Voices of the West; New Science on Life in the Garden

Did you know that oaks can harbor over 800 species of insects? That includes only those feeding directly on oak, where they feed on every part: bark, leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, and even between the layers of leaves. We don’t usually notice these insects, but we frequently spot the birds that feed on them. In addition to birds, spiders, and other arthropods, lizards, mammals, fungi, and many other organisms rely on oak-feeding insects for their own survival. Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) Credit: Hope SalzerEAST VS WESTReaders familiar with Doug Tallamy may conclude that I am sharing information gleaned from his books. His best-seller, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, makes a powerful argument for encouraging insects that feed on native plants in our gardens. In his recent book, Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees, Tallamy chronicles a year in the life of oaks in his yard. However, the introductory nugget of information about oaks came from Oaks of California, written by Bruce Pavlik et al.Doug Tallamy is an entomologist at the U...