Country Critters

Bugs & Varmints (The Good Guys)

By Pierre DeRouen

As anyone living on a Barndominium homestead in a rural setting knows, country living comes with a bit of wildlife in your environment. We may cringe to see insects and critters in our garden and landscape, but they aren’t all bad. In fact, 97% of insects we commonly see are considered either beneficial or harmless. There are insects and animals we may want to attract, or at least leave alone, so that they can help minimize pest infestations, improve soil health, handle pollination, and help our gardens thrive.

A diversity of creatures and critters in the yard—prey and predators—is a healthy sign. When you have the presence of damaging insects, beneficial predators can provide natural, effective protection. There are ways to lure these beneficials to your land and garden.

Let’s take a new look at some of the creatures that creep, crawl, slither and fly around our property in search of newfound appreciation for their visits.

Bees and other pollinators – Bees, a keystone species that have a tremendous impact on the ecosystem, are prolific pollinators. Hummingbirds and insects like butterflies and moths are excellent pollinators, too. By now, most people recognize that they are essential for helping plants bloom and bear fruit.

Aphids damage and can even destroy plants. They are also transmitters of viruses between plants. A good defense against these destructive bugs is to encourage plenty of aphid eaters. The good news is that there are many insects and their larvae that are ravenous aphid eaters. The larvae of beneficial insects such as bees, ladybeetles, lacewings, and hover flies will consume aphids, thrips, mealybugs, mites, and other troublemakers. Lacewing larvae can eat up to 600 aphids before becoming adults. Ground beetle larvae consume slugs, pest eggs and other insects. Some species of the adult lacewings and ground beetles continue aiding plant health by consuming bugs that are harmful to our harvests.

Worms can be your soil’s best friend. These wonderful, burrowing creatures are the engineers of the ground. Worms recycle nutrients and enrich the soil with nitrogen, phosphorus, and beneficial bacteria that give plants a healthy boost. As they channel through the earth, they loosen and aerate the soil and create open spaces for water to drain.

The natural instinct for some who find snakes in their yard is to kill them out of fear. However, most snakes pose no threat to humans and in fact can be very beneficial. Except in cases where venomous species of snakes such as copperheads, rattlesnakes, water moccasins and coral snakes are near your home, snakes should be celebrated for attacking the rodent population that can damage crops or spread disease. Learn how to identify poisonous snakes—many species look alike.

Bats are another creature that make some people squeamish. But according to the National Park Service (NPS), bats add several benefits to their ecosystems. Did you know that bats are the major predator of mosquitoes, and a single bat can eat up to 3,000 insects in one night? Per the NPS, bats “feast on insects each night, adding up to more than $3.7 billion worth of pest control each year in the U.S.”  Some also eat nectar and pollinate plants. 

Want to address the issue of slugs and snails wreaking havoc in your garden? Frogs and toads may be your answer. They dine heartily on slugs and snails—some toads can eat up to 10,000 bugs in one summer.

Spiders can also serve an important role as beneficial predators. There is generally no shortage of spiders which can be a good thing since most are harmless and are excellent at helping to manage the insect population in our yards and gardens.

Another creature in abundance are lizards. There are several types of lizards, but none are harmful to humans or pets. Lizards help get rid of unwanted insects. While it is uncommon, they can bite and may carry salmonella so, like most wildlife, it is best not to handle them. Instead, welcome these beneficial reptiles into your garden gladly knowing that they will prey on small insects such as flies, crickets, cockroaches, grubs, and grasshoppers. 

Oh, opossums! These marsupials are beneficial critters that eat a whole host of harmful, unwanted pests including snails, slugs, cockroaches, rats, mice, and venomous snakes. Lucky for humans, opossums are also thorough groomers, destroying nearly all the ticks that attach to their bodies. The National Wildlife Federation estimates that a single opossum may kill up to 4,000 ticks in one week—they “act like little vacuum cleaners when it comes to ticks, including those that can spread debilitating Lyme disease to humans and other animals.”

And the opossums themselves do not carry Lyme disease. Any mammal can get rabies. However, the chance of rabies in an opossum is extremely rare. In general, opossums are docile, non-aggressive nocturnal animals and will not attack humans, pets, or livestock. They prefer to escape and avoid confrontations, if possible. 

The challenge with opossums in the garden is they can tear up the ground scratching for their next meal. They have a keen sense of smell and will dig for insects below the surface. But, the tradeoff seems worth the disrupted soil as many of the grubs, bugs, and insects they dig for would be harmful to plants and harvests. Opossums also have a reputation for killing chickens and rummaging through trash. But typically, it is not a common occurrence, and the fix is fairly simple since opossums are opportunistic eaters. If you make it difficult for them to reach your flock or trash, they will likely move on to something that requires less work.

Help Them Help You

So now that we know which creepers and crawlers provide a power assist to our horticultural ambitions, what can be done to attract these beneficial creatures? Turns out, quite a lot. Transplanting beneficials into your landscape and garden is generally not the best approach, but they can be lured with the right inducements. 

One of the best things to attract beneficial insects is a variety of native plants. According to the U.S. Forest Service, native plants are “adapted to the local growing season, climate, and soils.” Providing shelter where animals can nest, take refuge from the elements, and seek protection from predators will attract them. Tall native grasses, ground cover plants, and evergreens work well as a habitat. 

In addition to native plants, ornamental flowers such as asters, goldenrod, sweet alyssum, daisies, and coneflowers will also attract beneficial insects, especially pollinators. It is important to choose a variety of plants that bloom at different times of the year so that a food supply is continuously available.

Add a pond or other water source into your landscape to encourage frogs, lizards, insects, and other wildlife to the area.

To attract bats, provide a home for them. Installing a tall bat house (at least 15 feet in the air) in a sunny location will help attract insect-devouring bats to your yard. Bats, like all wildlife, should not be handled. They usually shy away from humans, but will bite if provoked. Bats can attract other predators like hawks so be sure to secure your chicken coops.

Avoid the use of herbicides and pesticides that can be harmful to beneficial wildlife. If you choose to use a pesticide, try to avoid broad-spectrum chemicals, and instead look for products that are designed specifically for the pest you are trying to remove.

Keep in mind that food and shelter habitats may encourage some wildlife you prefer to avoid. To reduce these critters damaging your garden, keep a steady supply of plants, shrubs, trees, and vines that will provide palatable meals for them. Blooms, seeds, and berries provide a natural, sometimes preferred, food source. Also be aware that some beneficials like bats and opossums are prey for other predators like hawks and coyotes. It is a delicate balance. Consult your local agricultural extension office or parks and wildlife resource office for guidance.

Finally, remember that some pests are necessary as a food source for beneficial insects and some plant damage is natural in any ecosystem. Be tolerant of some of the natural behavior of plants, bugs, and animals. 

Creating the proper habitat involving food, water and shelter will attract beneficial insects and animals to your garden and landscape. Nature has provided us with a variety of landscape and garden helpmates. With a little effort and patience, you can create beautiful landscapes and abundant gardens in collaboration with nature.