12 Common Outdoor Hacks That Are Actually Terrible for Wildlife

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An inviting, practical outdoor space can be a joy to create. Most of us go the extra mile to create our gardens, patios and yards. And there’s no lack of online tips for hacking outdoor spaces for cleanliness, convenience and curb appeal. But not all outdoor hacks are as harmless as they appear, as there are some that can be extremely harmful to the wildlife.

For us, sometimes what seems like a shortcut can become a detour to disaster for creatures trying to get by. Today, we’ll discuss those seemingly harmless tricks that can actually be pretty harmful to the critters we’re surrounded by.

Plastic Grass and Fake Plants

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Artificial grass and fake plants are popular because they are low maintenance and give you year round greenery. But they don’t support local ecosystems at all. Many animals and insects have food, shelter and nesting material provided by real grass and native plants. On the other hand, fake versions of these offer none of these and can even be dangerous if small animals try to nest on plastic leaves. Plus, plastic breaks down over time and plastic breaks down into microplastics, which can then end up in waterways and damage aquatic life.

Pesticide Sprays

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Spraying pesticides may seem like an easy fix to bugs, but it has a high price to wildlife. These chemicals don’t just attack pests, they also kill the beneficial insects to bees, butterflies and ladybugs. As do birds, bats and small mammals that depend on these insects for food. Worst of all, pesticides can flow into local streams and ponds and poison fish and amphibians. A solution is to use organic pest control methods, or to attract natural predators to the yard to keep pest numbers down without making the yard a toxic zone.

Landscape Fabric

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Laid beneath mulch or gravel, landscape fabric is often used to prevent weed growth, but it also prevents ground dwelling animals from accessing the soil. Toads, beetles, and earthworms are important to a healthy garden and require direct access to earth to thrive. These critters need the air and the nutrients, and over time the fabric can trap moisture, creating a hostile environment. Hand pulling weeds may be a little more work, as it keeps the yard welcoming to soil dwellers.

Bug Zappers

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Bug zappers might sound like a smart way to cut down on mosquitoes, but they’re actually killing more beneficial insects than pests. The UV light attracts moths, beetles, and even pollinators that are zapped before they can get away. Unfortunately, mosquitoes aren’t as attracted to these devices as we’d like to think, and they don’t really solve the problem they promised to. To kill mosquitoes but not threaten other beneficial insects, try citronella candles or natural repellents instead.

Chemical Weed Killers

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Dousing weeds with chemical herbicides may seem like a quick fix, but it’s also one way to destroy the environment. Those same chemicals that attack unwanted plants often end up in the soil or water, and even harm animals that eat nearby vegetation or drink from contaminated sources. Secondly, many weed killers are nonselective, killing anything green they touch, thereby killing biodiversity in the area. Hand pulling weeds or using vinegar based solutions is much safer for the local wildlife.

Gravel Gardens

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Gravel gardens may be a low maintenance alternative to grass, but this makes your yard less appealing to animals. Unlike natural greenery, gravel doesn’t offer food or habitat and the high reflectivity of gravel can turn the ground unbearably hot for many creatures. Switching to drought resistant plants instead of gravel means you can keep a yard that supports local wildlife, pollinators, birds and small mammals alike.

Algae Control Chemicals for Bird Baths

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A lot of homeowners want their bird baths to stay pristine, so they add algae control chemicals. It keeps the water looking clean, but it’s deadly to birds, bees, and other small creatures trying to drink. In particular, birds are very sensitive to these chemicals and can be poisoned by them. The better thing to do is to change the water regularly and have bird baths in shaded areas so that the algae will grow as slow as possible.

Removing Leaf Litter

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Cleaning up every leaf in your yard might seem like a neat habit, but the act disrupts a natural habitat for countless insects and small creatures. Overwintering insects use the leaves for cover, which the birds and animals that depend upon the leaves for food then feed upon. If you leave a little leaf litter around, especially under shrubs or in the corner of your yard, you provide a natural food source and shelter for wildlife during colder months.

Spring Tree and Shrub Trimming

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It may seem sensible to trim trees and shrubs in the spring but it often happens during nesting season. Pruning branches in spring can disturb or even destroy the nests of many birds, squirrels and other animals. Trimming is something you’ll have to do, but if you must, try to do it in late fall or winter when there are fewer creatures nesting. It keeps your yard well groomed without harming the wildlife that depend on your trees and bushes.

Solar Garden Lights

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Solar lights are commonly suggested for providing ambiance without having to run wire. But according to ResearchGate, too much outdoor lighting can confuse bats, which hunt at night, and even interfere with bird migration. It disorients these animals, making it harder to find their old paths. Lighting should be subtle, and try not to place light near areas the birds are nesting, in order to reduce their disturbance.

Exotic Species Fish Ponds

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Adding exotic fish to a backyard pond is usually a mistake, even though having one can be an amazing feature. If they escape or water flows into local streams, non native fish can disrupt a local ecosystem. Frogs and newts, native amphibians, can be especially affected because they compete with these exotic fish for resources. If you’re going to have a pond, choose native species that are already adapted to your local environment, so the pond makes a safer oasis for wildlife.

Artificial Mulch Covering Lawns

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Artificial rubber or dyed wood mulch looks nice and might even control weeds, but it’s not good for wildlife. According to the National Institutes of Health, rubber mulch contains chemicals that may leach into the soil leading to harm to plants and small critters. Mulch can also be dyed, and dyed mulch may contain additives that aren’t great for the environment. Leaves and untreated wood chips are natural mulch, which breaks down into nutrients supporting a healthier ecosystem right in your yard.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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