OPINION — I love to watch the Gambel’s quail as they peck in the gravel outside my house. They are looking for insects, seeds, leaves and flowers.
Insects often lay eggs on leaves or in crevices, hoping for protection and nutrition. Blowing dead leaves into a pile then carting them away eliminates many insect eggs. If insect eggs don't grow up to become insects, then birds can go hungry and plants may not have pollinators.
In the Midwest, there’s a movement to “leave the leaves” in the fall. Let the leaves stay on the yard and do their thing.
