Hold off on clearing leaves and cutting back stems in early spring—many pollinators and beneficial insects are still sleeping. Waiting just a few extra weeks gives native bees, butterflies, and other helpful critters time to safely emerge from their winter homes.
Spring Chores Can Wait—The Bugs Are Still Snoozing!
We know the feeling: Those first warm days of spring arrive, and you're ready to grab your rake, tidy the beds, and welcome in the growing season. But before you clear those leaves or trim down last year's stems, hit the pause button!
Many of our most important pollinators and pest-controlling insects are still hibernating inside hollow stems, under leaf litter, and tucked into garden mulch. If you clean too early, you might be unknowingly tossing out or disturbing native bees, butterflies, ladybugs, and more before they've had a chance to wake up and get to work in your garden.
How Long Should You Wait?
A good rule of thumb? Wait until temperatures are consistently above 50°F (10°C) during the day for at least a week or two. This generally occurs in mid to late spring, depending on your zone.
If you see dandelions blooming, that's nature's signal that pollinators are waking up—and it's likely safe to start cleaning up gently.
Why It Matters: Who's Sleeping in Your Garden? (And Where They're Hiding)
Before you reach for the rake or pruners, take a moment to imagine the tiny world beneath those leaves and inside those stems. Here's how some of your favorite beneficial insects are using your garden as a cozy winter retreat:
- Native Bees
Over 70% of native bee species nest in the ground, while many others like Mason Bees and Leafcutter Bees lay their eggs in the hollow stems of perennials and grasses. These bees seal their egg chambers and overwinter inside, emerging when temperatures rise in spring.
What they need: Hollow or pithy plant stems like Coneflowers, Joe-Pye Weed, Peony, and Yarrow left standing until at least late spring.
- Butterflies & Moths
Some butterflies like Mourning Cloaks and Question Marks overwinter as adults in leaf litter, bark, or tucked between rocks. Others, like Swallowtails or Skippers, spend the cold months as chrysalises attached to stems or twigs—often camouflaged as leaves themselves and easy to mistake for debris.
What they need: Undisturbed leaf piles and untrimmed stems from last year's flowers or shrubs.
- Ladybugs (Lady Beetles)
These aphid-eating champions gather in groups to overwinter under mulch, garden debris, or tucked into the base of perennial plants. Come spring, they'll emerge hungry and ready to clean up soft-bodied pests.
What they need: Loose mulch, leaf litter, and protected spots at the base of plants or garden corners.
- Lacewings
Known for their appetite for aphids, lacewings lay eggs on plant material in summer and often overwinter in leaf litter or curled bark as pupae or adults.
What they need: Undisturbed plant material and cozy mulch beds.
These nostalgic garden favorites spend most of their life cycle in larval form, crawling through the soil and leaf litter, where they feed on slugs and other soft-bodied pests. They lay eggs and overwinter in moist, undisturbed ground and organic matter.
What they need: Damp leaf piles and shaded soil free from heavy foot traffic or disturbance.
If your garden includes a pond, fountain, or water feature, it's not just a beautiful focal point—it's also an important nursery for aquatic insects, especially dragonflies and damselflies.
These dazzling aerial predators start life underwater as larvae (nymphs) and can spend months to several years in that stage before emerging to transform into their adult form. Early spring cleanup can disturb or destroy these beneficial insects before they've had a chance to mature and take flight.
Dragonfly nymphs overwinter in the mud, pond debris, or attached to submerged plants, waiting for the water to warm before emerging in late spring to early summer.
Wait until water temperatures are consistently above 50–55°F (10–13°C)—usually mid to late spring, depending on your region. This gives nymphs time to develop and begin their metamorphosis.
How to Clean Water Features Without Harming Beneficials
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Clean gently and selectively. Avoid full drain-outs unless absolutely necessary. Skim surface debris, but leave some settled organic matter alone.
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Use a net or rake carefully to remove large debris while checking for wiggling nymphs—release them back into the water if found.
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Leave some submerged vegetation intact for larvae to cling to as they prepare to emerge.
- Avoid pressure-washing rocks or liners, which can destroy eggs and tiny nymphs hiding in crevices.
By waiting a few extra weeks and being mindful of how you clean your water features, you'll help support dragonfly populations, which in turn help control mosquitoes and balance your backyard ecosystem.
What You Can Do Now (Without Disturbing Sleepers)
Leaving your garden a little “messy” just a few weeks longer gives these beneficial insects the safe haven they need to survive winter and do the important work of pollination and pest control when spring arrives.
Many of these beneficial bugs are invisible to the naked eye when tucked away or blend in masterfully with their camouflage. Leaving last year's stems and a soft mulch of leaves intact just a few weeks longer can make a big difference in biodiversity.
While you wait for the all-clear, here are some garden-friendly ways to ease into the season:
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Focus on planning and planting cool-season crops or spring bulbs
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Cut back only the tallest or floppy/broken stems if they're a safety issue, leaving a good portion intact for now
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Gently rake paths or turf only—not garden beds
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Start composting and prepping new mulch or soil amendments
- Watch for insect activity—when bees start buzzing, cleanup can begin!
Teamwork Makes the Garden Bloom
Spring cleanup doesn't have to happen all at once. Stagger your tidying over a few weeks, starting with areas that get the most sun (which warm up fastest) and saving shadier spots for later. This gives insects the cue to emerge naturally and avoids shocking your garden ecosystem.
Make your garden one that gives back! Your garden isn't just a collection of plants—it's an ecosystem. By waiting a little longer to clean up, you're creating a welcoming, pollinator-friendly habitat that supports biodiversity and stronger plants all season long.
Be gentle with your spring cleanup, and your garden (and the bees!) will thank you.
Happy Planting!
