Home and Garden
Our homes are gardens, which may seem like places mainly intended for people, but in reality, we share them with many other organisms. Some species live in our immediate surroundings so often that we call them synanthropic species. These are species that have adapted to life alongside humans and make use of the warmth, shelter, food or moisture provided by houses, apartments, cellars and gardens.
In houses and other buildings, spiders, silverfish, ants, moths, small flies and various beetles are our frequent companions. In the Primorska region, in darker and more humid corners, we may also encounter centipedes and even smaller scorpions, which hide under rocks, in crevices or in cellars. Although they may frighten some people, they are mostly harmless and are important predators of smaller invertebrates. Bats sometimes find shelter under roofs and in attics, while at night, many nocturnal insects fly around lights.
Gardens also represent important habitats. Which animals we find in them strongly depends on the plants we grow and how we manage the garden. Flowering plants attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators, while earthworms, nematodes, snails, ants and various insect larvae live in the soil. Gardeners view some species as beneficial and others as harmful, but all of them play a role in nature. Smaller organisms attract larger predators – birds, lizards, hedgehogs or larger insects. Even a small garden, compost heap or flowerpot can become an important refuge for different organisms. This is why home gardens can also play an important role in conserving biodiversity in urban environments.
However, the introduction of non-native ornamental garden plants can also lead to the spread of alien invasive species. This is how plants such as goldenrods (Solidago spp.), Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and other plants have spread from gardens into nature. Together with plants, we can unintentionally introduce non-native animals. In recent years, there have been many reports of non-native land flatworms in the Goriška region, including the multilined hammerhead flatworm (Diversibipalium multilineatum), which in some parts of the world is considered a serious pest.