How to Keep Pests Away From Your Pond
Ponds are an important freshwater source for your local wildlife. Your pond may become the local watering hole for birds, turtles, rabbits, and other fun critters you can enjoy watching from your window. One of the main benefits of having a natural pond is attracting wildlife, but this freshwater can also be appealing to pests. Mosquitos can quickly ruin a picnic, while other pests like slugs and snails can take over your pond. These tips can help keep pests away from your pond.
The Buzz
Mosquitos are one of the biggest outdoor nuisances, especially around water sources. The key to keeping mosquitos away lies in the water itself. The solution? Keep it moving! Install a nozzle kit on your pond pump, add a waterfall, or even s spitter to keep the pond's surface constantly circulating and agitated. Mosquitoes only lay their eggs on the surface of still water. If mosquitoes lay eggs in your pond, goldfish, mosquito fish, minnows, and guppies will be more than happy to eat the larvae once they hatch.
More Pests
Aphids
Small pests called aphids love to eat leafy greens, sucking the sap from your plants. Spraying your plants with a mixture of water and neem oil or soap can solve most aphid problems, but be careful spraying near the water if you have fish. Ladybugs love to eat aphids and can be introduced as a natural solution.
Aquatic Leaf Beetles
Aquatic leaf beetles can cause problems for plants in and out of the pond. The adults eat the leaves of plants out of the water, while the larvae snack on underwater plants. You can get the adults off of plants by spraying them with water. Frogs and salamanders will eat the larvae. Prevent aquatic leaf beetles by removing dead foliage at the pond's edge in fall and spring; this is where they overwinter.
Slugs
Slugs can become problematic around a pond. Their natural predators are frogs and newts. You can help prevent slugs by keeping your pond plants surrounded by sand, which makes it harder for them to reach the plants. They do not like copper; you can use copper wire or pennies to keep slugs from reaching your plants. Planting strong mint, chives, garlic, fennel, foxgloves, and geraniums can also deter these unwelcome visitors.
Snails
If you find yourself with an overabundance of native snails, the most eco-friendly solution is manual removal and relocation. Place several lettuce leaves on the surface of your pond and wait. The snails will go to eat the lettuce and collect on the leaves, and you can easily remove them. Invasive snail species require more caution during removal and relocation. For all types of snails, fish like koi and goldfish can also help with population control, as long as the snails are small enough to fit in their mouths.
Living in Harmony
A pond is a thriving ecosystem, and complete control over its inhabitants is nearly impossible. While wildlife appreciates having this source of freshwater, so will pests. By following this guide, you can maintain a beautiful backyard retreat that attracts the good kind of wildlife while keeping pests at bay. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy!
