Keep Haralson Beautiful

If you look close enough at the wild biodiversity of our county, you'll soon realize that plants and animals that seem exotic have close relatives in your backyard. Such is the case with the pitcher plant - Georgia is home to several native species of pitcher plant, including today's spotlight - S. flava, the yellow pitcher plant. One of several carnivorous plant species to use its nectar as a trap to lead unsuspecting insects into a pod full of sticky digestive enzymes, the yellow pitcher is one of many unique - yet vulnerable - species of plants near us. The use of pesticides and the increasing presence of other manmade toxins in the insect population has led to a decrease in the population of this fascinating flora in most areas outside of state parks, but it's not impossible to bring back. If you want to support local ecosystems, help the population of a native plant, and get some chemical-free pest control, consider planting a pitcher in your garden.

Don’t throw seasonal items like garden hoses in with your recyclables. Hoses get tangled in recycling equipment and pose a safety hazard to workers. Check locally for how to manage hoses and other seasonal items.

Butterfly w**d is a species of milkw**d that displays gorgeous coloration, attracts native pollinators to your garden, and is endemic to Georgia! If you're looking to see more of the invertebrate bloom that happens around this time of year, propagate a beautiful local wildflower, or simply add a splash of orange to your garden, butterfly w**d could be the perfect. choice. If you want to join our effort in maintaining our county's natura beauty, consider checking us out at keepharalsonbeautiful.org!
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High humidity and heat means the Summer months are the perfect time to see the myriad of incredible invertebrates Haralson has to offer - and these special myriapods are no exception! The American giant millipede (N. americanus) is the largest millipede in North America (it can get up to 4 inches in length!), and is a gentle giant among arthropods. They pose no danger to humans, or really anything larger than an ant, as they're near-exclusive detritivores - meaning they eat leaf litter, dead insects, etc. that we really don't want staying on the ground. They're most often seen in the Summer months, particularly in the evening - so if you want a chance to see these incredible creatures, now's the perfect time of year to lift up some rocks in your backyard and see what's hiding under them!
If you want to help us protect the incredible biodiversity of our county, please consider joining our efforts at keepharalsonbeautiful.org, including our trash cleanups to help keep important detritivores like these gentle giants from eating plastic or other things that could kill them.