Irene Holak
Sep 18, 2009
As the fall season progresses, we may note the beauty of our neighboring animals and birds. Some of these animals, however, can become nuisances to our land or our homes. Many of these include moles, voles or shrews, bats, raccoons and skunks. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to reduce, control and deter these pests. As always, be cautious when interacting with animals.
Voles, moles and shrews can often be misidentified. All enjoy burrowing through your yard. To keep them straight, note the size of their eyes, face structure, ears and feet. Voles have large eyes, a blunt face and small rounded ears. Moles have a longer snout with small eyes and minute ears. Similar to a mole; shrews are mouse-like in appearance, with a long snout and small eyes, but they have a smaller body size (3-4 inches in length).
Damage of moles and voles consists of disturbed vegetation and root systems, and eaten roots, bark, trees, seeds or vegetables. Depressions of lawns, shallow tunnels or molehills exist. Shrews on the other hand do not tunnel, but rather feed above ground. They may use the runways of other small mammals.
For management, an individual could trap or use chemicals, toxins and/or pellets. To alleviate damage on trees, try cutting the grass lower or using coarse stone around the base of the tree. Fencing buried 2 inches below soil surface may also help.
Bats are another wildlife nuisance we may encounter as they may get into attics or chimneys. To prevent or manage bat infestations, try sealing holes in foundations and providing alternative roosts or boxes to deter colonies from entering buildings and homes. If a bat enters your home, confine it to a room, keep lights on and open a window or door leading outside.
Remove pets and yourself from the room. If the bat does not leave, consider calling a wildlife control person.
Raccoons are also known to damage parts of a home. Raccoons are opportunists and omnivores that feed on various foods at night. They are known to get into garbage, gardens and pet foods.
To deter or prevent damage, avoid attracting them with access to trash; fence or use barriers and reduce shelters around the home.
Traps may be used as well. Tactics such as scare devices (dogs and lights) may work for temporary relief, but are not a long-term solution for raccoon control.
Like raccoons, skunks are active at night, omnivores and opportunistic. If you happen to get in the way of a skunk, remember there are solutions to neutralize the smell.
These may include a mixture of tomato juice with equal amount of vinegar. Pets can soak in this for one hour but must be rinsed thoroughly after. Other remedies like hydroperodixe (1 quart, 3 percent), baking soda (1/4 cup) and liquid soap (1 teaspoon) may work.
For more information on wildlife, or to obtain a fact sheet on these animals, please call Barry Cordingley skunkBgone.com at 647.638.4663 or e-mail info@skunkbgone.com.
