Animal Damage Control
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One of the reasons we humans have problems with wildlife is because we are
moving into their habitat. We are cutting down the forests they live in,
plowing down the food they eat. In order to survive, they have to co-exist with
us; we need to learn to co-exist with them.
We will look at reptiles, birds, and mammals.
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Reptiles:
Most snakes and lizards in our area are not venomous.
Most snakes and lizards are beneficial, because they feed on insects and
rodents.
Unless positively identified as venomous, please allow all reptiles to live
unmolested!
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Venomous snakes have a wide, spade-shaped head that is much wider than the
neck or rest of the body.
Non venomous snakes have a narrower head that is almost same size as
neck/rest of body.
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Harmless snakes have round pupils (the black part in the center of the eye).
Poisonous snakes have egg-shaped or cat-like (elliptical) pupils.
Pit. Poisonous snakes in Midwest also have a conspicuous sensory area or pit
(hence the name "pit viper") on each side of the head. The pit looks somewhat
like a nostril and helps the snake locate warm-bodied food. It is located about
midway and slightly below the eye and nostril . Harmless snakes do not have
pits.
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Copperhead: venomous
Notice spade shaped head, sensory pits.
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Garter Snake: non-venomous
No sensory pit, round pupil, head not much wider than body.
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Five lined skink. Juveniles have pronounced yellow stripes down body and a
bright blue tail. Adult males lose the stripes and turn brown to greenish
bronze. Up to 6.5 inches long. Found on dry, rocky hillsides an stone piles,
lumber stacks, and home foundations.
Broad-headed skink is larger, more robust.
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Many species of frogs and toads in southern Indiana. Considered beneficial
because they eat insects. Sometimes a problem if get into pools.
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General reptile control:
Culture/sanitation
Remove food source
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Exclusion: Seal up all windows and holes. Door sweep.
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Exclusion from entire property not practical.
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Chemical Control: Dr. T’s Snake Away? Basically a mixture of sulfur and
naptha (moth crystals).
Not shown to be effective. Loses effectiveness in open air. Could trap snake
on property.
Chemical control should be reserved for controlling insects that the snakes
feed on.
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Birds:
Migratory Bird Act; protected birds cannot be trapped or killed without a
permit.
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Yellow bellied sapsucker: Medium-sized woodpecker. White stripe running
up side. Messy black and whitish barring on back. Red on head and face.
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Sapsucker damage to tree trunks: holes drilled into tree trunks. Usually in a
straight line, horizontally or vertically.
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Flicker: A common ant-eating woodpecker of open areas
Medium to large woodpecker. Grayish brown. Barred on top, spotted below.
Black crescent on chest. Rump white, conspicuous in flight. Yellow or red
patches in wings obvious in flight.
The smallest and most common American woodpecker, the Downy
Woodpecker is found throughout most of North America from Alaska to
Florida. It lives in a variety of habitats from wilderness forests to urban
backyards, and comes readily to bird feeders.
Description: Small woodpecker. Black and white plumage. Plain white
back. Small, pointed bill.
Pileated woodpecker: Nearly as large as a crow, the Pileated Woodpecker is
the largest woodpecker in most of North America. Its loud ringing calls and
huge, rectangular excavations in dead trees announce its presence in forests
across the continent.
Description: Large woodpecker. Red crest on head. Black body.
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Problem: woodpeckers like to “drum” on hollow trees to claim territory and
attract mates; they will also gouge out nests in dead trees. A wood or log
house in the forest looks like a giant dead tree to them, and they’ll do serious
damage.
Notice that patching up the first hole simply made the bird move over a foot
and drill again.
Can try to repel with scare devices (pie pans, birds eye balloons, etc.)
Cover side of house with blankets, sheets, burlap
Use bird netting from roof to ground
Switch to colored vinyl or aluminum siding, not cedar siding.
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Pigeons: Otherwise known as “rats with wings.” A common sight in urban
areas throughout the world, the Rock Pigeon was introduced into North
America in the early 1600s. City buildings and their window ledges mimic the
rocky cliffs used by wild pigeons.
Description: Large pigeon. Color variable, but wild birds are gray. White
rump. Rounded tail, usually with dark tip. Pale gray wings have two black
bars. Wings broad with moderately pointed wingtips.
