Note that if you purchase something via one of our links, including Amazon, we may earn a small commission.
Being neighborly when it isn’t easy.
Back in the days when we humans lived as hunter-gatherers, we were part of a web of life where our relationship with other species was one of interdependence. Knowing the plants and animals that provided food, shelter, or medicine, as well as those that could harm or even kill us, was essential for survival. We have our ancestors to thank for our keen eyes that can detect subtle movement in the periphery of our vision, ears that hear the snap of a twig or a bird call in the distance, and a nose that can lead us to a ripe patch of berries. Being both predator and prey were a normal part of daily life. To be sure, our ancestors were fearful of large carnivores on land and sharks in the water. They knew skunks were smelly, and they experienced poison ivy rashes too, but if you read or listen to the stories from indigenous people, they primarily teach about respecting and living with these hard-to-love species rather than eradicating them. They were, well, more neighborly than most people are today.
The attitudes of indigenous people toward the animals and plants around them were rooted in their knowledge of each species and its role in the natural world. In Pacific cultures, sharks are viewed as guardians of the ocean that manage prey species and help fishermen navigate. Here in North America, indigenous people lived amidst a variety of hazardous animals. Whether it was bears, mountain lions or porcupines, essential knowledge for sharing the land with them was passed along through stories and lessons on wildlife tracks and sign — scrapes on trees from claws, scrapes in the dirt.
Even annoying animals like smelly skunks were respected. An Anishinaabe story tells us the skunk was given its powerful defense weapon because of one who gave its life for the benefit of its kind. The Lakota revered skunks for their bravery in standing their ground when facing bears, so war chiefs lined the heels of their moccasins with skunk skins or tails to give them courage. Their respect for skunks would only have increased if they’d witnessed one digging up a ground hornet or wasp nest. Because skunks are good mousers and eat a variety of insect grubs, they provide natural pest control. So, while the occasional spray of a skunk could be unpleasant, the skunk was known to be brave and helpful. This may not be your experience with skunks, but if you are having repeated encounters with skunks that result in a skunk spraying, you might investigate which foods or shelters are attracting the skunks, and perhaps remove those or find a way to exclude the skunks from them.
Because skunks are good mousers and eat a variety of insect grubs, they provide natural pest control. So, while the occasional spray of a skunk could be unpleasant, the skunk was known to be brave and helpful.
I’m not an indigenous person, so I did not grow up hearing the stories of my people in a culture with traditional ecological knowledge. Where, then, does my mindset of interdependence, tolerance, and respect towards other species come from? The answer is simple. I’ve spent a lot of time in nature observing, listening, smelling, tasting, and piecing together my understanding of the web of life around me. I’ve learned that every native species has a role in the ecosystem it inhabits. Nature doesn’t produce any junk. So, I’m batty for bats, tolerant of ticks, and silly for snakes. Yup. They are all my neighbors, and each one of them has a job to do. My job is to understand their roles and learn how to live with them so that we can all share this tiny blue dot together. Perhaps I can help you find your footing on this path, too, by helping you see some not-so-easy to love species differently.
Here on Martha’s Vineyard, where I live, poison ivy grows plentifully, and I’ve had many unpleasant encounters with it. Do I loathe it? No. I respect it for reminding me to pay attention. Every time I’ve suffered from a poison ivy rash, it was because I was either too lazy to put on gloves and long sleeves, or I was not paying attention. And poison ivy has benefits beyond its lessons in awareness: I’ve seen at least a dozen bird species and a few mammals feast on the berries of this native plant in the fall and winter, when they offer much-needed nutrients. Walking along the beaches here, I see poison ivy’s roots contributing to dune stabilization, and I’m grateful for its service. I also admire its vibrant fall color. Early European colonists loved poison ivy’s fall color too. So much so that they sent it back to England to be planted in gardens for display.
