In one backyard near the Gorge Waterway in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada, invasive European wall lizards appear to have taken care of a garden headache by picking off the slugs that ruined Tracy Menzies' strawberries.
While it was a small win for the gardener, concerns remain that the species is spreading quickly on Vancouver Island.
Here's what to know
Menzies observed more lizards showing up in her yard, moving through the garden and skittering underfoot. With those invasive reptiles on the hunt, the slugs no longer ruined her prized crop.
"I don't have a slug in my yard, so I can only assume, given the start of me seeing the wall lizards, that they're feasting on the slugs," she said.
However, according to Nanaimo News NOW, one expert warned that invasive European wall lizards are spreading quickly and feeding on insects, spiders, and slugs.
"They're spreading fast and furious, and we're stuck with them," said Gavin Hanke, a curator of vertebrate zoology at the Royal BC Museum. "We will have to learn how to live with them."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Their wide-ranging diet makes the issue more serious for the ecosystem, despite Menzies' successful strawberry patch. An animal that seems helpful in one backyard can still disrupt the wider ecosystem.
More background
Invasive species can upset the balance ecosystems rely on. In Saanich, where the shift is already showing up in backyard gardens, the first noticeable sign may be better fruit, not the disruption experts are warning about.
"The unfortunate thing is these lizards are impacting invertebrate populations," Hanke continued. "They do kill baby garter snakes. Every lizard eating something every day is really impacting the insects and spiders on Vancouver Island."
Menzies' experience showed that the slugs were up against a notable predator. Rather than appearing once or twice, the lizards were showing up in increasing numbers in the same garden spaces where she grows food.
Where can I learn more?
When invasive reptiles spread into new environments, threats to native wildlife might not be witnessed right away.
• In southeast Georgia, more than 20 invasive tegus were found threatening native wildlife.
• Across many ecosystems, invasive species can unravel food webs and outcompete native species.
• In Cyprus, human presence changed agama lizard behavior in troubling ways.
• In Florida, officials have backed iguana hunting as population control for a fast-spreading invader.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
