Susan is also blogging at GardenRant.Wildlife in the Garden
"Wildlife" is the word for critters we like; the ones we don't like we call "pests." Though sustainable gardeners have a pretty high tolerance for insects that may just be trying to get a decent meal in their garden.
Articles on this Site
- Turn your Garden Into a Wildlife Habitat is a whole-hearted endorsement of the National Wildlife Federation's plan to make our gardens — and our communities — more wildlife-friendly.
- Butterfly Gardening unravels the mysteries of "host plants," "nectar plants" and exactly what plants really attract the most species of butterflies.
- All about attracting hummingbirds — with feeders and with plants.
- How to make your own solitary Bee House by Lise Mahnke of Dry-Ideas.
- Worms — Nature's Composters is all about the amazing abilities of earthworms to turn your garbage into gold. It's called vermiculture, and it's actually fun.
- Organic Mosquito Control — Bats! is an affectionate look at these much-maligned but human-friendly critters. Great books for adults and kids, and bat houses for your very own yard.
- Okay, here's a "critter" we don't like: Mosquitos, and How Gardeners Deal with Them.
Stories from Garden Blogs
- Amy Stewart's article about frogs
- In this article Amy attempts to set the record straight about some alarmist anti-worm reporting.
- Check out Sure, Blame the Worms, Amy's reaction to worms being blamed for global warming.
- Blogger Michele Owens's family is seriously into bees.
- This article is about a wonderful talk I heard about Gardening for Wildlife.
Pollinating Bee News 
- Cornell's Craig Cramer on the disappearing honeybees and things we can do to help them.
- Good New York Times article about pollinating bees.
- Even big business loves bees, especially if the business if Ben & Jerry's.
- Then over on Dry Ideas learn how to build your own solitary bee house.
- Here's a great article about Gardening for Bees.
- Seems that bumblebees are in trouble, too.
Great Information in Print
- Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Wildlife
by the National Wildlife Federation. - Field Guide to North American Butterflies
by the National Audubon Society - Butterfly Gardening
The Xerces Society and the Smithsonian Institution - Taylor's Weekend Guide to Attracting Birds and Butterflies
- The Butterfly Gardener's Guide
from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Silent Spring
, the classic by Rachel Carson. - The Natural Habitat Garden
by Ken Druse, the leading writer in the back-to-nature gardening movement. - Projects for the Birder's Garden
by the Editors of Yankee Magazine. - Welcoming Habitat to the Garden
: Creating Backyard and Balcony Habitats for Wildlife - Creating Small Habitats for Wildlife in Your Garden
- The Earth Moved — On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms
by Amy Stewart (great book!) and her blog. - Worms Eat My Garbage
by Appelhof and her site Worm Woman - Diary of a Worm
is another good one for kids. - Worms Eat Our Garbage — Classroom Activities for a Better Environment
- Beginner's Guide to Bats
- Understanding Bats
- Walker's Bats of the World
- Bats in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book
Just for Kids
- Kids' Easy-To-Create Wildlife Habitats
- Wonderful Worms
- Little Lost Bat
by Markle and Marks - Pippa's First Summer
Badgley & Miljour - Boo, the Little Brown Bat
by Pifer - Bats at the Beach
by Lies - The Butterfly Book — a Kid's Guide to Attracting, Raising and Keeping Butterflies by Hamilton
More Good Info on Line
- The NWF released some Tip Sheets for Wildlife (in pdf) — about bird feeders, nesting boxes, attracting butterflies and more good stuff. And here's more expert advice about feeding birds in the winter from HGTV's ornithologist.
- NC State has a good compilation of information about wildlife.
- New tips from the National Wildlife Federation about backyard habitats.
- Guidance about feeding birds in the winter.