QUESTION: Are lizards good for the garden? I have a lot of anoles in my back yard. – Jen T
ANSWER: Yes, lizards are good for your garden. There are two main reasons they’re a good sign when seen in your growing spaces.
First, lizards eat unwanted pests around your garden such as slugs, cockroaches, ants, beetles, snails, and spiders.
The other reason is they won’t dwell where there are high levels of chemicals or metals. Therefore, if lizards are hanging out in your garden, chances are your produce is going to be very low in any of these unwanted ingredients.
Now that you know how useful lizards are in the garden, you may be wondering how to draw more of them to your growing locations.
You should start by finding out which types of lizards are common in your area. There are over 6,000 kinds, so be sure to do your research.
This is important when trying to learn more about what they desire in a habitat.
Next, you should learn what lizards enjoy eating, where they like to lay their eggs, and if they have any preferences in their environment.
From there, start accommodating these likes or dislikes.
A few things you should certainly do is avoid pesticides and weed killers. Lizards won’t live where these things are.
You should add mulch to your garden as this will raise the humidity and this is something lizards like. When fall arrives, don’t remove the leaves from your garden. This creates hiding places for the lizards.
Along the same lines, be sure to supply hiding spaces in your garden throughout the year. This could include things like bushy plants or ground cover.
Lizards are low on the food chain and have lots of predators, so the more safe spaces you supply them the likelier they are to move into your growing space.
Provide an area for the lizards to sun bathe such as a rock or stones. You should also provide water with a perch, so the lizards have a place to drink without falling into the water.
This could be a water feature in your garden or something simple like a bowl with a stick in it for the lizard to sit on while it drinks.
The last two things you should do is utilize compost in your garden and plant plenty of flowers. Both of these invite different insects to the garden which is a food source for the lizards.
However, there’s one thing you shouldn’t do when trying to invite lizards to your garden. This is to transplant the lizards from another location into your growing area.
Even if you transplant lizards and feed them to try to keep them around, this isn’t a sustainable practice. Plus, if you transplant them and the lizards don’t have what they need, they won’t stay.
Therefore, do what it takes to create an inviting space for these creatures. If you do, they should stay in your garden and provide all the wonderful benefits which come with them.
The next time you see a lizard in your garden, don’t run for the hills. Instead, consider this a compliment and allow these creatures to make a home out of your growing area.
More About Lizards in the Garden
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-18_lizard_garden_skinks.htm
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