Baltimore Grotto