this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2024
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No Lawns

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A community devoted to alternatives to monoculture lawns, with an emphasis on native plants and conservation. Rain gardens, xeriscaping, strolling gardens, native plants, and much more! (from official Reddit r/NoLawns)

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I like the way my backyard looks with all the clover and stuff for ground cover, but it also makes it almost impossible to enjoy it. The amount of insects and stuff that fly in my face or bite me while I'm out there just makes me miserable. I didn't have this issue when it was just mowed down grass.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Do you have any trees back there? If so, the next step is to build bat boxes to attract bats to live there. They will eat those abundant insects and be very happy! Eventually it should become less annoying!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

I agree with you, a bat box or a birdhouse for insectivorous birds.

A battery powered thermacell insect repellent will work in the meantime to keep many insects away while you are outside at least.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The only tree is marked to be cut down because it is dying/dead, and we are just waiting on the landlord to get to it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

Ahhh okay. Another approach to insect control (that doesn’t rely on trees) is a predatory bog. Loads of predatory plants as well as water with (insect / amphibian) predators of mosquitoes and flies.

Can be quite beautiful and special!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I’m jealous, I miss insectlife. Rarely see anything living anymore.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Global insect biomass has declined 75% since I was born. And a big part of it is people who don't want insects on their property - reasonably, as the person you're responding to points out - and manage their lawns to deprive insects of habitat. And there's so many more people in the world now than when I was born, and correspondingly less habitat for insects. And everything else.