from the wild side

Little brown bat
Myotis lucifugus

IDENTIFICATION — Long feared as dark-winged predators of the night, little brown bats are actually great to have flitting around your garden. These airborne mammals eat thousands of flying insect pests each night, including mosquitoes, flies, moths and beetles. One bat can devour more than 600 mosquitoes in an hour — that’s 10 bugs a minute! In the summertime, bats will eat almost half their weight in insects every night. A little brown bat weighs only 1/4 to 1/3 ounce and is 3 to 4 in. long, with a wingspan of 6 to 8 in. Its large ears help the little brown bat echolocate, or hear a high-pitched frequency that helps it to “see” insects in the dark.

LIFE CYCLE — This bat is found everywhere in the United States and in parts of southern Canada and northern Mexico. Little brown bats have one offspring, or pup,
a year. The pup hangs onto its mother for the first few days after birth, even when she’s flying! In three weeks, it’s ready to fly on its own and begin hunting insects. Unlike other small mammals that live only a year or two, the little brown bat can live up to 32 years!

To attract bats to your garden, plant flowers like nicotiana, four o’clocks, petunias and moonflower, which are food sources for night-pollinating insects. Once the bats show up, they’re sure to make a dent in the local mosquito population, too. Avoiding insecticides whenever possible and providing a water source will also encourage bats to make your yard their hunting ground.

Bats migrate to caves, cellars, tunnels, attics or old buildings to hibernate as temperatures and insect populations drop in late autumn. Although they’re great to have in the yard, you don’t want them spending the winter in your house. Make sure you seal all openings that are larger than 1/2 in. — bats can get into some pretty tiny spaces.

Eastern firefly
Photinus pyralis

IDENTIFICATION — Adult fireflies (also called lightning bugs) are actually winged beetles, not flies. Several species are found throughout the United States and Canada but the Eastern firefly is one of the most common. It’s found east of the Rocky Mountains in open, grassy areas.

With two red spots on their heads, adults have brown-black wings, edged with a light yellow stripe. During the day they seek out dark, damp places to rest, so you may not notice them. But it’s hard to miss these guys on hot summer evenings when they’re flashing their tail lights over and over. Summer is peak mating season for fireflies and the flashes of light are their mating calls. But the adults aren’t the only ones that light up — the segmented, six-legged larvae, and even the eggs, light up, too.

LIFE CYCLE — In early summer, the adults surface after a year underground. Around dusk, the males begin to fly and flash in search of a mate. Females respond with flashes, mate and deposit eggs singly or in groups in the soil around grass roots. Both adults die shortly after mating. Eggs hatch in about three weeks, and the larvae overwinter underground, emerging in the spring to begin the process again.

HOW TO ATTRACT — Both the firefly and its flightless larvae are good to have around. They eat aphids, slugs, earthworms, mites and pollen. Make your garden attractive to these bugs by giving them bark or mulch to hide under. Grow small trees and shrubs so flightless females have a spot to wait for their mates. Light pollution interferes with the mating process, making these insects harder to find in urban areas. So turn off the porch light to help them feel at home.

PHOTO: © David C. McClure

from the wild side

Toads
Bufo spp.

You don’t need to kiss them to turn them into the princes of your garden. While toads aren’t handsome creatures, they do provide a wonderful service. After all, you can invite them to dinner and they’ll gobble up most of the garden pests that you want to get rid of.

Toads are nocturnal — they sleep during the day and feed at night. One toad can eat as many as 50 to 100 insects at a time. That’s as many as 3,000 bugs per month! A toad’s diet includes mosquitoes and their larvae, flies, slugs and cutworms, to name just a few.

IDENTIFICATION — How do you know if the little amphibian in your garden is a toad or a frog? It’s easy to get confused because all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. Toads are known by their dry, warty skin and swollen bumps on their heads. These bumps are called paratoid glands and they contain an irritating substance used to ward off predators — it isn’t harmful to humans.

LIFE CYCLE — Although they live on land, female toads return to the water in the spring and lay thousands of eggs in gelatin-like strings up to four feet long. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs and live in the water until they develop legs and move onto land. Toads can live four to 15 years and sometimes longer.