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Starlings: Began with 100 individuals introduced into Central Park in New
York City in the early 1890s; a group dedicated to introducing America to all
the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's works set the birds free. the European
Starling has become one of the most numerous birds on the North American
continent. It is a fierce competitor for nest cavities, and frequently expels
native bird species.
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Starling swarm: Can reach tens of thousands of individuals.
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Why worry about nuisance birds? Overwhelm bird feeders, driving out
desired songbirds. Can also outcompete native birds for nesting sites,
including store-bought bird houses.
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Why worry about nuisance birds? (Bird droppings)
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Exclusion is best control option. Porcupine wire (left) to prevent roosting on
ledges. Bird netting can be strung from roof overhang to ledge or ground.
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To control nuisance birds: Bird netting to exclude birds from gardens
(especially berry crops), and from building nests on ledges, under eaves, in
barns, etc.
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Scare devices have very limited effect. Birds get used to them quickly, then
ignore them. Scare devices include “terror eye” balloons, flash tape, rubber
snakes, fake owls, etc.
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Making a lot of noise (blowing whistles, banging pots and pans) as starlings
come in to roost may drive them away. Must be done as a neighborhood to
keep them out; just 1 person won’t scare them far enough away. Champagne
is optional.
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Geese and waterfowl: Attracted to water, but may fly away from ponds in
search of food. Are a game bird, may be hunted in season (but not in city).
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Geese as problem: Numerous, make driving hazardous or difficult to get to
buildings.
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Goose: grazing damage. Eat vegetation, including vegetable seedlings, farm
crops, grass, landscape plants.
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Aggressive behavior during mating season.
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Droppings: large, cigar sized. Can contaminate water, cause pollution
problems; slippery, dangerous and disgusting.
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Goose control: Stop feeding the geese! They will congregate wherever they
can get a free meal. Plus, bread is bad for them…no nutrition.
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Goose control:
Select unpalatable plants. Plant barrier vegetation, or building barrier
fences/structures. Pond should have steep slope.
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Goose control: make it hard to get in and out of water.
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Taste repellents: Rejex-It is grape flavored candy
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Could be many factors, including West Nile virus, Avian flu, natural causes
(predators, severe weather), impact with windows/power lines, toxicants.
If you find a dead blue jay, cardinal, robin, crows, or raptor: contact local
health department to see if they want to pick it up for testing for West Nile.
If you find dead migratory geese, ducks, etc., DO NOT PICK UP THE BIRDS
FOR TESTING. Call the Wildlife Conflicts Info Hotline (800-893-4116) or
DNR to report location and number of dead birds.
Dead wild birds should not be handled with bare hands. If you need to dispose
of a dead bird, use gloves or plastic bag turned inside out to pick up bird.
Double bag it, and dispose of it in trash.
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Nuisance mammals…some damaging, some just annoying.
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Wandering pets can be considered pests.
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Feral cats…cats that have been abandoned. Don’t get shots, can spread rabies,
distemper.
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Wandering cats very damaging to wild bird population; #1 reason for song bird
decline.
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Wandering cats use sandboxes, gardens as litter box. Covering sandbox helps
keep cats out; laying chickenwire flat on ground may discourage cats from
walking across flower beds.
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Dogs running loose can be dangerous…bite people, kill children. Spread
rabies.
Loose dogs also defecate in yards, etc.
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Most communities have leash laws that prohibit pets from running loose. Call
your city’s animal control office, Humane Society, etc.
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Fencing off property is best option. Repellents may give temporary relief, but not
always.
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Raccoon: fur bearing animal, specific hunting times, but can be taken without
a permit if discovered damaging property; must report to conservation officer
within 72 hours.
May damage vegetable and fruit crops, esp. corn and watermelons. May tear
up lawn looking for grubs and worms.
Will feed on garbage, bird seed, pet food. Will kill caged rabbits and poultry.
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May try to enter homes, garages, barns looking for food. May try to enter
through chimney; may tear shingles or siding trying to get in.
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Control: live trap, baited with tuna or catfish.
Exclude from garden with electric fencing, 1 strand at 6 inches.
Secure garbage, don’t leave pet food out.
Install chimney cap.
If raccoon enters attic or building, wait until it leaves to forage (between 11
pm and 4 am). Locate opening and seal. Breeding season is March-April –
don’t separate mother from young! Wait until family leaves in June.
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Deer: protected animal, numerous laws during hunting season.
