Easy Organic Garden Pest Solutions

Nature has incredible power. From fleas jumping hundreds of times their body length to dandelions rooting anywhere, nature’s abilities can seem magical. But what if nature could also solve human problems like providing easy organic garden pest solutions? Instead of always relying on man-made solutions, could we partner with nature for answers? Dr. Charles Campbell did just that—and saved an entire town.

Dr. Charles Campbell’s Unconventional Solution

In 1907, malaria was devastating a small community near San Antonio. Dr. Campbell, who had previously helped control a typhus outbreak, focused on malaria next. Though quinine could manage symptoms, it wasn’t a cure or prevention. Campbell turned to bats, one of the most feared and misunderstood creatures. Despite initial setbacks, he succeeded in establishing a bat colony in Lake Mitchell, where malaria had infected 89% of the population and mosquito swarms were overwhelming.

The Bat Colony’s Success

In 1911, Dr. Campbell built a bat roost, and within two nights, 250,000 bats arrived. While methods like insecticides and draining marshes failed to control mosquitoes, the bat colony consumed around 750 million mosquitoes each night. By 1913, malaria cases stopped entirely. This success demonstrated the immense power of partnering with nature, thinking outside the box, and overcoming fear and superstition.

The Bigger Picture: What Could We Create Together?

Dr. Campbell’s success asks an important question: What if we thought differently about nature’s role in solving modern problems? By partnering with nature, we could have easy organic garden pest solutions address many of today’s challenges and create a more balanced world. The possibilities are endless if we embrace unconventional ideas.

Dr. Campbell’s work shows the power of thinking outside the box. By partnering with nature, we can create a healthier, more sustainable future. His story reminds us that working with nature may be the key to solving our most pressing problems—and that our gardens, both literal and metaphorical, may hold untapped solutions.

Do you partner with nature in your garden? Share a time when you learned the power of partnering with mother nature in the comment section below!

10 Comments

Marie on August 27, 2023 at 10:22 am

I am keeping worm boxes here in northern maine w/ shredded paper for bedding and m organic greens and veggies and fruit peels. They love coffee grounds and banana peels the best- not much for onion family. Those go in the compost pile ( or bucket on porch/ garage for winter). This year these were my fertilizer- compost 4 parts to worm castings one. No purchases of fertilizers. Getting back to nature. Thanks for the story.

Beth on July 11, 2022 at 1:11 pm

This is a fabulous story! Kudos to Dr Campbell 😃Here in Florida the mosquitoes are ferocious…I would love to know how to build some effective bat houses on my property. Any suggested links?

Sandra G. on July 11, 2022 at 12:49 pm

Hi I live in San Antonio and the bats are such a blessing. One is able to see them leave the caves each night on weather radar. Each year they eat several types of bugs by the million if not trillions. The great thing is it is natural no pesticides on the produce or in ones garden. The bats also help pollinate several plants as well. The Bat Conservation group has lots of information https://www.batcon.org/about-us/ . There are several events across Texas which exist to inform people about bats. For more information look for bats at https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/bats/bat-watching-sites/ Other issues are out there which harm bats https://texasbutterflyranch.com/2022/06/08/despite-challenges-mexican-free-tailed-bats-thrive-in-san-antonio-area-heres-where-to-see-them/ thanks for this information.

Jeff on July 11, 2022 at 3:09 am

I live in San Antonio, TX and have never heard this story, how ever, the largest bat colony of mexican free-tailed bats is at Bracken cave on the N/E side of town. They also have a large colony in Austin living between the bridge girders of Congrees Ave bridge over Town Lake.

Kathy Myny on July 10, 2022 at 11:58 pm

I had a problem the last several years, with Japanese Beetles in my raspberry patch. They came in June and made a mess in my raspberries, eating the leaves and mating all over the place. For a couple of years, I used beetle traps which helped but they were not fun to dispose of and then I read about nematodes. We were having a problem with dying grass in the lawn next to the raspberry bushes, so I decided to try nematodes in the grassy area as they will kill larvae in the soil, one of the stages of Japanese beetles. This year so far I have very few beetles in the raspberries and the grassy area is as green as the rest of the lawn in the yard. I’ve killed a few on the raspberries and potatoes but nothing like the previous 2 or 3 years.

Linda on July 10, 2022 at 9:45 pm

I am leaving plants with aphids for the 🐞 ladybugs. Rather than spraying or pulling them.

Valena Mcevers on July 10, 2022 at 9:34 pm

Thank-you for sharing that inspiring article about the bats in Texas. Yes, we need to work with nature and the one who created it.

Catherine on July 10, 2022 at 7:57 pm

Appreciate the historical lesson. So much to learn from history. Would appreciate a post on making bat shelter and attracting our furry winged friends, and placements, etc.

Lilith Rogers on July 10, 2022 at 7:49 pm

Oh, I love this story, thank you. I hadn’t known about it until you published it for me.

I have studied Rachel Carson’s work and have produced and performed in a one woman show about her.RACHEL CARSON RETURNS which you can find on Youtube. Her work and her books about nature, THE SEA AROUND US and other boks about the ocean and espescially SILENT SPRING wihich came out in the 60’s and saved us from DDT esp. highlight the importance of living in Balance with Nature and how important that is…..Yes, Bats!!