To encourage toads to take up residence in your garden, all you need to do is provide them with a little shelter and water and avoid using chemical pesticides whenever possible. The pesticides reduce their food supply and can be toxic to the toads themselves.

You can create a toad haven using things you have around your house. Broken clay pots make great homes for toads. You should also put a clay saucer or other shallow container filled with water on the ground nearby. Toads drink through their skin, so be sure that the container is low enough for the toad to hop into.

In the fall, toads hibernate underground, but if you continue to provide them with a happy home and a shallow swimming pool, they’ll return to your garden each spring to help you keep it pest free.

from the wild side

Minute pirate bug
Orius tristicolor spp.

IDENTIFICATION — It may be tiny, but this 1/4-in.-long bug has a big appetite — for other bugs, that is. The minute pirate bug is most common in the western United States and Canada. It has an oval-shaped body with black and white wings like the one in the illustration.

Both the adult and nymph form of the minute pirate bug will eat just about any small insect. Thrips, mites and aphids are some of its favorites. That makes this feisty little bug a big asset in the garden. When prey is scarce, the minute pirate bug feeds on pollen and plant sap.

If you pick up a minute pirate bug, watch out! It will bite. Reactions range from nothing other than the initial discomfort to a small bump similar to a mosquito bite, without the itch. Think you’ve seen this bug in the Midwest? It’s probably the insidious flower bug (O. insidiosus), a close cousin.

LIFE CYCLE — In spring, minute pirate bugs lay eggs in plant stems or leaf tissues. Eggs hatch in three to five days, and the nymphs immediately start looking for small insects on which to feed. It takes about 20 days and five stages for a minute pirate bug to reach adulthood. Then after about a month it dies. Several generations of this bug can occur over the course of a growing season.

You probably already have minute pirate bugs or insidious flower bugs in your garden. But to keep them around and perhaps attract a few more, avoid spraying insecticides. Also, grow flat-topped flowers like daisies and yarrow, whose pollen is easy to get at. That way, these little garden helpers will have something to keep them going once they’ve whittled down the pest population in your garden.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Bradley Higbee,
Paramount Farming, Bugwood.org

from the wild side

Big-eyed bug
Geocoris spp.

IDENTIFICATION — These insects may not be pretty, but they’re good to have around. The appropriately named big-eyed bug is a predator other bugs steer clear of. There are 19 different species of big-eyed bug in North America, all with similar habits and life cycles. One of the most common, Geocoris punctipes, is shown above. Adults are about 3⁄16 in. long with transparent wings and a broad head as wide as the oval-shaped body. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts that they use to stab prey.

Big-eyed bugs usually eat whiteflies, aphids, mites, small caterpillars and even insect eggs. A single nymph can eat 150 tobacco budworm eggs while in this stage and an adult, up to 80 mites per day! They’ll occasionally feed on plants when prey is scarce, but damage is minimal.

LIFE CYCLE — Big-eyed bugs only live about 30 days. They emerge in spring to feed and lay eggs. These eggs hatch in about a week into tiny juveniles that look just like the mature bugs. What makes this insect so helpful is that males, females and all stages of juveniles eat insects — mostly those you don’t want around. Late-season adults spend the winter in leaf litter, turf thatch, under loose bark or any place they can find. Insects like big-eyed bugs that overwinter as adults have a chemical in their system to prevent ice from forming, almost like anti-freeze. Once the body temperature reaches 55 degrees F in spring, they start waking up.

Big-eyed bugs are so abundant you don’t have to do anything to attract them to the garden — they’re probably already there. But to encourage more of these hungry predators, avoid spraying insecticides.

from the wild side

Fiery searcher
Calosoma scrutator

IDENTIFICATION — Quietly going about the business of hunting insects, especially caterpillars, the fiery searcher is a helpful predator to have in the garden. The insect is colorful, with brilliant green ridged wing covers ringed in red. Its legs, abdomen, head and pronatum (the area behind the head) are shiny blue-black. Even though the fiery searcher has wings, it rarely uses them. It’s more likely to run for cover on its long legs than fly if it sees you coming near.