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Deer damage: browsing plant eaters. Will feed on everything they can reach.
Very few plants will they avoid.
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Male deer rub antlers on trees, causing severe damage to bark and cambium.
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Deer damage on upper left, rabbit damage on lower right. Deer are nibblers;
rabbits bite with sharp incisors.
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Deer are a hazard to drivers.
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Deer control: standard fencing is worthless; a deer can hop a 10 foot fence
without thinking about it.
Electric fencing, set up in this fashion, has been known to work.
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Odor and taste repellents, such as soap, Hinder, etc.
Repellents are short lived, will not deter hungry deer.
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Hunting in season; farmers can apply to DNR for out-of-season harvest if
crops being destroyed.
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Most important thing is to NOT lure them to urban areas by feeding them.
Sounds harsh, but feeding them in your backyard does not benefit them. They
learn to lose their fear of humans, they become a nuisance by damaging
property, and they’re more likely to get hit by cars.
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Rabbits: small game animal, specific hunting season.
Feed on numerous flower and vegetable plants.
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Deer damage on left, rabbit on right. Deer are nibblers; rabbits bite with sharp
incisors.
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Will strip bark in winter.
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Control: fencing around garden. Bury edge of fencing.
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Use wire cylinders around young trees to protect from winter feeding.
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Trapping: bait with apples, carrots, fresh green vegetables.
Repellents: short lived. None labeled for edible crops.
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Squirrels: small game animal. “Cute rats”.
Feed on seeds, nuts and fruit.
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Squirrels and Gardens...notorious for stealing half-ripe tomatoes. Are doing
this for food and moisture.
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Will also chew on bark, girdling trees. Dig up bulbs.
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Squirrel guards to keep squirrels out of tree. However…
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Squirrels are agile acrobats. Guards don’t work if squirrel can jump from
nearby trees, roofs, or power lines.
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Trapping is not usually a good option. There are too many in our
neighborhoods to make a dent in the population; they are also very suspicious
of traps. If you try to trap them, bait with peanut butter, corn, nuts, apple. Tie
trap open 2-3 days to overcome trap shyness. Can be hunted in season; can be
taken if causing damage, if report to Conservation Officer within 72 hours.
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Bulbs and other perennials can be protected by planting them in cages like
this. Can also just roll out chicken wire over bed.
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Best control: provide food and water away from the garden.
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Mole: not protected. Insect eater. Lives underground.
A 5 ounce mole will consume 45-50 lbs of worms and insects each year.
Moles can dig surface tunnels at approximately 18 feet/hour.
Moles travel through existing tunnels at about 80 feet/minute.
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Moles have huge, strong paws for digging through soil. One to two moles per
acre; will dig up to 2 miles of tunnels per year.
Moles can dig surface tunnels at approximately 18 feet/hour.
Moles travel through existing tunnels at about 80 feet/minute.
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Two types of tunnels: feeding tunnel, may be used only once or twice.
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Deep tunnels, used for traveling, breeding dens. Will see mounds of soil
appear overnight, no hole or tunnel.
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Reason why no hole/tunnel seen: mole digs shaft to surface to kick out soil,
fills tunnel in behind himself.
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Mole tunnels very sprawling, large; many levels. One mole can dig 100 feet of
tunnel PER DAY, over 2 miles per year. One to two moles per acre. This is
reason flooding and poison gas don’t work.
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A legitimate way to control moles involves a shovel, a bucket, a lawn chair,
and a cooler full of beer. Sit in the lawn chair and drink the beer. When you
see the mole pushing up a tunnel, sneak up behind it, scoop it out of the ground
with the shovel and throw it in the bucket.
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Control: trapping is best.
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To capture a mole: set mole trap over active tunnel.
SLIGHTLY collapse tunnel, so mole can see it’s still open.
Set trap over tunnel, run plungers up and down to miss rocks/roots.
If don’t catch in 4-5 days, move to new location.
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Talpirid: only bait that works. Looks, smells and tastes like a worm, so moles
will eat it. Worm must be placed in an active tunnel, as discussed moments
ago.
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Mole control: moles eat worms and grubs.
Don’t eat poison peanuts, Juicy Fruit gum, not affected by broken glass in tunnel,
don’t care about castor beans or castor oil or “mole plants.”
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Controlling food supply doesn’t work reliably.
Grubs only part of diet; earthworms impossible to control.
