Pests I Like

Maybe it is my biology background, maybe it is because I lived in an apartment for several years, or maybe I am just unconventional, but I like some pests in our yard.

1. Our lawn needs some work.  We tried some seeding last fall but it did not take.  I don't know if the birds ate the seeds or what, but our lawn is still non-uniform.  We have clover, fescue, crabgrass, chickweed and violets.  I don't mind the chickweed or clover (actually good for fixing nitrogen in the soil).  I am not so big on the crabgrass.  I do love the violets!  In the spring, our backyard looked like this.  Even now the violets don't look bad.  They stay green longer than the grass in dry periods.  I can feel the turf aficionados cringing, but hey I think it looks good and isn't that the point?
2. I found a caterpillar on a spinach leaf in our garden a couple of weeks ago.  Despite the fact it was chewing on our spinach, I was glad to see it.  I tried identifying it online but I could not find it. So I do not know which butterfly population our vegetable garden is supporting.  I am going to look for butterfly guides on my next library visit.  This is a poor photo, but if anyone has any ideas, it would be much appreciated
3. I woke up early on Sat and saw a groundhog chewing our broccoli plants.  Another intruder in our vegetable garden.  Again, I guess I should have been upset but when I saw the plump groundhog reaching for our plants and taking a nibble, I just laughed.  I tried to get a photo but I should have turned off the flash because I got some reflection from the window glass and when the groundhog saw the flash, he took off like a shot across our yard and presumably, back to his hole.  We have a couple of holes in our lawn.  I try to mark them with sticks because I worry about kids stepping in them, otherwise I am glad to see the groundhog(s).  Our neighbor is not so happy to see him.  She puts all sorts of objects (rocks, fish tank pebbles etc) down the hole close to her yard but they just dig around the objects. I don't see them as such a bother and am happy to see some wildlife .

I do have pests that I don't like - crabgrass, already mentioned,  poison ivy - even though it is a native plant, I appreciate it in natural areas but remove it from our yard so our daughter doesn't tangle with it, weeds in the garden, anything in the house - mice, ants etc. 

If we were relying on our vegetables to survive or if our lawn was a golf course, I might have a different take on these likable "pests", but for now,  we'll let them be and be happy they came to visit.

Comments

[Hausfrau]

This is how I feel about the mice and squirrels in my garden! So far I can ignore the minor damage they've caused... but if I needed to eat those vegetables I might be a little less tolerant :)