Other Natural Predators

When one thinks of biological control of pests, one usually thinks of predatory insects like ladybugs. There are actually a wide variety of species that can help keep your garden pest free. Like beneficial insects, these species can be harmed or deterred from your yard by pesticides - so the most important step in attracting them is to not use pesticides!

Birds are very important predators of insects and rodents, and can also help control weeds. Nuthatches, woodpeckers, and chickadees clean up the larvae and eggs of gypsy moths and other insect pests of trees. Horned larks devour weed seeds. Owls, are efficient hunters of mice and rats. To attract birds to your garden, set up a bird house and bird bath, grow a variety of plant types including plants with fruit/berries/nuts, and provide supplemental food through a feeder.

Bats are the primary predator of night-flying insects such as moths, beetles, and mosquitoes. A single bat can catch hundreds of insects in just one hour, consuming from 30 to 50 percent of its body weight in insects each night. A healthy colony of bats can protect gardens and crops from major damage by pest species such as cucumber beetles, moths, cutworm, corn earworm, leafhoppers, and June beetles. To attract bats to your yard, build a bat house (see Bat Conservation International for more information). The SPEC building has its own bat box - drop by 2150 Maple St. (corner of 6th and Maple in Kitsilano) to check it out!

Amphibians and reptiles are important in controlling populations of slugs, rodents, and insects. Garter snakes are one of the major predators on slugs. One toad can eat well over 1,000 earwigs in a summer. The best way to attract amphibians is to build a pond (see Wild About Gardening for more information on how to build a pond, and also information on toad habitat, and snake dens).

The Canadian Wildlife Federation's website Wild About Gardening has much more information on natural predators and how to attract them!