When Santa makes His List, What Bugs Are On Santa’s Good List?
It’s the time of year when the cold weather makes many pests go into hibernation. You forget about the sting of the yellow jacket or irritation of flies or ants. But, all year long there are “pests” that are good. So here is this year’s list of bugs/pests that are Santa’s Good List!
![Long Legged Cellar Spider]("Pholcus.phalangioides.6905". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pholcus.phalangioides.6905.jpg#/media/File:Pholcus.phalangioides.6905.jpg "\"Pholcus.phalangioides.6905\". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pholcus.phalangioides.6905.jpg#/media/File:Pholcus.phalangioides.6905.jpg")
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
Spiders– Most spiders provide a value in our lives. People increased their fear in spiders after the movie Arachnophobia was so popular. Some of the positives about having spiders are:
- Spiders eat pests like roaches, earwigs, mosquitos, flies, and more!
- The long legged cellar spider is known to kill Black Widow Spiders!
- Spiders can help halt the spread of disease spread by common pests like mosquitos.
- Spiders reduce pests like aphids in your garden.
![Lady Bug]("Coccinella magnifica01" by Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium - Coccinella magnifica. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coccinella_magnifica01.jpg#/media/File:Coccinella_magnifica01.jpg)
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
Lady Bugs/Lady Beetles– Occasionally an infestation of lady bugs can be a nuisance, but overall Lady Bugs are definitely on Santa’s Good List! Here is a positive about Lady Bugs:
- Lady Bugs eat aphids that plague gardens. Gardeners are known to purchase Lady Bugs to help protection their gardens with little use of pesticide.
![Garter Snake]("Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis Wooster" by Wilson44691 - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thamnophis_sirtalis_sirtalis_Wooster.jpg#/media/File:Thamnophis_sirtalis_sirtalis_Wooster.jpg)
Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
Snakes (Not Deadly to Humans)– Snacks often get a bad rap without merit. Read below on how snakes help humans:
- Rat snakes prey on rats that can wreck havoc on barn supplies.
- Rat do not carry disease like rats, mosquitos, etc.
- Most snakes will run away rather than attack humans.
- Snakes like Gartner Snakes benefit gardens by keeping mice away.
Interested in the Garter Snake? Read more about this snake here!
Don’t let fear of bugs and pests taint your judgement. While most of these species have dangerous and poisonous relatives, not all are out to kill a human. Look at the positives of how these bugs and pests can make your life better, and without extra pesticides. Now what will Santa bring Lady Bugs this year?