Sacred to Ancient Egyptians
Does evil lurk in your wildlife garden? It may if you don’t tend to your pet waste. Not the most pleasant subject, but one that needs to be talked about, nonetheless. A lot of people think of pet waste as “fertilizer” but while it is rich in nutrients, it is also rich in things that just don’t belong in your garden. The difference between dogs and cats and cows and horses are that our pets eat meat whereas livestock are primarily herbivores so their manure doesn’t usually harbor potential problems that can be found in the waste of meat eaters.
From a brochure produced by Island County in Washington State:
“Dog and cat feces can transmit giardia, bacterial infections including salmonella, and hookworms that cause skin sores in humans. Dog feces often contain roundworms; the larvae from roundworms can travel through the human body and ultimately damage the brain or eyes. Cat feces can carry toxoplasmosis, a disease that can cause brain damage in unborn babies.”
Do you really want to leave this potential “bomb” laying around in your yard? I am meticulous about cleaning up after my three dogs. I “scout” the yard at least once a day, often two or three times. The faster you pick up after your pet, the better your chances are at avoiding potential infections. I also make use of this time to visit my garden and snap photographs of the wildlife within.
Certain scarab beetles sneak up from under the soil and pull down a ball of poop into their tunnels as a means to feed their larva. These guys are called “ball rollers” and they don’t discriminate between pet waste and usable manure. That means that potential infection is being dragged underground where the overly-rich nutrients can filter into the soil and perhaps leach out into waterways where it can cause algae blooms that will affect fish. These beetles were considered sacred to ancient Egyptians because they seemed to emerge from nowhere and the apparent “self creation” resembled the Sun God Ra who created himself out of nothing. It served as a symbol of regeneration, renewal and resurrection.
Flies adhere to the dung beetle's back
Ignoring waste that remains above ground can allow it to be washed into storm sewers where it can ultimately wind up in our lakes and streams. Now, if you live in Florida where we get our water from the underground aquifer, YUK!
You can’t control how far the dung beetle builds the tunnel so who’s to say he isn’t gathering his “goodies” and pulling it over toward a different section of your garden. As can be seen in the top photo, they fly so as they move around above ground, they can potentially bring infectious waste with them to an edible part of your landscape. Don’t take a chance.
The best means of disposal is to bag it immediately and toss it in the trash. Landfills are lined and monitored and offer the easiest and best means of protecting your garden.
Loret is an active member of The Florida Native Plant Society. Their 31st Annual Conference is scheduled for May 2011 in her Central Florida area. Over 40 speakers and workshops to help you learn about native plants and their value in a wildlife garden. Follow her on twitter @PineLilyFNPS
© 2011 – 2012, Loret T. Setters. All rights reserved. This article is the property of BeautifulWildlifeGarden.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Loret T. Setters
Loret, I am so glad you wrote about this topic! It’s been on my “I want to bring this into the wildlife conversation” list for months! Thank you! gail
Gail Eichelberger recently posted..Must Bee The Season Of The Witch
Thanks Gail! With spring, the scarab beetles in Florida are hard at work, so it seemed like a good time to take on this “delicate” subject.
Loret recently posted..Bird in the Night
I’ve read that the average dog produces 274 pounds of waste per year. Thanks for giving us another good reason to clean up after them.
Yikes! That’s a lot of waste! and unlike some think, it doesn’t just disappear. As it breaks down it can wreak havoc on ecosystems. Thanks for stopping by!
Loret recently posted..Bird in the Night
Thanks for a really good reminder! We have 2 dogs and a fence. And I do have lots of gardens surrounded by that fence, too;-) I take my little dog out on a leash and pick up after her immediately. She can’t be left alone outside because she eats everything, and I do mean everything. The larger dog is allowed outside without me watching his every move. But we don’t pick up right away…usually about once a week we scan the yard. Now you have me re-thinking this. I hadn’t thought of those beetles and what they can do.
Jan (Thanks for today.) recently posted..Coopers or Sharp-shinned Hawk
Loret – good post about how everything that goes into our ground ends up in our water. As for dung beetles, just ask any farmer about why we need these little guys! If you think dogs produce a lot of manure, try horses! Thanks to the unsung heroes of the decomposing world for turning horse manure into simply awesome fertilizer!
I love my Dung beetles, and I wish that the meat eaters didn’t present a danger (With three dogs, my garden would be flourishing). You’re right about them being heros. Sad my neighbors moved with their horses and that glorious fertilizer-to-be!
Loret recently posted..The Blur of the Butterfly — Missed Opportunity