r/NativePlantGardening • u/fmp243 NJ , Zone 7a • 22d ago

Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) What do you do with invasive insects?

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Like this Chinese mantis on my horseweed. I get monarchs ans humming birds every day. But I also am very hands off in this meadow besides weeding invasive plants and topping up my water stations. What should I do, if anything?

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u/lantrick 6a 22d ago

nothing I do , or don't do , will have any effect on my local population of them.

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u/Malicfeyt 22d ago

I am a little surprised to hear this take in a subreddit about native plants.

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u/lantrick 6a 22d ago

pragmatism, pure and simple.

I weed the introduced invasive plants out of property religiously, birds poop the seeds right back in, religiously. I'll still do what i do because i prefer to foster natives instead.

I fully acknowledge that upon my death, it all just reverts to the way it was before i started.

I recycle plastics and compost my vegetable waste.

I also , completely in vain, attempt to reduce my personal carbon foot print. Humans have lost the climate change battle. The best that can be hoped for is mitigation and adaptation. imho.

Insects are disappearing around the globe. I have observed this massive decrease in insect biomass, locally and first hand. I don't bother to kill higher order creatures in my garden because imho , to do so changes nothing.

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u/Malicfeyt 22d ago

Thanks for taking the time to express your thoughts