Moles can’t tell if yard is devoid of grubs.
May do twice as much digging because less than half the food available.
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Voles are rodents, and eat plants. Note rounded nose, short tail. Can produce
5 to 10 litters per year!
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Roadways eaten into grass.
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Vole feeding damage. Especially bad in winter, heavy mulch loads.
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Vole control: Mouse traps baited with peanut butter, placed next to hole.
Cover with a bucket or basket so that it’s nice and dark for vole (and so
nothing else gets to trap, like birds or pets). Not practical for large
populations.
Poison mouse bait down the holes (not spread over surface).
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Shrew: insect eater. Note pointed snout, longer tail. Not considered a pest.
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Crayfish: Crustaceans (arthropods). Aquatic and terrestrial species.
Terrestrial species can move about over surface for short periods of time.
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Crayfish mounds: unsightly, not nice to hit with lawn mower.
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Improving drainage of site is only means of controlling crayfish in lawns.
Raise grade, use tile drain, etc. Not possible for crayfish nesting near ponds,
dams, etc.
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Controlling with chemicals is not recommended. Tunnels reach to water table;
poisons will therefore easily reach water table, nearby ponds. Also, new
crayfish can migrate onto your property any time.
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Eating crayfish is a good control measure.
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House mouse. Not protected. Grayish, 3 inches long plus 3 inch hairless tail.
Generally do not move more than 10 feet from nest.
Exclude by caulking holes pencil width (1/4 inch diameter) or greater.
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Poison baits are available. Dangerous to kids and pets. Also, potential of a
dead mouse in wall.
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Trapping: place traps along baseboards, near potential nesting sites, every 5 to
10 feet. Bait them with peanut butter, bacon or chocolate. See graphic for
proper trap placement. Dead trapped mice are yucky, yes...
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Sticky traps don’t kill mouse right away. Mouse suffers as it dies. Also have
to handle a live mouse.
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Legal aspects of harvesting animals.
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Legal Aspects of harvesting animals, page 2.
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Legal aspects, page 3
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Live trapping: considerations.
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Live trapping: releasing.
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Who to call for info.
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I’m going to cover a few insect problems that mostly affect homes or
homeowners, rather than garden plants.
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Termites: E-4
Termites feed on the cellulose in wood. Can slowly, over time, cause serious
damage to homes.
Termite workers never seen above ground…they dry out too quickly.
Sometimes, only evidence is the mud tubes seen on lower left. These are
created by termites so they can travel from soil (where the nest may be) up into
the wood they are feeding on.
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Ants vs. termites. Termites almost never seen above ground, out in open,
whereas ants frequently above ground.
Adult swarmers: Termites have straight abdomens, ants have a thin “waist”.
Termites have 2 pairs of wings, equal length; ants have 2 pairs of wings,
different lengths.
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Ants are a nuisance indoors. They get into everything.
Sanitation is big! No food left out, everything in tightly sealed containers.
Frequent washing/sweeping/mopping.
Watch ants, see where they are getting into room/house. Can sometimes seal
off entry places…or follow back to nest.
Ant baits only work against sugar ants, not Pharaoh ants or other species.
See E-22.
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Carpenter ants: Very large, black. Do not feed on wood, but instead hollow it
out to build their nests. Will only excavate soft, rotting wood. Therefore, not
a problem in trees (can’t control them inside a tree, anyway).
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Three common species of ticks in southern Indiana, all of which spread Lyme
Disease. Note: Blacklegged tick is another name for Deer Tick. Notice the
size, compared to the ruler and dime.
See E-71.
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Ticks feed by burrowing their mouthparts into skin and sucking blood. Body
can expand greatly as fills with blood.
First aid: grasp tick close to head with tweezers. Gently pull upwards and
away. Sharp pull can leave tick mouthparts in your flesh, encouraging
infection.
Use repellents on socks, pants, skin.
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Every year, in late summer, people look up and see a basketball sized hornets
nest and freak out. No reason to be overly concerned, though: this nest has
slowly been increasing in size since the mid spring. You’re only seeing it now
because the leaves are dropping. This is a baldfaced hornet nest. These are
social wasps, meaning they develop large colonies living together (see E-44).
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Baldfaced hornet queen overwinters under leaf litter. In spring, she emerges
and builds a small nest and lays a few eggs. These eggs hatch into the first set
of workers. After that, she stays within nest and lays eggs.
