Not all pests you find around your property are bad, in fact some are beneficial! Let’s take a look at some of the pests you want around your home.
- Frogs: A single frog can eat over 1,000 insects in just one season. Not only are they keeping your home bug free, but they also eat bugs that are harmful on your health. These pests include mosquitoes, fire ants and disease carrying flies. They’re also bio-indicators, meaning that they can tell you about the health of your lawn and garden. Having a plethora of frogs around your home is a good indication that your yard is in good health. Not to be mistaken by Bufo Toads, as those are dangerous around your home because they’re poisonous and can quickly kill a dog or cat if they got a hold of them.
- Lizards: Lizards are a great way to keep the insect population around your home at a low. They like to feed on small, disease carrying insects such as flies and crickets. Not to be mistaken by the invasive green iguana as those can cause damage to your yard, and have been known to have bad tempers.
- Dragonflies: Dragonflies are benign to humans, and very helpful for cutting down on insects that are not so harmless. This can help diminish diseases that are spread by mosquitoes, as they’re their number one prey.
- Lady Bugs: These bugs are considered a beneficial bug which helps rid an area of crop-damaging aphids, mealybugs, whitefly and other destructive insects. Lady bugs can eat 50-60 aphids a day. They will even lay their eggs among the aphids or other prey so their larvae can feed on them too.
- Bees: Bees are our number one plant pollinator, pollinating flowers, fruit and crops. 1/3 of the food that we consume each day relies on pollination mainly by bees, with over 80% of U.S. crops being dependent on honey bees.
- Garter Snakes: Garter snakes in the garden can be a good thing, as long as its not a large number. They like to eat insects that harm your plants, as well as mice.
- Earth Worms: Worms help increase the amount of air and water that gets into your soil. They break down organic matter into things that plants can use. When they feed, they leave behind castings that are a very valuable type of fertilizer, making your soil richer.
