Editor’s Note: Stittsville resident, Catherine Clysdale, has long been a proponent of the environment, and locally, the fate of our beavers in the Goulbourn Wetland Complex and other species at risk. She is a strong supporter of animal protection, wildlife and supports Friends of Stittsville Wetlands, as well as the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
A few years ago, my husband and I began our journey into pollinators. We had always been gardeners, but in recent years with more and more information becoming available about the plight of these critical insects, we considered what part we might play in changing the downward spiral. As most of us are aware by now, pollinators are the absolute MVP’s of life on Earth – quietly doing work that keeps ecosystems (and our dinner plates) functioning. Over the years we’ve learned there are little things we can do to make a big impact, from how we deal with fallen leaves, to the types of plants we have in our gardens, to how we handle mosquito control.
Later, as we were preparing to rake the fall leaves at our Stittsville home, my daughter said “David Suzuki says – Don’t rake the leaves”. Being a huge David Suzuki fan, I stopped and said, “Really?” I looked it up, and sure enough she was right. Trying to convince my husband to leave the leaves was another story. What? Our flower beds, garden, grass and whole yard have to be neat, orderly, perfect.
But it didn’t take long when we both discovered that the leaves weren’t just a messy decoration, they’re tiny winter homes for bees, butterflies, ladybugs, worms, and even songbirds. They provide shelter, food, and nurseries for creatures that need a safe place to survive the cold months. Leaving the leaves might seem like a tiny act, but it can have a surprisingly big impact. One leaf pile can shelter dozens of insects over the winter. A few fallen leaves and dried out brush here and there can feed birds, protect hibernating bees, and even improve soil health. Multiply that across thousands of yards, and you start to see how individual choices ripple into collective impact.[1]
Shortly thereafter, we heard an interview on the CBC radio discussing the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library. This amazing group of volunteers hosts weekly seed giveaways throughout the season. In 2024 alone they distributed over 100,000 packages of seeds from 265 native species to almost 5,000 community projects, schools, and individuals. And, when giveaways are finished, they open up to online orders and mail seeds for free.[2] We were hooked, and now every January we plant native seeds in containers and place them in snowbanks! I never dreamed they would survive, but sure enough, in the spring, the little shoots start to emerge.
In 2023, I discovered the Natural Edge program. I thought this would be perfect for our cottage on White Lake in the Kawarthas. As they say on their website “Protect your freshwater by restoring a natural shoreline. Throughout their lifetimes, over 90% of aquatic species use shorelines for food, shelter, breeding, and rearing areas. Protect your shoreline with native plants that are the best adapted to your region in Canada. Native plants help protect your property from erosion, reduce flood water damage, and improve water quality to enhance your shoreline’s resilience against climate change impacts.” Wow! I applied for this program immediately.
My most recent discovery is the negative impact that spraying for mosquitos has on pollinators. When I attended a webinar on Wildlife Friendly Fall Garden Care, sponsored by the David Suzuki Foundation and presented by Dorte Windmuller (www.pollinatorgarden.ca) I learned what’s actually happening when those pesticides are applied:
- Most mosquito and tick control services spray pyrethroids, which are synthetic derivatives of pyrethrins (a naturally occurring insecticide derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium). Just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s safe for people, pets, and the environment.
- Pyrethroids are highly toxic to all insects, including pollinator species.[3]
- Adult mosquitos live only about two weeks, and new larvae hatch constantly. This means spraying cannot be a one-time solution – it must be repeated frequently to have any impact.[4] Yet even with repeated applications, the results are disappointing. Why? Because mosquito predators are far more susceptible to pesticides than the mosquitos themselves. Kill dragonflies, fish, and other predators that naturally control mosquito populations, and you eliminate nature’s built-in solution.[5]
- Bees, butterflies, ladybugs, dragonflies, and thousands of other beneficial insects are killed on contact. The ripple effects include birds who rely on insects as the food source for their babies. When you spray for mosquitos, you’re also eliminating that food source, making it harder for birds to reproduce.[6]
- Because pyrethroids do not break down as quickly in the environment as pyrethrins, repeated spraying can result in accumulation in the environment.[7]
- Contaminated runoff from pyrethroid application near bodies of water poses a significant risk to aquatic species, and the risk is exacerbated by bio-accumulation of pyrethroids in sediment.[7]
- When mosquito and tick control services fog an area with pesticide, the majority of the pesticide spray goes into the air, creating harmful air pollution that can be inhaled by anyone nearby or downwind, including children or pets who might be playing in a neighbouring yard.
Instead of spraying, I realized there are safe and effective methods that help control mosquitoes, that don’t have the same negative impacts. The podcast Best practices around mosquitos, with Nancy Lawson, May 19, 2025[8] discusses this and more:
- Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Make sure to remove all sources of standing water. Check trays underneath pots, eavestroughs, empty containers, wheelbarrows–everywhere that water can accumulate. This simple measure goes a long way to preventing mosquito infestations.
- Rinse your birdbath every two to three days.
- If you are going to sit on a patio, put a fan on low. Mosquitos can’t fly in the wind.
- Prepare a bucket trap: Fill a bucket about half or three quarters full with water. Add a handful or two of straw or dried grass. Let it float and soak. Let it sit a few days to ferment – this smell attracts female mosquitos to lay eggs. Every 3-4 days dump water onto dry ground, then the eggs never hatch. Repeat.
- Try to avoid being outside an hour before or an hour after sunset.
For those of us who cherish our environment and in fact, our beautiful planet, this hits home. Spraying to kill mosquitos creates long-term ecological and health damage. The healthiest, most mosquito-resistant yard is one that supports pollinators, birds, bees, all the creatures that rely on our beautiful lakes and land, including humans.
[1] How fall yard maintenance can protect pollinators, October 2023, Greenpeace Canada
[2] Stittsville Central December 2, 2025
[3] Siegfried BD. Comparative toxicity of pyrethroid insecticides to terrestrial and aquatic insects. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Volume 12, Issue 9, 1 September 1993, Pages 1683–1689, https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620120917
[4] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency & CDC. (2020). What you need to know before spraying for mosquitoes. National Wildlife Federation. https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-you-need-to-know-before-spraying-for-mosquitoes
[5] Environmental Health. (2003). Field study: New York State mosquito population increased 15 times after 11 years of insecticide spraying. Journal for Mosquito Control
[6] National Wildlife Federation. (2025). What you need to know before spraying for mosquitoes. Retrieved from https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-you-need-to-know-before-spraying-for-mosquitoes
[7] Li H, Cheng F, Wei Y, Lydy MJ, You J. Global occurrence of pyrethroid insecticides in sediment and the associated toxicological effects on benthic invertebrates: An overview. J Hazard Mater. 2017;324(Pt B):258-271. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.10.056
[8] The podcast A Way to Garden with Margaret Roach – Best practices around mosquitos, with Nancy Lawson, May 19, 2025