Does Mulch Attract Bugs & Insects?
Bug spray can be very useful when spending time outdoors in the summer. But what if you’re inviting insects onto the lawn without realizing it? This brings us to the following question: does mulch attract bugs?
Mulch by itself will not attract bugs – but it does create an environment that can appeal to them. One benefit of mulch is that it can help retain water and supply your garden with essential nutrients.
However, this will also create an excessive amount of moisture underneath the wood chips. As a result, this habitat can lure certain insects between the fresh layer of mulch and existing soil.
Does Mulch Attract Termites?
Yes, mulch can attract termites in your garden. It’s no secret that termites eat wood – which can be a problem for people who choose to put down bark mulch around their home. But the fact is that termites are also known to live in wood.
This makes inorganic arbor mulch an inviting material for termites. Even if these bugs aren’t eating the wood, they will be attracted to the moist and damp environment underneath fresh wood chips.
How to Keep Termites Away from Mulch
The good news is there are two approaches you can take to deal with stubborn termites. The first thing you can try is lay down gravel between your garden and house. This barrier should be at least six inches from your foundation.
Having termites in your garden is one thing, but it’s critical to keep them away from your home. You can also try spraying a chemical solution on the mulch. This will act as a barrier and prevent any termites from further exploring the wood around your house.
Does Mulch Attract Mosquitoes?
Similar to other insects on this list, mosquitoes are not necessarily attracted to mulch. However, both organic and inorganic mulch can create damp and dark areas, that will ultimately be appealing to mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes get lured into wet mulch, because it creates the perfect environment for them to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, this will create an ongoing problem for you, because once mosquitoes nest in much they will produce more and the cycle will continue.
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away from Mulch
One of the first steps you should take to prevent mosquitoes in your landscaping is to remove any standing water. Use a shovel and level out any low spots in your garden where rain water tends to build up.
You can also lay down cedar mulch that will act as a natural repellent. The smell of cedar has been proven to keep mosquitoes and other insects away. Just be aware that this scent will begin to diminish over time and you’ll need to apply another fresh layer.
Does Mulch Attract Ants?
Some types of ants are naturally lured to rotting wood and old mulch. Carpenter ants in particular do not eat wood – but they will carve through the material in order to create tunnels and nests.
This can obviously create problems for homeowners around their garden. When mature, a western black carpenter ant colony will house around 10-20,000 workers. Or in other words, a sight you don’t want to see.
How to Keep Ants Away from Mulch
When dealing with carpenter ants the first solution is to give them less material to dig through. That means you should only be using 2-3 inches of fresh wood mulch. More mulch only gives ants more material to excavate.
You can also use a higher quality material when laying down organic mulch. Due to the fact that carpenter ants are attracted to decaying wood, laying down new mulch every couple of years can prevent them from nesting.
Does Mulch Attract Roaches?
No one wants to discover cockroaches in their home. But roaches can also be found in the mulch around your garden. These insects are specifically attracted to organic mulch such as hay, straw, and wood chips.
Cockroaches will typically eat most things that were once a living organism (like plants). This means they can feed on organic mulch and use it as shelter – because it creates an appealing dark and damp environment.
How to Keep Roaches Away from Mulch
Preventing cockroaches from migrating into your landscaping is quite simple, because it involves regular maintenance. All you need to do is to turn the mulch every couple of months with a garden rake.
This will disrupt the environment for cockroaches and make the wood chips less appealing. But turning your mulch on a regular basis will also stop it from compacting into the soil, allow it to breath, and create more water flow.
Does Mulch Attract Spiders?
Because spiders look for moisture, they will naturally be attracted to mulch. We can see this by finding spiders in basements, crawl spaces, and other damp areas around the home. That’s why they most likely nest in wood chip mulch.
Even though spiders do not eat this material, they will seek out many organic materials for nesting purposes. Combine this with the fact that wood chips sit in layers, which makes it ideal for spiders to burrow into.
How to Keep Spiders Away from Mulch
If you’re still adamant about using bark mulch, make sure to keep it away from the house. Laying this material less than a foot from your foundation will not only attract spiders, but it will also invite them into your basement.
Apart from installing inorganic mulch (like rubber) you could also try planting spider repellent plants. Mint, lavender, and eucalyptus have scents that will prevent spiders from crawling into your wood mulch.
Final Thoughts
This article started with a simple question: does mulch attract bugs? The unfortunate answer is that mulch does retain water – which will create an appealing environment for termites, mosquitoes, and other insects.
This may sound like a nightmare for homeowners who have landscaping around their property. But the good news is you can follow the preventative methods discussed above, in order to keep your garden free from these annoying bugs and insects.
Search Terms
- Does mulch attract bugs?
- Does mulch attract insects?