You’ll notice beetles emerging from their winter hiding places in spring to feed and mate. Eggs are laid singly in the soil and hatch into long, slender larvae with short front legs. It takes about a year for the beetles to mature. Juvenile beetles inhabit the soil and feed on a variety of insects, including caterpillars. Long-lived for insects, fiery searchers can reach the ripe old age of three or even four years.

Be careful if you handle these beautiful beetles. When startled, they release a foul odor as protection against predators, such as raccoons, frogs, birds, squirrels and other animals.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — Found throughout North America, these ground beetles hide in leaf litter, under rocks or in decaying logs during the day and emerge at night to find a meal. One of the larger beetles, fiery searchers grow 1 to 1 1/2 in. long and have large mandibles for grabbing prey. They’re especially fond of tent caterpillars and gypsy moth larvae and will even climb trees to find a midnight snack.

HOW TO ATTRACT — You can’t buy these helpful creatures, but you can encourage larger numbers by providing hiding places, such as stepping stones, a compost pile or a rotten log. Also, avoid spraying insecticides whenever possible, since the chemicals will kill these beneficial insects along with the pests.

problem solver

Eastern cottontail
Sylvilagus spp.

IDENTIFICATION — Most of us know a rabbit when we see it — long ears, fuzzy tail and a piece of your favorite plant dangling from its mouth! Eastern cottontails, the most common, are found across North America.

DAMAGE — These pests do eat annuals and perennials, but the damage is usually cosmetic, although they can ruin a vegetable garden or your favorite spring bulbs. But worse yet, they can girdle and kill shrubs and small trees, often the most expensive plants in a garden. Damage to trees is more severe during the winter when there aren’t green plants for rabbits to munch. If you look closely at the trunk, you’ll see characteristic small, paired tooth marks. The damage usually starts a couple of inches from the ground and goes above the highest snow line.

CONTROL — First, make the area less attractive by removing hiding places like brush piles. There are hundreds of home recipes for keeping rabbits away. Some people swear by them; others may find that they simply don’t work. In any case, they probably won’t keep really hungry rabbits at bay for long.

Chemical repellents, like Ro-Pel^®, are effective, but most of them need to be reapplied after rain and several times during the winter. A cylinder of 1/4-in. hardware cloth will keep rabbits away from shrubs and young trees. The bottom of the cylinder needs to be 3 in. below the soil’s surface to prevent digging, and the top needs to be 24 in. above the anticipated snow line. Or you can use rigid plastic tree guards, although in extreme cases, rabbits can chew through them.

You can fence off an entire bed with chicken wire or hardware cloth, but make sure there are no rabbits hiding inside when you’re fencing. Check the bed periodically during the winter to make sure that no rabbits have managed to move in.

problem solver

Groundhogs
Marmota monax

IDENTIFICATION — Punxsutawney Phil may be cute, but a wild groundhog in your garden can be a problem. Though dandelion greens, clover and grasses are some of their favorites, garden vegetables and fruits often disappear when these furry pests are around. Their enthusiastic burrowing can cause nearby plants to suffer, too.

Sometimes called woodchucks, groundhogs are 16 to 27 in. long with dark red-brown hair, short, bushy tails and sharp teeth. Widely distributed in North America, groundhogs are particularly common in the eastern United States up into northern Quebec and Ontario. In the West, they are found in Alaska and southern Yukon and Northwest Territories.

LIFE CYCLE — Groundhogs can live up to 10 years However, the average life span in the wild is probably less since they are on the menu for such predators as coyotes, owls and hawks.

Each spring, females give birth to a litter of four to six helpless kits. They grow quickly and spend all summer binging on greens to put on weight for winter hibernation. Around October they retire to their dens and sleep until spring.

But how do they know when to wake up? The groundhog’s internal clock is affected by annual changes in daylight.

