People love fixing up their yards with a little water feature here & a cozy deck there. But a lot of these projects, unfortunately, encourage wildlife to come into your garden. Here are twelve backyard projects that attract critters. Which of these have you experienced?
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock.
Unscreened rain barrels
Any rain barrels that you leave open are going to turn into bug nurseries. Mosquitoes only need a bit of still water to get going & it won’t take long before they have a full swarm. But a fine mesh screen or a snug lid will stop them rather quickly. Without one, they’ll breed like crazy in warm weather, which you certainly don’t want happening.
Overstuffed bee hotels
While people love bee hotels, cramming them with soft tubes & not doing maintenance on them is a bad idea. It essentially becomes an apartment complex for mites & parasitic wasps, as well as spiders, and you need to do seasonal cleanup to avoid this. It’s better to create fewer holes with sturdier blocks while also rotating out used tubes every year.
Ground-level decks without skirting
A gap under a low deck may not look like much, but it’s an invitation for raccoons & skunks to move in. Don’t forget about woodchucks. And as soon as they start living there, it’s hard to get rid of them, which is why you should try including trench screens or an L-shaped footer around the base.
Shallow backyard fish ponds
You may think that raccoons can’t fish. But you’d be wrong because they absolutely can, and a pond that has wide shallow edges & sits still will encourage them to wade right in. Herons also love an easy snack. To avoid this, you should build steep sides or netting, while also making sure to circulate the water to keep mosquitoes from laying eggs along the edges.
Outdoor kitchens and greasy grills
All that tasty smoke & leftover grease on an outdoor kitchen is a bad idea. Animals like raccoons & rodents can smell grill drippings from surprisingly far away. But doing a quick wipe-down of the surfaces and dumping the grease properly after cooking will cut off their incentive to wander in. Leaving it overnight is like advertising a free meal.
Thick mulch and big rocks
Sure, big decorative stones & chunky mulch beds look nice. But they also give voles & mice cover to scurry around unnoticed, and once they’re comfortable, snakes are likely to follow the food trail. You should try keeping mulch thinner near trunks and avoid creating rock borders near the house.
Brush fences and log piles
You might have a stack of prunings you’ve been meaning to deal with. Unfortunately, these piles are the perfect housing for reptiles & rodents, which is why wildlife agencies actually encourage them. But not near homes. You can still have these piles, just make sure to move them farther out to stop animals from settling in long-term.
Backyard chicken setups
Having chickens in your backyard also involves having feed bins & coops, along with all kinds of leftovers. Rodents love that. In fact, a coop that sits right on the ground or with feed stored loosely is a dream for rats, which will find their way in rather quickly. Try having a raised coop with a metal container for feed, and make sure the ground around it is clear.
Decorative bin enclosures without tight lids
Some people love building decorative trash enclosures to make the bins look nicer, but animals don’t care about looks. They care about smells. When the lids don’t close tightly or the wood panels have gaps, it’s an open invitation for raccoons & rats. A loose lid won’t cut it for anyone who lives in bear country. Make sure the bins are locked and keep trash inside until pickup.
Self-watering planters and clogged saucers
Any deep trays left under pots or self-watering tubs seem convenient until the warm weather hits. The leftover water doesn’t drain & just sits there, which mosquitoes love, and their eggs hatch in days. Give them a quick rinse every few days. Don’t forget to dump the saucers after rain, and perhaps try laying mesh over openings to stop the problem before it starts.
Privacy hedges and wall vines
Dense hedges tucked against walls give rats & mice perfect hiding spots, and they’ll run along those shaded strips where nobody notices them. Worse still are vines that crawl up fences, as they make the rooflines easy to reach. You should make sure to trim hedges off the ground. Better yet, clear a strip of bare soil between plants & walls so you can see any activity easier.
Greenhouses and hoop houses
While greenhouses & hoop houses keep plants warm, they also keep bugs happy. Moist soil that never fully dries is perfect for fungus gnats, and whiteflies settle on ornamentals. They’ll multiply quickly once the door’s shut. To prevent this, make sure you use clean tools and that the houses have good airflow. Quarantine new plants before putting them inside.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
