Common Garden Pests that Tend to Slip People's Minds

Every garden has its own little diverse biome. Even when it’s mostly paved or shingled over, with a neat lawn with trimmed edges, bugs and critters are going to find a place to live. And that’s a good thing! You want your garden to bring in all kinds of wildlife; it’s a sign your efforts aren’t going to waste. But some of these critters are more pest than they are helpful. Indeed, you might not even believe the creatures that build a habitat out there. 

Nematodes

Not exactly a nice word, is it? But in truth, the name just refers to ‘invisible’ worms that live in the soil. Most of these are harmless, and trying to get rid of them could even negatively affect the climate of your garden. In fact, you can go out and buy nematodes and introduce them to your garden to prevent other pests, such as ants and slugs. However, sometimes they can eat their way through your plants, and some are even parasitic. Don’t panic though; if you notice the effects of a parasitic nematode, they can be easily treated. 

Grasshoppers

You might not think of grasshoppers as pests, and you might not have even seen one in ages, but these little critters can get overwhelming at times. They can crowd in, completely clear out your vegetable garden, and then move into the next garden all in a matter of days. 

If you live in an area prone to grasshopper infestations, be sure to keep your most prized and carefully cultivated plants behind bars. You can buy plastic shed bases and build your own greenhouse and/or storage area, which can then be kept to the right light and humidity level if necessary. 

Foxes

You’re definitely going to notice if there’s a fox in the garden. Not only do their eyes glow in the dark, but they tend to be very loud if there’s a pair or more. If you hear their mating call at night, it might even sound like there’s a phantom in the garden! 

Foxes aren’t all that much of a problem and are usually just passing through. However, if there’s a lot of garbage in your garden, or you dispose of food waste out there, you could end up accidentally attracting them. If you’re often waking up to mess in the mornings, you might need to reconsider your waste disposal methods. 

Beetles

We all know some beetles can get pretty munchy. If you find small bite marks in the leaves of your plants, it’s probably because there’s a few aphids on the underside. You can carefully remove these beetles if you notice them, and prevent them from coming back by regularly pulling up weeds and using a water spray. 

But the aphid has bigger cousins, such as the Japanese beetle, which take a lot more combatting.

Garden pests come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure you’re on the lookout for pesky critters like those listed above.