Reptile & Amphibian Forums

For general informational purposes it might be beneficial for keepers (of any animals, not just turtles) to learn about I.P.M., or Integrated Pest Management, and how to more effectively control insect pests in ways that cause the least amount of environmental damage, and, in many cases, financial outlay.

You can contact your county extension office or your state's department of agriculture (found in the gov't listing section of your phone book)or look online for more information.

There are very effective ways to get rid of pests without endangering yourselves, your pets, or non-pest wildlife in your area. We've been doing this for years now and it has been great to enjoy the results.

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.

We nuked our yard once, when we first moved in (many years ago)due to a flea infestation. We haven't used anything since and now have a much wider variety of birds, frogs, snakes and more in our yard. It's great!

That's great. We have this big toad that lives in our front flower bed and he jumps out to say hi from under a bush or some perennial when I water the plants once a week. There is also this anole lizard that peeks in our back door everyday around noon or so. It's the little things, you know?

We have some resident critters that we enjoy seeing on a regular basis, too.

In case anyone missed the link in the previous thread:
Link

Yes indeed, I as a retired county extention master gardener (when I actually "retire" from my day job and have time to volenteer I will become active again) I couldn't agree more. I myself take it one step farther and see it as there really aren't any "pests", and there really aren't any "weeds", just other insects and other plants, and I really try to not only tollerate the diversity of both but actually embrase and injoy having diversity in my yard, and if fact between the variety of cultivated plants and my wild flower garden, and ponds encourage an aboundance of insect, plant (weeds) and wildlife in general diversity, which I find facinating. I love seeing all these "weird" and interesting looking insects that I have never seen before in my yard, and that in turn attracts deverse bird types, and toads and frogs, and snakes, ect, ect. Sure if certain "weeds" get out of hand in my veggie garden I go thru and hand pull to thin out but I don't even try to eliminate, same with insects, sure ants can start coming in the house and can be a problem, but I just try to thin them out, discourage them from wanting to come in or have a reason, or block the way in, but not try to wipe them out and everything down the line including me since I drink my tap water which comes from a well.
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com

also this doesn't mean that I "NEVER" use any chemicals, it's just that I think twice about when, where, and why, and do I really need to. Not chastizing the use of chemicals, because I do use them too, mainly pre-emergent which keeps the lawn and cultivated flower gardens nice and Roundup on paths when weeds and grasses get out of hand (Roudup actually readily breaks down in the soil after application)just consider other tools and options first too.
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Jeff Benfer
gartersnakemorph.com