As summertime rolls into fall, a new era of yard maintenance becomes the norm for many residents: Rake the leaves, cut back dead plants, and put up festive decorations.

But what do these routine actions mean for the wildlife in your neighborhood?

For the insects and animals looking for sustenance as they begin to brave the colder months ahead, those activities could impact their survival.

Before you begin manicuring your lawn this season, try these natural alternatives that can make all the difference in helping wildlife thrive.

Leaving Leaves

One of the simplest ways to make a positive difference in the local ecosystem is to not rake or blow away fallen leaves.

Audubon Connecticut Community Conservation Manager Ken Elkins, who is based at Bent of the River in Southbury, recommends people “leave the leaves, please.”

Many small invertebrates, such as earthworms, depend on eating the dead leaves during the fall.

The leaves also provide a refuge for various pollinators, such as hibernating bumblebee queens, butterflies, and moths, who use the leaves as shelter.

According to Elkins, the majority of moths and butterflies live through the winter in an egg or cocoon stage, but some overwinter as adults, like the Mourning Cloak butterfly — which is one of the first species spotted in the spring.

Fireflies overwinter as larva and pupa stages in the leaf litter and Elkins has seen firsthand the striking difference not removing fallen leaves makes come summertime.

“Because I leave my leaves in my backyard and my neighbors don’t, I have a much more dynamic firefly show in my backyard than my neighbors,” he said.

The more leaves that are left undisturbed means more potential for many creatures to survive into spring and beyond.

Keep Dead Flowers

In the fall, many people like to clean up their gardens, thinking the dead plants are nothing but an eyesore, but if we could see through the eyes of a bird we would find that those dead flowers hold a feast to help them get through the cold months.

“Most of the flowers have some sort of seeds in them,” Elkins said. “Many of our small songbirds will eat those seeds. Some [seeds] might be inconspicuous to you, but they still know that they are there.”

Not only do the flowers themselves hold vital sustenance, but they also attract birds’ favorite meals.

Elkins explained, “Some of the other flower heads and the dried-up leaves end up becoming little miniature shelters or wintering spots for some insects, and birds looks for that. So, then they are consistently looking through all those crevices and seed heads looking for bugs to eat, as well.”

An easy way to help provide this frequent food source is to keep dead flowers up over the fall and winter.

Elkins adds that October is not too late to do some gardening, too, and plant more perennials for next year with natural fertilizer.

For inspiration on what native plants make a bird-friendly yard, he recommends visiting audubon.org/native-plants for its specially curated database. It even includes a list of nurseries that supply native plants, because not all do.

Choose Plain Pumpkins

Autumn is prime time for pumpkin-everything, and many people choose to decorate their front steps and lawns with the popular orange gourd.

Whether people pick their own pumpkins from a field or from the nearest supermarket display, real pumpkins — like any food left outside — have the potential to attract wildlife looking for a snack.

Unfortunately for hungry, unsuspecting animals, some pumpkins have absorbed toxins that, if ingested, could be deadly to them.

In recent years, the trend of putting bleach on pumpkins has gained popularity and is touted as a way to preserve the pumpkin’s lifespan and prevent fungi from growing.

Pumpkins are also often used as art projects for children where they add paint and glitter to the outside.

Elkins says depending on the concentration of toxins ingested, animals can die from the poisoning or get severely sick and have their survival instincts compromised.

“If they are in a weakened state, they could choose to eat other things that aren’t great for them and are very likely to become food for predators, because predators are always looking for animals in a weakened state,” he said.

Experts are also aware that if one animal consumes something toxic and then is eaten by a larger animal, the poison has to ability to affect the food chain. A common example is rat poisoning, where rodents initially ingest the contaminant, then are eaten by birds of prey, such as hawks or owls, who then suffer and die from being poisoned by the rodent.

To avoid the possibility of poisoning wildlife, it is best to stick to keeping outdoor pumpkins as natural as possible.

If people choose to leave their pumpkins pure, Elkins says they can be turned into bird feeders when they are ready to dispose of them. For instructions on how to repurpose small pumpkins into bird feeders, visit audubon.org/news/pumpkin-bird-feeder-makes-happy-harvest-birds.

For large pumpkins, Elkins enjoys putting them on a prominent rock in his backyard and watching the variety of wildlife munch on the orange treat.

“Everyone would eat it,” he said. “It’s really nutritious for them.”

With that in mind, he says people should be mindful if there have been bears in the neighborhood and if so, understand that adding elements like bird feeders may not be a suitable option.

Water Accessibility

While adding a food source may not be ideal on all properties, Elkins says providing a water source is a great way to help wildlife.

“If you do not have a natural water source near you, keeping some sort of small bird bath is a great way of adding that other element… it completes the habitat of needs and suddenly more wildlife may be using your space,” he said.

While most birds can get out of deep water, it is more attractive to them if there are varying depths or the water is relatively shallow.

“We also say moving water is very attractive to birds, as well. So, using small fountains might work but usually the fountains have a deeper reservoir, and we need to put rocks in that keep the depth at a safer level for the birds,” Elkins said.

If people do choose to set up a water source and food source, Elkins says it is helpful to keep them relatively close to each other.

The cherry on top is to add the third element of cover nearby, which can be as simple as putting brush piles in the back of the yard.

“Sure we can provide food, but animals may not eat in your yard if they don’t feel safe,” Elkins said.

For more information about how to help wildlife this autumn, contact Audubon Connecticut Community Conservation Manager Ken Elkins at kenneth.elkins@audubon.org.