CONTROL — To keep groundhogs from settling in your garden, clear areas with tall grass and remove brush piles, where they like to hide. Groundhogs are timid and can be frightened away by changes in their environment. If you already have groundhogs, try a repellent, such as Messina Wildlife Management’s Groundhog Repellent. It smells and tastes bad to the groundhog.

from the wild side

Spined assassin bug
Sinea diadema

IDENTIFICATION — Spined assassin bug may have a sinister-sounding name but it’s actually one of the good guys. There are more than 100 species of assassin bug. Although some species are pests, this is one of the most common beneficials in the family. It’s found in central and southern North America and Mexico. Adults are 1/2 to 3/4 in. long, and brown with long legs, a broad flat abdomen and a narrow head with large eyes.

The segmented beak is used to spear and inject venom into prey. When not in use, the beak folds away under the bug’s body. As you might guess, the spined assassin bug does have spines. You’ll see them on its head, thorax and front legs. This hungry predator eats a wide variety of pests, including aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers and larvae of all kinds. These bugs are generally harmless to humans but if handled roughly, they can inflict a painful bite.

LIFE CYCLE — Eggs of spined assassin bug that were laid in fall hatch as temperatures warm in spring. Nymphs, about 1/4 in. long, look like miniature adults and start looking for something to eat right away. After several molts, the nymphs mature and mate, then females begin laying eggs. The first generation lives about two months and then dies. The second generation follows the same cycle, living until late fall. Eggs laid by these females will hatch the following spring.

You may already have spined assassin bugs in your yard since they are fairly common. Give these hungry predators a variety of blooming plants to hide in and they’ll help you out by hunting for insect prey. To be sure they stick around, avoid using pesticides.

northern cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Possibly the most easily recognized bird in North America, the cardinal offers a melodious song, splashy red color and jaunty crest all year, since it does not migrate in winter. Females sport a subtler brown. Its heavy conical bill is good for cracking hard seed hulls but is also adept at eating soft fruits and insects like potato bugs and tomato hornworms. Along with other birds, cardinals love to eat salt. Put out a bowl of rock salt or set out a salt block (available at feed stores).

Cardinals also really enjoy birdbaths. A bit of clean water will provide you with lots of lively entertainment.

Click to see a larger image.

tips to bring in the birds

Have you ever watched a robin splashing enthusiastically in a birdbath? Or witnessed a young bird step from a branch for its very first flight? If you have, you know what a joy watching our feathered neighbors can be. What you might not realize is that there are some simple things you can do to make your yard a more enticing place to all kinds of birds. Here are some tips to make your back yard into an enticing haven for lots of these feathered treasures.

PROVIDE BERRIES OR SEEDS ALL YEAR —?Because they fruit at different times, grow a couple different varieties of plants like serviceberry, hawthorn and dogwood to extend the berry season. And if you grow berry plants, double the number of your favorite ones. You’ll insure that there’s enough for both you and the birds. Plant fruit-bearing plants away from sidewalks, driveways and patio areas to reduce the mess. And be sure to feed seed and suet, as well. Different birds have different tastes.

KEEP FOUR-LEGGED VISITORS OUT OF FEEDERS — Use baffles below feeders or wrap posts in aluminum flashing to thwart furry looters. And don’t grow plants close to feeders. (They can hide predators like cats!)

DON’T LET THE WATER RUN DRY — Keep birdbaths and ponds filled all season. Reliable sources of water, especially moving water, will attract more birds. Remember to rinse and refill birdbaths often to help prevent disease and mosquitoes. In winter, keep it ice free with a heater, or empty ice and refill the birdbath every day. Also buy a birdbath with a rough or textured floor or add small stones to the bottom to prevent injury to birds.

PLACE YOUR POND IN THE OPEN — Avoid chemical runoff from surrounding lawn areas by building on level ground. Make an area of the pond 2 in. deep or less so birds won’t drown.

PLANT EVERGREENS FOR SHELTER — Spruce, hemlock, cedar and pine are great for nesting for cardinals, sparrows, towhees and other birds. They’ll also give birds a little relief from nasty winter storms that can sap their strength, thus helping them survive cold temperatures.

VARY HEIGHTS OF TREES, SHRUBS AND OTHER PLANTS — You’ll fill the needs of different birds who prefer to nest and feed in tree tops, shrubs or on the ground. And because it’s hard to fly with wet feathers, grow shrubs within 10 ft. of ponds or birdbaths for safe places to dry off a bit before flying away.

