Soft landings are diverse native plantings under native trees, especially keystone trees. They provide shelter and habitat for one or more life cycle stages of moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera), and beneficial insects such as bumblebees, fireflies, and lacewings.
After feeding in the tree canopy, some caterpillars disperse from the tree to pupate in the ground or in leaf litter beneath it. If there's only compacted, regularly mowed turfgrass below, they have nowhere to go.
A soft landing provides caterpillars with the necessary refuge and habitat to pupate, while providing food and shelter for many other beneficial insects.
Soft landings concept developed by Heather Holm(opens in new tab) and Neighborhood Greening(opens in new tab) in consultation with Desiree Narango, Ph.D(opens in new tab).
To learn more about soft landings and how to add them to your landscape go to the Homegrown National Park website. This site also contains information on the extraordinary caterpillars, mosquito bucket challenge (a way to help control mosquitos without fogging), biodiversity crisis, Nature of Oaks and more through videos. Go to https:www.tinyurl/sftlandings
