Creepy, crawling, yucky stuff in the yard

By Marilyn McKinley

OSU Extension Certified Volunteer Naturalist

It’s Halloween time. People are trying to come up with unique ways to scare or gross out one another. There is such beauty to behold while walking around the yard, but try keeping your eyes focused downward. There is some real yuck factor out there.

Slugs and snails: Slimy little creatures for sure. They can do some serious damage in a garden, so we usually try to rid them, but there is an upside. Some are vegetarians, some scavengers, some carnivores. They are also a food source for frogs, toads, snakes, skunks and some birds. They are nocturnal. You may need to turn over a few rocks to find them. For information about how to deal with these creeps, visit go.osu.edu/slug.

Marmorated stink bugs: I find these prehistoric looking things lurking around the doors, especially sliding patio doors. They are waiting for a chance to sneak into the house. They are annoying and can do some serious damage.

Toads: It has been mistakenly believed that they cause warts. They are creepy looking but are garden friends. They consume many insects. Encourage them to live in your garden. I put out broken clay pots every year, making a great toad house. For more information, visit go.osu.edu/toad.

Snakes: Yep, they are sneaky, and some are dangerous. That tongue can grab lots of insects. Visit go.osu.edu/reptiles for more information.

Mushrooms, lichens, molds: I have seen lots of different mushrooms and fungi this year: puff balls, some dark brown stuff that looked like coral-, red- and yellow-topped mushrooms, some bright orange ones and little toadstools. I think the damp spring and early summer must have encouraged some of these strange-looking things to appear. The greenish-blue stuff creeping up the side of your trees — lichens – will not harm your tree. To learn more, visit go.osu.edu/shrooms.

Animal droppings: Truly a yuck factor! My advice? When taking a nature walk in your own yard, take a plastic bag and a little scoop, too.

Whatever the creepies in your yard, use them as a learning experience for growing wonderful plants or as a science lesson with your kids and grandkids.