Discouraging Wildlife
The ideal is that we should live in harmony with all. Observing the nature of humans, we seem to desire to get along with other species about as well as we do with other humans, which is not always a very positive thing. We pick and choose who we like or dislike, based not on any real danger to us, but rather, how useful we perceive them to be.
Pests in the Garden
In some cases these other species create a challenge to us humans such as when cockroaches and rats move in, or pigeons or starlings come to roost, or the garden is being devoured by the critters. When this happens our technology has advanced so that we have a virtual arsenal of weapons of mass destruction to eradicate those we consider intruders on our space. Unfortunately these methods are often harmful to ourselves and other innocent species. The solution is to look at the habitat needs of those we consider pest species and see if there is some way to use less dangerous and intrusive methods to discourage them.
In the garden it can be frustrating when we work hard to have nice plantings, in what we believe to be OUR gardens and other species don't recognize our dominion, eating prized petunias, hostas and peas.
Extreme control measures
If we dont understand those who are nibbling, its easy to strike with all manner of weapons of mass destruction. The reason is the FEAR FACTOR. Sometimes humans are only afraid of the intruders. These feelings of terror cause some people to react irrationally. They desire to annihilate whatever is imagined to be the source of the fear, and at the same time the ARROGANCE FACTOR takes over, increasing their own feelings of power and superiority in order to reduce feelings of terror. The Arrogance Factor allows people to believe it is their right to desire to control and enjoy extreme methods of killing. ANGER AND REVENGE is another reason for reacting in an extreme, manner such as shooting animals in the yard or garden rather than trying a less extreme and non-lethal measure such as exclusion with a fence.
An example: Bugs of any species, spiders, mice and snakes seem to terrify some people. They react by using any weapon at their disposal, not caring if there is any collateral damage or if the punishment actually fits the crime.
Pesticides generally kill more than the intended victims, and some of the collateral damage is to predators. When predators are killed, pest populations increase. More damage occurs.
Survivors of an application of pesticide pass on their immunity to it through natural selection. the pest population increases and that pesticide becomes ineffective after a while and different chemicals have to be used. Damage may then increase.
Pesticides can get into the food chain and sometimes end up in air and water, endangering many other species including humans.
Gentler Controls
We do not want to be overrun with pests and there are truely times when we decide that control is needed to protect our gardens.
Acceptable Damage
We must decide how much is acceptable damage. There is research that indicates that some damage to a plant such as some nibbling on leaves encourages stronger new growth. This is the concept we use when pruning. Pruning encourages growth, so would not a little nibbling encourage stronger plants?
Is the damage killing the plant or is it just unsightly? Can the damaged part be removed with pruning?
