Keeping Critters Out of Your Backyard Pond: What to Expect
Keeping Critters Out of Your Backyard Pond: What to Expect
If you have a backyard that includes a water feature, its important to know how to control any potential pests surrounding the area.
While you may be used to typical backyard critters coming into your landscaping, adding in a water feature can bring in other animals and insects you may not expect.
Let’s start with the potential predators you may encounter near and in a water feature.
Potential Predators
Some of the potential pests you may have around your pond will vary depending on the area you live in, but here are some of the more common animals and insects that tend to congregate around standing water.
Mosquitoes
The first pest on our list is the mosquito, which you are most likely familiar with no matter where you are from. This insect absolutely loves stagnant water and water areas, and they tend to lay their eggs in puddles, ponds, and bird baths.
In addition to simply taking up space and being an annoyance, mosquitos can actually carry an array of harmful diseases as well. Malaria, Zika, and West Nile Virus are only some of the scary illnesses that come from these pests.
Racoons
Racoons, if given the chance to get near the water, will take fish out and eat them.
Roaches
Believe it or not, roaches are actually attracted to water features as well. These bugs are tough as nails and can literally survive in just about any environment. If they find a source of water and any kind of shield from the sunlight, they will happily thrive and reproduce in the area.
Catfish
These fish are incredibly invasive, and there are actually many ways catfish can get into your background ponds. Birds can actually track in the fish eggs on their feet, which bring in new catfish to your water feature.
Another fear with this type of fish is that there is actually a walking catfish now as well. This creature originated in Southeast Asia, but has now spread to quite a few states in the U.S.A. as well. It can crawl out of a pond, and easily walk to another source of water without issue.
Predatory Birds
Birds that prey on fish and other wildlife can be a huge issue for ponds and other stagnant water as well. Herons and Kingfishers are the most common birds that cause harm, depending on the area that you live.
How to Keep Them Away
So how do you keep these pests away from your water features? You actually have a few different options.
A great way to keep pests from inching into the pond area, or pets from falling in, is not creating a sloped area into your water feature. If it is just a straight drop into the pond, there is less of a chance of something attempting to crawl in or falling in.
For predatory birds, a great option can be to simply set up a decoy bird on the edge of your pond. This will keep them from getting too close and eating fish out of the water. Floating plants and other features in the water will also deter the pests.
If you are looking for something a little more intense for tougher pests, there are also products you can purchase that actually sense intruders coming, and will then spray them with water to keep them away.
Netting is also a great way to keep pests out of the pond, however it is not as aesthetically pleasing as some of the other options. You can put a net over the pond, which will keep out anything that wants to live in the water or eat the fish inside it. Keep in mind that you will need to regularly check the netting for holes and tears too.
Good Luck
Pests can cause serious damage to your landscaping and water features if not noticed and taken care of. We hope our guide to keeping critters away from your backyard pond was helpful in getting you started with protecting your water and yard.
If you do have additional questions about water features, pest control, or other landscaping aspects, feel free to contact Homescape Now at any time. We’re here to make sure your landscaping is everything you dreamed!
