7 Ways to Get Rid of Lizards in Your Yard

Lizards are common garden visitors that are a part of our ecosystem, these tiny and not-so-tiny creatures can be found in just about any home garden. No matter the garden type or plant species that are used be sure that lizards will show up at your doorsteps because they view your garden as their natural habitat. It is estimated to be more than 7000 species of lizards across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains.

Most lizards live on the ground, while others live underground but other species make their homes in the trees and rocks. Their natural habitat consists of rocky areas, prairies, deserts,  marshes,  forests, grasslands, heathland, woodland,  tunnels, moorland, bushes, and even urban environments.

Their diet consists of a variety of foods some of which include, snails, slugs, roaches, spiders, mosquitoes, worms, vegetables, fruits,  small birds, small, frogs fruits, moths, butterflies, small grubs, some beetles, etc…some lizards are herbivores (eating only vegetable and fruit), while some species are carnivores (eating only animals and then some are omnivores (eat both meat and plants).

1. The Removal of Food Sources

Because of the variety of foods that lizards consume after treating for lizard control, you may have 1 or 2 lurking around your garden but at least you would have reduced their population. For example, harvest veggies and fruits once the harvest arrives. Don’t allow fallen fruits to remain on the ground, remove them to lessen the presence of lizards. All kitchen scraps should be tightly sealed in your trash cans and no food particles should allowed to remain on the ground around your garbage disposal area. Lizards also use insects as a food source along with small frogs, small birds slugs, and snails.

The goal here is to control these pests which can be a bit of a challenge, meaning using pesticides or homemade products to bring control, lizards don’t have any preference they will even eat beneficial insects. Despite your efforts beneficial insects and garden insect pests will enter your garden because this biodiversity of wildlife is a part of our ecosystem that makes up the food change. One or two lizards may still visit your garden but as said earlier at least you would have reduced their population.

2. The Removal of Water Sources

The removal of water sources is another way to control lizards, open containers that collect rainwater should be removed, old tires that can also collect rainwater should be removed as well, and any leaky outdoor pipes and faucets should be repaired. Even plants that collect water in the center cup should be replaced to cut off the water source. The bonus in the removal of all water sources outdoors is that you will not only be discouraging lizards from your yard but rats, mice, and other rodents even mosquitoes that seek out stagnant water to lay their eggs. Any area with a sunken spot or depression in the ground that can collect rainwater should be filled in.

3. Cover Your Compost Pile

Composting is a great way to ensure your plants are getting the nutrients that are needed, this natural organic will boost or promote plant health, lizards are attracted to compost, so if you’re composting on the ground instead of a compost bin then it’s vitally important at times to cover your compost pile to deter lizards.

4. The Removal of Hiding

Lizards like garden pests and rodents seek shelter or cover areas to hide from the elements or the weather and predators. Trim back overgrown vegetation, lizards and garden pests will use fallen leaves to hide and garden pests will seek to overwinter in leaf litter. So ensure your garden and yard are always clean of leaf litter and other debris.

5. A Simple but Effective Home Remedy

A homemade pepper spray of Tabasco sauce mix in a 32 oz spray bottle will bring control, with this homemade spray solution applied where lizards were seen. Make sure to keep pets and kids out of the area after application. If it rains after application you will have to reapply.

6. Treating Lawn  areas

Spiders, roaches, mosquitoes, beetles, and other garden pests at times can be resting or hiding in our lawns, their presence will attract lizards so treating your lawns will help to keep these insects at bay that lizards use as a food source which will discourage the presence of lizards.. The key is to treat your lawn with pesticides for example Reclain IT and Bifen L/P Insecticide Granules. Bifen L/P Insecticide once applied must be watered into the soil to be activated followed by using Reclain IT which is a broadcast treatment. To apply Bifen L/P Insecticide Granules use a fertilizer spreader and apply at the proper rate. Read the manufacturer’s directions for application. Once that’s done add Reclain IT, mix with water to a 1 or 2-gallon hand-held tank sprayer, and disperse liquid evenly to cover the entire lawn area. Before application of this product read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper application. Reclaim IT Can also be used to spray ornamental plant beds. Caution here, before applying any pesticides. wear the proper protective equipment. Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, a strong pair of rubber gloves that are designed for pest control, a respirator, eye goggles, and a good pair of strong garden footwear or boots. Wait for about 2 hours or longer before allowing kids and pets to enter the treated area, allow the pesticide to dry first.

7.  Deter Lizards with Plants

Certain plants will help to deter lizards because of the odors these plants emanate, some of these plants include:

• Rosemary
• Peppermint
• Onion
• Lemongrass
• Basil
• Lavender
• Garlic
• Bay leaves
• Marigold
• Spider plant
• Pencil Tree
• Japanese mint
• Eucalyptus

Additional information

If you don’t want to do the job yourself you can always call in a professional pest control company to do the job for you.

Conclusion

With all of your efforts, you may still have one or maybe two lizards that may still be hanging around, remember your garden will attract lizards because they view garden and landscape areas as their natural habitat.  The good news is that your efforts would not have been in vain because besides reducing the presence of lizards you would have taken care of a host of other issues like the control of rodents and mosquitoes that are known to spread disease.