Martin Houses: A Natural Way To Get Rid Of Insects and Pests

If you like having birds visit your backyard, and are looking for a natural way to get rid of insects and pests, you may want to learn more about building or purchasing martin houses. Martins will get rid of the mosquitoes and flies in your yard, which means that you and your family will be able to enjoy more time indoors. However, you should learn more about creating the most comfortable environment for these birds. Here are a few tips that may help.

First, you’ll need to understand that martins need a specific environment to thrive in. Martin houses should be placed in the most open spot in your garden, and you should make sure that it is at least 30 feet away from your home. There shouldn’t be any trees taller than the martin houses within 40 feet; if you can, you should build the house about 60 feet away from taller trees in your garden. It is also a good idea to make sure that you don’t attach wires to the martin house, especially if these wires are attached to trees or to the ground. And, martin houses usually do well near boat docks, so if you live near a body of water, you’re sure to attract plenty of birds. There are different diagrams and floor plans that should be used for martin houses depending on the type of yard you have.

Once your martin houses are set up, you may notice that some ‘scouts’ will come to visit the house and start nesting there. It was previously believed that these birds were coming to scope out the new breeding sites for their flocks, but the birds are actually just the first to arrive at the martin houses on the way back to their nesting site from the previous year.

If you notice over time that birds will come to visit the martin houses you’ve created each year, you should keep the houses covered until it is time for the martins to migrate to your area. Purple martins will be especially prone to return to the houses each year, since they have been known to have a high level of fidelity to a site, especially if they have been able to breed specifically at your location.

If you want to know how to build martin houses, or want to purchase houses that are already made, you can check out sites like www.birdwatchers.com for lots of product varieties that may go well with your garden decor and construction. You can also find martin houses, books that include tips and instructions on how to construct your houses, and garden accessories at www.amazon.com.