Excellent point. Too often one or two pests become a nuisance, and by our ignorance, ALL pests, bad and beneficial are killed through irresponsible, non-discriminating approaches, thus making the pest problem worse. Creating and allowing biodiversity in plants and insects, is the single best way to encourage a healthy backyard. Then, if a single bad pest, like fire ants, or cutworms, or mosquitos, flourish, there are safe, responsible approaches that can be taken without posing harm to benefical insects, and "bad" insects for that matter, that beneficals, and in our case, boxies may feed on.

I personally don't use any chemical that is not organic from fertilization to insect control, and in the almost two years I have had my house, it has been a joy to see the diversity of "critters" flourish, from anole and gecko lizards, to fireflies, to gulf fritillaries by the dozen.

The less we do to our yards, the more we allow nature to do what it was indended to. And in the case of keeping box turltes, I know that's what I'm working toward.

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