Check out a couple of ways to pamper your feathered visitors at right!

what kind of bee?

Not sure what kind of bees you’re seeing? Here are some ID tips. Some carpenter bees and bumblebees may have slightly different markings than the ones here, but the hairiness of the body is still a good clue. Carpenter bees are solitary bees, unlike bumblebees and honeybees, so you won’t see a colony of them.

At about 1 in. long, carpenter bees (top illustration) are usually the largest of the three, with shiny, not furry, abdomens. They fly rapidly at about head height.

Bumblebees (middle illustration) are smaller — 1/2 to 3/4 in. — and furrier than carpenter bees. They fly slowly near the ground. Some have pollen baskets on their hind legs.

Honeybees are the smallest of the group, at about 3/8 to 5/8 in. long, and fly more quickly. More tan than yellow, they also may have pollen baskets.

asian lady beetles

Harmonia axyridis

Multicolored Asian lady beetles, or ladybugs, are beneficial, but you might not think so when they swarm your back porch or come indoors for a visit. Like the many other species of lady beetles, they feed on aphids and soft-bodied insect pests that attack flowers and vegetables. The best way to identify a multicolored Asian lady beetle from other species is by the distinctive “M” marking on the back just above the colorful wings. These lady beetles vary in color, from green to orange. And the number of spots on their backs varies.

Asian lady beetles don’t feed on wood, fabrics or human food. Nor do they sting, carry diseases or bite, although you may get a startling pinch from one. This pinch does not break the skin and is usually only a problem when your skin is moist on warm days. When you handle Asian lady beetles or step on them, they release a yellowish fluid that’s harmless but smells awful. And it can leave a stain. Always sweep up and dispose of dead beetles. Particles from the dried and crushed bodies can affect people with respiratory problems.

problem solver

Eastern chipmunk
Tamias striatus

IDENTIFICATION — You’re looking out your window and you see it — a striped rodent feasting on your birdseed. At first, you’re enraged. But you can’t take your eyes off the tiny critter — it’s just so entertaining. Before you know it, the chipmunk has run off with a good portion of birdseed and you’re left wondering what happened. Irritating as that is, it gets worse. Chipmunks don’t stop at birdseed — they can be bad news for your plants, too.

DAMAGE — Chipmunks are voracious pests, and though they prefer seeds, they’ll eat almost anything. They devour fruit, vegetables, seedlings, flower bulbs (crocuses are a particular favorite), mushrooms and flowers. They stuff their cheeks with nuts, birdseed and grains to bring down to their underground tunnels — one chipmunk can store up to 30 cups of food for the winter. They do eat insects and slugs, but this is small compensation for all the pilfering they do in the garden. These little pests can also weaken structures when they burrow around or under them.

CONTROL — Keeping chipmunks out of your garden isn’t easy — the striped bandits can be persistent. But you can protect your plants. Plant bulbs to their deepest recommended depth to make it harder for chipmunks to dig them up. Include daffodils, which chipmunks avoid, among your bulbs to dissuade them from digging. Laying a screen or hardware cloth over the newly planted area may also help deter them.

If you enjoy watching their antics, you can put out a few ears of dried corn and give them access to water, like a birdbath. This might prevent them from eating your plants. If not, you can sprinkle plants with cayenne pepper. (You’ll have to re-apply after a rain.)

You can also spray predator urine near plants to keep chipmunks at bay. Products like Shake-Away^® contain fox urine, and the smell scares rodents off.

birdbath basics

Some types of birdbath are more attractive to birds, and safer for them, than other designs. Shallow, rough-surfaced, tall birdbaths are best. Birdbaths should be no more than 2 in. deep so birds of all sizes can use them. If your birdbath is deeper than that, place pea gravel or a flat stone in it to make a shallow spot for small birds.

Choose birdbaths with a rough surface for the best footing. Concrete, unglazed terra-cotta or plastic birdbaths with ridges have rough surfaces that birds like. A layer of pea gravel will add traction to a metal or glazed clay bath.

