A proud Redditor posted a video showcasing their journey to creating their native yard and pond — and the ample critters visiting it.
The four-minute video from their YouTube channel shows the delightful transformation of the outdoor space. It started with a little backyard pond and front yard prairie patch. By the end of the video, it's a bustling ecosystem.Â
The video includes captions detailing exciting milestones in the transformation. The gardener captured footage of an adorable owl that appeared shortly after they built the tiny pond. A caption read, "Before [the pond] was even finished, the birds were showing up." The video showed numerous small birds flitting around.
The journey continues, and the pond starts to welcome more and more creatures. The OP showed frogs with the caption, "Amphibians visited the pond by the second year."
But the daytime critters aren't the only ones who love the natural backyard. As night falls, lightning bugs show up to illuminate the space. It's an enchanting sight.
Bees, butterflies, dragonflies, owls, frogs, crows, and lightning bugs are just some of the animals that came around. Throughout the video, the gardener explains how this new ecosystem thrives. Dragonflies control the mosquito population. Pollinators help the flowers reproduce. Fallen leaves allow lightning bugs to survive winter.
In a comment, the OP explained, "I created this video to show to people why I am replacing my lawn — I'm trying to become a better native plant advocate." They highlight that curating a native garden isn't just good for the wildlife. It also benefits you and your community.Â
Pollinators are essential for maintaining and improving the human food supply. About 35% of food crops depend on pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Birds can help keep pest populations down. Frogs also eat slugs, snails, beetles, and other pests. This protects crops and gardens from being ravaged by hungry critters.
A thriving ecosystem like this one is a delicate balance. And it starts with native plants that can support wildlife.
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People in the comments were in awe. One person said, "It's wonderful [and] thrilling to see the animals show up on their own when you make a welcoming space for them."
Others shared the same sentiment, "It's amazing how quickly the wildlife returns." And many left comments about how excited they were to rewild their own yards.
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