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By end of summer, a hornets nest can hold over 3000 workers (all female).
While not aggressive, they WILL defend their nest if attacked. As temperature
drops, queens leave and find overwinter site under mulch. Rest of colony dies
off when freezing weather occurs. If you want to collect one of these nests,
cut it off and stick in deep freeze for 2 or 3 weeks.
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These methods are not recommended: attacking with stick, shooting the nest,
or trying to burn them out.
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To control: ONLY IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO RUN FAST!
Get any aerosol hornet spray that shoots out a stream of chemical 10 to 20 feet
long. Aim for entrance hole at the bottom of nest. Soak it good. It will take a
couple of days to kill off colony; plan on repeating.
If nest is too high to reach, LEAVE IT ALONE!
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A very common problem is with carpenter bees, which cause lots of cosmetic
damage to exposed wood.
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Carpenter bees, also called wood bees, are about the size of a bumblebee.
Close up, the differences are: bumblebees are very hairy, whereas carpenter
bees are smooth. Bumblebees have a lot of yellow on their abdomen,
carpenter bees very little.
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The female carpenter bee bores dime-sized, perfectly round holes in wood.
She then makes a 90 degree turn and follows the wood grain down, hollowing
out egg-laying chambers. She’ll lay one egg in each chamber, and fill it with
pollen for the larva to eat.
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Carpenter bees are solitary insects (see E- 63). Females rarely sting…only if
you try to capture them. Males will dive-bomb you, but they have no stingers.
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To control: dust the holes with Sevin DUST. Leave holes open for a day or
two. Then fill with wood putty.
Literature says that the bee won’t attack treated wood (paint, stain), but that’s
not necessarily true.
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Most ladybugs are beneficial, but the Multi-colored Asian Ladybeetle makes a
nuisance of itself in fall. Gets its name from wide variation in sizes, colors,
spots. In Asia, they overwinter in the cracks along cliffs; in Midwest, they use
our houses. Mostly a problem with light-colored houses, especially on south
and west sides. Will worm their way under siding, attic vents, etc., and then
enter house.
Exclusion with tight-fitting window frames and door sweeps. Screens on
vents. Vacuum up when seen inside, and dump bag outdoors. See E-214.
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Most spiders found around the home are harmless. In fact, they are beneficial,
because they capture and eat other flying insects. This orb weaver, also known
as an argiope, frequently builds webbing with zig-zag pattern in center of web.
Harmless.
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Daddy longleg spiders are not a web builder. They are a hunter. The body is
small, but the legs can spread almost 2 inches out. Sometimes find their way
indoors. Contrary to myth, they almost never bite people, and their venom is
no more toxic than any other garden spider.
Wolf spiders are fast runners that will chase their prey. Wolf spiders are hairy
and often large, up to 1-3/8 inches long, sometimes confused with tarantulas.
Their legs are long and spiny. Many are dark brown.
Wolf spiders may hunt day and night. They usually occur outdoors, but may
wander indoors in search of prey. Not harmful unless you try to pick them up.
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The mature brown recluse spider has a body about 3/8 inch long and 3/16 inch
wide. The leg span is about the size of a half dollar. The overall color is light
tan to deep red- dish brown. The distinguishing mark is a darker contrasting
brown fiddle-shaped area on the front half of the back. This marking is why
the brown recluse is often referred to as the "fiddle-back spider". The bite of
this venomous spider can cause serious ef- fects. It is especially dangerous to
children, the elderly, and to those in poor physical condition.
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Spider control: Some insecticides are labeled, but many don’t work, since the
spiders are not insects. Since the spider can survive several months without
eating, killing their food supply is not a fast way to control. Also, recluses are
reclusive, and the insecticides rarely reach them behind furniture, under
couches, etc.
Best control is sanitation. If you have dust bunnies, you have perfect
environment for recluses. Vacuum frequently, especially under furniture.
Web-building spiders can be vacuumed up, too. DUMP VACUUM
immediately in a plastic bag and tie off tightly.
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Prevent pest entry by sealing off all openings. Repair torn screens, and be sure
fresh caulking around all windows. Fill in and repair any openings/cracks in
foundations, including dryer vents, cable inlets, etc. Use a door sweep to keep
pests from crawling under doors, especially for doors leading to garage or
basement. See VCH-179.
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And don’t harm natural biological control!
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