Set birdbaths on pedestals near shrubs so birds can flutter easily to a safe perch. If you put a birdbath on the ground, keep it away from dense plantings so cats can’t sneak up on them as they use it.

deer damage

Deer populations, once hunted to near extinction, are rebounding to their highest levels ever. The best way to stop deer is with a 16-ft.-tall fence, but short of turning your yard into a fortress, there are some strategies you can use to keep their damage in your garden to a minimum.

Young bucks may be using your ornamental trees to rub the velvet from their newly sprouted antlers. The damage to the bark invites infection and could kill a smaller tree. If too much bark is rubbed away, the tree could die. Should you start to notice bark damage, as in the top photo, wrap the bark with protective tape or use wire-frame tree guards.

In spring through summer, a full-grown deer can eat up to 10 pounds of food per day. They eat tender plants and cause the damage in the bottom photo until hard frosts shift the menu to woody shrubs. The animals return to browse over time, and the plant could finally die as pieces are taken bit by bit. Start spraying repellents, like egg spray or bobcat urine, and rotate them so deer don’t get accustomed to any one scent.

Finally, try to grow those plants that deer don’t usually find appealing. Now, a hungry deer will eat almost anything, but in general, they shun ornamental grasses and plants with fuzzy, tomentose foliage, such as lamb’s ears. The animals find this stuff hard to swallow. They also avoid plants with lemon, sage, mint or spicy tastes.

Check out our Web extra on dealing with deer.

problem solver

Moles

IDENTIFICATION — These poorly understood landscape pests are difficult to control. You may never see a mole, but they leave an obvious trail of evidence. Moles tunnel underground, eating soil-dwelling insects and earthworms — rarely do they eat plants. As their prey gets closer to the surface, so do the moles.

DAMAGE — Mole tunnels are a major nuisance in the lawn where mower blades cut unevenly and scalp the grass. If you have moles, stomp down the tunnel tracks before you mow. Regularly stomping the tunnels will discourage mole activity, but it won’t get rid of them for good.

CONTROL — Controlling moles is difficult because their activity is erratic. There are many poisons, repellents and noisemakers that are marketed to control moles, but many of them don’t really work. Trapping and killing moles is the most effective method of control. You can purchase traps at the garden center or call a professional pest control company to take care of them. Either way, keep kids and pets away from the traps because they can cause serious injury if they’re tripped accidentally.

problem solver

Grasshoppers

IDENTIFICATION — If you’ve walked through tall grass in the summer, you’ve seen grasshoppers leaping away in all directions. The one at left is a differential grasshopper, but there are many other species that range in color from yellow-green to brown, red-brown or black. Grasshoppers can be found in most parts of the United States and southern Canada.

DAMAGE — Most grasshoppers are serious pests of agricultural crops, but they’ll eat vegetables, fruits and flowers, too. Usually they’re rural pests, but have become much more common as more people garden in suburbs and on acreages. Grasshopper damage is usually only aesthetic, but in large numbers they can ruin fruits and vegetables.

CONTROL — Pesticides and beneficial pathogens that control grasshopper populations exist but are hard to use because they have to come in contact with the insect to work. Cover prized plants or vegetable crops with floating row covers or a fine wire mesh. Chickens and guinea fowl are also good natural grasshopper controls!

mantids

Mantids are among nature’s most elegant, efficient and lethal predators. But despite their movie-monster appearance and ferocious reputations, they make great garden helpers.

To satisfy their tremendous appetites, mantids catch and eat all kinds of garden pests, including scale, mosquitoes, aphids, black flies and leafhoppers. And the mantis is the only predatory insect that continues to feed after sundown. This makes it an excellent control for night-flying moths, too.

Mantids are very sensitive to chemical insecticides. So if you want to use mantids as part of an organic pest management program in your garden, use selective products, like Bacillus thuringiensis (for caterpillars) and insecticidal soap (for soft-bodied insects) when necessary.

What can you do to get more birds to visit your feeder? You can’t send out written invitations to let them know where the party is. We have a tip that’s sure to bring in more birds right away.

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