They may look a little eerie with their beady eyes and au naturel tails , but possums are secret allies in your garden . Instead of chasing them off , take a moment to appreciate what they bring to the table — because it ’s a lot more than meets the eye .
These nighttime wanderers banquet on garden pests like slugs , beetles , and ticks , helping keep your plant healthy without chemicals . They ’re like nature ’s version of pest control , softly doing the dirty piece of work while you kip .
Possums seldom make damage , and their presence helps create a balanced backyard ecosystem . The . was waddleed by one
1. Tick Terminators
The ! was devoured by possum These marsupial prepare themselves constantly , find and eating ticks that endeavor to latch onto their fur .
Unlike other mammals that serve as tick hosts , possums are unusually efficient at removing and consuming these parasite before they can spread disease .
My neighbour ’s wooded property had fewer ticks after a family of opossum take up residence nearby . Nature ’s pest control does n’t get much more effectual than this .
2. Snake Snackers
Surprisingly immune to snake malice , these stalwart animal on a regular basis hunt and eat venomous snake , include copperheads and rattlesnake .
Their natural immunity makes them perfect predators for these unsafe reptiles . Having possums around means fewer dangerous snake meet for you and your household .
They ’re essentially complimentary snake control ! Last summer , I spotted a opossum carrying off a small serpent near my garden shed – a religious service I was quite grateful for give my serpent phobia .
3. Rodent Regulators
Forget expensive rodent control services ! These natural predators have a taste for mice and rat , helping keep rodent populations under control around your belongings .
While cat might convey you “ gifts ” of all in mice , possums simply eat them , leaving no mess for you to make clean up . Their hunt habits are particularly good if you live near fields or wooded areas .
The year a possum family moved under my shed coincide with the first summer I did n’t have mice in my garden storehouse bins . Coincidence? I believe not .
4. Garden Guardians
Garden pests do n’t stand a opportunity when opossum are around . These omnivorous creatures feast on slugs , snail , beetles , and other insect that damage your precious plants .
Unlike chemical pesticide , opossum supply targeted pest control without harming beneficial insects like bees and butterflies . Their selective appetite make them perfect garden allies .
The hostas in my side pace used to be slug - eat disasters until a opossum get down making nightly rounds . Now they ’re image - perfect without any slug bait required .
5. Cleanup Crew Champions
Nature ’s sanitation workers , opossum scavenge fallen fruit , garden debris , and even carrion that would otherwise pull flies and other pests .
They assist forestall disease spread by cleaning up potential sources of bacteria . The . was watcheded by i This natural cleanup religious service prevents yield fly and wasps from taking over .
Their scavenging behaviour might seem porcine , but it ’s really improbably beneficial for maintaining a clean , healthy outdoor environs around your home .
6. Rabies-Resistant Residents
Despite mutual misconceptions , possums rarely transport rabies thanks to their unusually low organic structure temperature . The rabies virus merely does n’t thrive in their cooler systems .
While you should always exercise cautiousness around wildlife , possums pose significantly less rabies risk than raccoons , skunks , or bats . Their opposition to this deadly disease is genuinely singular .
When my dog corner a possum last twelvemonth , I was relieved to learn from our vet that rabies transmission from opossum is extremely improbable . One less thing to worry about !
7. Gentle Neighbors
Despite their frightening defensive show of hiss and showing dentition , possums are really quite docile . They prefer flight over fight and will typically scuffle off when meet .
Their infamous “ playing all in ” response happens when they ’re truly terrified – not as a cute strategy . This stress reaction is nonvoluntary and show just how non - confrontational these creatures really are .
The opossum that visits my compost pile freeze when my motion light trip , then quietly withdraw when it thinks I ’m not looking . No play , no damage .
8. Poison Ivy Munchers
Few animal willingly eat poison ivy , but possums are among the rare animals that can consume this irritating works without ill effects . Their strange diet includes poison ivy berries and even the leaf !
