Their long tongues and ability to feed while hovering allow them to access a greater variety of flowers. Sphinx moths are highly effective diurnal, or daytime, pollinators. The Hummingbird Clearwing ( Hemaris thybe), a species of sphynx moth, overwinters in leaf litter as a pupa.

Some species of insects found in leaf litter are pollinators animals that consume nectar and pollen and inadvertently move pollen from flower to flower, contributing to the reproduction of plants. They remain in the leaf litter until spring, when they hatch as nymphs. In the fall, adult females perch on tree branches and drop their eggs onto the forest floor below. Walking sticks, on the other hand, spend the winter as an egg. The Nine-spotted Ladybug ( Coccinella novemnotata) overwinters as an adult beetle in a state called diapause, a type of dormancy that slows respiration and pauses development until spring. Prior to decomposing, leaves serve as shelter for many insects throughout the cold winter months such as beetles (Coleoptera) and walking sticks (Phasmatodea). Removing leaf litter eliminates this natural source of nutrients that moves its way through the entire food web. This is called decomposition, where nitrogen is recycled from leaves back into the soil for plants to take up through their roots. Microbes get to work, breaking down the organic matter into smaller and smaller pieces which can then be consumed and excreted by a number of organisms such as wood lice, millipedes, snails, fly larvae, and earthworms.

This layer is called leaf litter, and it is teeming with life. In nature, leaves fall from deciduous trees and cover the forest floor. Others chose to leave their leaves where they landed, laying the groundwork for a hidden winter world in their yard. In response, many people incorporated leaf raking or blowing into their fall landscaping, creating piles by the roadside. Golden leaves drifted down from the trees, marking the arrival of autumn.

Hibernate animals insects