Many keen gardeners use pesticides (such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and slug pellets) to control what they consider to be pests and weeds in their garden. However, owing to the interconnected nature of life in your garden habitat, these chemicals can have a much broader impact than intended.
Using insecticides to kill insects results in a reduction of insects in the environment and as a result, a reduction in food supply for animals higher up the food chain like birds and mammals. In addition, while intended to kill insects that damage crops, insecticides also cause harm to pollinators which in turn, has a negative effect on flowering crops and wildflowers.
Meanwhile, herbicides used to kill weeds also kill wildflowers and this has a knock-on effect for insects and in turn, the mammals and birds that feed on them.
While pesticides have a negative effect on the foods that birds rely on to survive, they also impact birds in other, more direct ways. For example, when birds eat slugs and snails that have been exposed to slug pellets, they are directly exposed to the toxic chemicals within them. While pesticides won’t necessarily kill a bird or mammal, repeated exposure to such chemicals over time can affect their “fitness” i.e. the ability of an individual to survive, and breed and produce viable offspring. Therefore, they can contribute to population declines.
All of these chemicals can also have an impact on water and soil quality.
Natural methods should always be considered as the first option when attempting to control pests and weeds in your garden. There are plenty of books and online resources providing information about organic pest control in gardens.
If you do choose to use pesticides in your garden, try to only use them in the affected area. Make sure to read the instructions and do not use them near drains, waterways or during or after periods of rain.
Remember, birds are one of the most effective forms of natural pest control. By attracting birds to your garden, you can help to keep insects away from your plants and in turn, support the ecosystem on a more holistic level.