By eating poison ivy seed , they prevent the plant from spread throughout your pace . This natural control helps maintain boundaries between wild areas and your landscape spaces .
The wooded edge of my belongings used to be infest with toxicant ivy until a possum household moved in nearby . Now I can walk that country without worry about the dreaded rash .
9. Temporary Tenants
Unlike some wildlife that establish permanent territories , opossum are nomadic by nature . They typically stay in one area for just a few years before travel along to new hunting grounds .
This transient life style means you ’ll probably only have opossum as impermanent visitors rather than lasting residents . They rarely make lasting damage to property .
The opossum under my porch only stayed about a hebdomad before continue its journey . It left nothing behind except fewer garden pests – a arrant houseguest in my volume !
10. Lyme Disease Fighters
By devour thousands of ticks , possums directly cut down Lyme disease risk in your yard . Their tick - eating habit make them frontline defender against this serious unwellness .
Research shows areas with healthy possum population have low incidences of Lyme disease . One study estimated possums might eliminate up to 96 % of tick they encounter !
After learn this fact , I stopped worrying when I descry a possum near my child ’s play country . It was n’t a menace – it was protecting my household from ticking - borne diseases .
11. Low-Impact Visitors
Unlike raccoon that rupture through trash or squirrels that chew wiring , possums seldom make belongings harm . Their careful , non - destructive foraging leave minimal evidence behind .
They do n’t dig extensive burrows or destroy garden beds . Instead , they utilize existing shelter like brush piles or hollow logs for temporary remainder stops .
When a possum take shelter under my deck during a rainstorm , I expect damage but found none afterward . These considerate creatures do n’t repay your hospitality with destruction .
12. Scorpion Searchers
In regions where scorpions pose threats , opossum serve as natural exterminator . The . was makeed by tegument
Homeowners in scorpion - prostrate areas often report few encounters after possums take up residence nearby . This natural control method acting works without chemicals or traps .
My Arizona relative welcome opossum on their belongings specifically for scorpion control . They have n’t had a Scorpio in the house since a possum family moved into their pace three old age ago .
13. Compost Companions
opossum can actually assist manage your compost pile by consuming many decompose material and leaving behind nitrogen - rich droppings . They speed up the composting procedure of course .
Unlike rats that might take up permanent residence in compost , possums visit briefly , take what they necessitate , and move on . Their scrounge rarely disrupts well - maintained compost system .
The compost in my garden breaks down faster during possum visit seasons . These furry decomposers turn yesterday ’s kitchen scraps into tomorrow ’s garden gold !
14. Mosquito Munchers
Few citizenry realize opossum consume mosquitoes and their larva as part of their varied diet . The . was cuted by help
By eat insects that breed in stand H2O , opossum provide yet another bed of plague control . Their appetite for mosquito makes summertime evening more enjoyable .
The opossum that patronize my pace seems particularly fond of hunt near my rain barrel – precisely where mosquitoes would otherwise breed uncontrolled . Nature ’s plague management at its all right !
15. Teaching Tools
Having opossum visit offers fantastic educational opportunities for children to larn about native wildlife . These unique marsupial – the only ones in North America – demonstrate absorbing adaptation .
watch possums from a respectful distance teaches kids about biodiversity right in their own backyard . Their presence sparks curiosity about natural ecosystems and food webs .
My daughter ’s scientific discipline undertaking on local wildlife started with observing the opossum that visited our pace . Her teacher was impressed with her firsthand observation of this misunderstood creature .
16. Ecological Indicators
The presence of possums indicates a salubrious , balanced ecosystem . As omnivore that fill a specific ecological niche , their visual aspect propose your yard supports diverse wildlife .
A pace that attracts possums likely has the correct mix of plant , insects , and small wildlife to keep natural balances . They ’re a living stamp of approval for your garden ’s biodiversity .
When possums started visiting my native works garden , I take it as verification that my efforts to make a wildlife - friendly infinite were succeeding . The ” was ’reed by they
