Snakes, Spiders and Stumps: How Tree Stumps Attract Snakes and Spiders to Your Yard
by Rose Reyes
When you remove a tree from your yard, you would be wise to get rid of the stump too. Tree stumps eventually begin to rot. As a tree stump and the roots attached to it rot, pockets open up in the soil around them, leaving depressions in the ground. Not only are these depressions tripping hazards, but they are also potential nesting sites for pests both large and small.
If you live somewhere like the UK, where there are very few, if any, dangerous spiders and snakes, your tree stump won't be so deadly. However, in Australia, poisonous snakes and spiders abound. And unfortunately, some of these deadly creatures are fond of tree stumps.
Are you considering leaving a tree stump to rot in your yard? Before you do so, read on to discover what you might end up attracting to your yard.
Funnel-Web Spiders Nest in Tree Stumps
The soil around a rotting tree stump can become a funnel-web spider nest. An Australian woman from Raymond Terrace, Newcastle, discovered this fact to her horror when she uncovered a nest of 30 funnel-web spiders while removing a tree stump.
Funnel-web spiders like to nest in shaded areas away from direct sunlight. This is why they will happily burrow into the soil around a tree stump to build a nest. If you live around Sydney, you could even attract one of the deadliest spiders in the world — the Sydney funnel-web spider.
Snakes Nest Under Tree Stumps
Other nasty pests that like to nest around or under rotting tree stumps are snakes of several varieties, depending on your location. Tree snakes, tiger snakes, brown snakes and red-bellied blacksnakes, especially, like to nest in and around trees and tree stumps.
While snakes won't usually hunt you down and attack you, if you, your children or your pets disturb them while out in the yard, they will attack out of self-defense.
Rodents Nesting in Tree Stumps Can Attract Snakes and Spiders
Finally, even if you only attract a family of rats to your tree stump, those rats could then end up becoming a food supply for local spiders and snakes. The last thing you need while trying to enjoy your garden in summer is for hordes of snakes and spiders to descend upon your yard in search of juicy rats or mice.
As you can see, if you decide to leave a tree stump after you have removed a tree, you could end up creating a nesting site for all kinds of nasty critters.
The best thing to do is to hire a tree stump removal service to grind out the stump and its roots. That way, you'll have a clear stretch of land upon which you can plant a replacement tree or plant a vegetable garden. You'll also ensure that your garden doesn't become a nesting site for snakes and spiders.
For more information, contact a stump grinding company.
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About Me
If you live in an old house, you might find that some of the trees in your yard are as old, or older, than your house. Trees are a great link to the past of the house, but as they get older, like any living thing, they need a little more tender loving care! I help homeowners restore and maintain the trees at their house so that they look beautiful and healthy again. If you are the proud owner of an older tree and want to make sure it retains its natural glory, keep reading for my hints and tips.