I’ve learned that every native species has a role in the ecosystem it inhabits. Nature doesn’t produce any junk. So, I’m batty for bats, tolerant of ticks, and silly for snakes. Yup. They are all my neighbors, and each one of them has a job to do.
Snakes have had a bad rap since the serpent appeared as a devious force in the book of Genesis. While venomous snakes can certainly be hazardous, they are typically pretty secretive and would rather bite prey species than you. The majority of snakes that people encounter in North America are harmless and beneficial. They provide excellent rodent control. So, if you have a mouse or rat problem in your barn, or if you live in an area with ticks carried by rodents, think about welcoming some snakes to your property to hunt mice and other rodents. If you have slugs or snails in your garden, there are snakes that can help. Learn about your local snake species and how you might attract them. There might even be a microhabitat program in your area, enabling you to sign up to have someone visit your property and offer advice on how to create habitat. On the Vineyard, check out the BiodiversityWorks site for info on Natural Neighbors.
Bats have also suffered terribly from bad publicity. From Dracula to stories about bats wanting to nest in your hair, these little mammals have been maligned, misunderstood, and terrorized by tennis rackets. While people mistakenly think that bats are rodents that chew their way into homes and have lots of babies, that isn’t true. The bats you find around your home and in your yard are insectivores, with tiny teeth incapable of chewing wood. They are the only mammal capable of true flight, and in other ways, they are a lot like us. Many bats have only one pup each year that they nurse with milk, and some bats live for more than 20 years. They are excellent neighbors, because a bat can consume 3,000 – 4,000 insects in a single night. They even prey upon newly arrived invasive insect pests like the spotted lantern fly. How do you live with bats? Hosting bats in a bat colony box on the exterior of your home, or having a colony behind exterior trim boards or shingles or shutters is a great way to share space with them. You can also leave dead trees with cavities or loose bark standing for bats to occupy. One of my favorite summer evening activities is watching bats emerging to feed at dusk.
Bats have also suffered terribly from bad publicity. From Dracula to stories about bats wanting to nest in your hair, these little mammals have been maligned, misunderstood and terrorized by tennis rackets.
Mosquitoes and ticks are the hardest to love. It’s much easier to loathe them. These animals carry serious diseases and can cause considerable harm to humans, but they also play an important role in the food chain. Mosquitoes are a staple food for dragonflies, frogs, fish, toads, birds and bats. Ticks are eaten by birds and some mammals, but their role as a prey species isn’t as easy to see and appreciate. So how do we be good neighbors with mosquitoes and ticks? I dress appropriately when I go out into nature and on trails. My clothes are treated with permethrin (a spray insecticide best used on garments, not skin), and in late summer into fall when larval tick bombs are a risk, I carry duct tape to remove them, and some DEET spray for anything I miss. I also do a tick check every day. If you need to create a safe space in your yard for you or children, and you decide to spray for ticks, do your homework on what you are spraying. Know that you will be killing non-target insects with any spray, whether it is eco-friendly or not. So, make sure you spray only what you need to spray. Be mindful that no spray is 100% effective, so you still need to do a tick check everyday.
Because skunks are good mousers and eat a variety of insect grubs, they provide natural pest control. So, while the occasional spray of a skunk could be unpleasant, the skunk was known to be brave and helpful.
Of course there are many other animals and insects that are hard to love, and some parts of the world have more of them than others. But each one has something to offer, just as each of us has something to offer the world. I encourage you to spend more time in nature, observing and learning about the plants and animals around you. On Martha’s Vineyard, visit the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life to learn more about our biodiversity and find learning resources. Visit your local nature center. Purchase some field guides or download the iNaturalist app. Given that we are living increasingly isolated lives and spending more and more time indoors and online, is it any surprise that we are in the midst of the Sixth extinction crisis? If there was ever a time for us to focus on being more neighborly, it's now.
Reading list
Check your local bookstore, or find these on Amazon.
- Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac
- The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammals by Merlin Tuttle
- In Praise of Poison Ivy by Anita Sanchez
