Yes, they can do this, but other species can do it as well. I suspect you are either trying to determine what is chewing on your wires, or you are trying to prevent chipmunks in the walls from chewing wires.…
Opossums are tearing up my lawn, presumably looking for grubs or insects. This particularly happens in the fall. Is there anything I can do to deter this?
Your yard may be the perfect habitat for an opossum. If so, you shouldn’t expect it to leave and go to a site with poorer habitat. In this case, you have the following options.
Before anything though, I would make …
How do I get rid of an armadillo living under a deck, shed, or home?
There are no successful repellents, toxicants, or fumigants registered for armadillos. The use of insecticides to reduce food sources also has not been proven to stop armadillo digging. A fence slanted outward at a 40° angle, with a portion buried …
What should I do if I notice a bat flying around my bedroom?
1. Determine if anyone may have been bitten. Don’t assume that just because you can’t see a bite mark that you weren’t bitten. The new protocol says to assume you were bitten unless proven otherwise. Here are the questions you …
We live in a homeowner’s association with a covenant about the percentage of mulch (organic/wood) we can use compared to rock. It only allows 25% of our landscaping to be wood. They claim that wood mulch is home to rodents of all kinds. We prefer wood bark. Is there a publication I can use to argue our case?
All mulching materials have advantages and disadvantages. Research did not yield any documents that make a watertight case for or against any of them, including crushed rock, lava, etc. Here are some frequently mentioned concerns:
1. Rock mulch such as …
How are bats beneficial?
While they won’t make your backyard insect free, bats do consume vast amounts of insects such as mosquitoes and crop damaging insects each night. Not only that but many bats that feed on nectar and pollen are important pollinators. Others …
I am looking for ground cover plants to conceal bird droppings under a bird feeder. Can you help?
There aren’t many plants where bird droppings will drop completely through the leaves and flowers so that there is no sign of it. There are many, however, that camouflage the spots, some better than others. Plants with white spots, white …
How far off the ground can a rattlesnake strike and bite?
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rattlesnakes can accurately strike at up to one-third their body length. The US Food and Drug Administration suggests that they can strike up to half their body length CDC.…
Will placing a backyard birdbath in the shade versus in the sun make a difference in how quickly bacteria grow?
Only a controlled lab study could establish the types of bacteria growing in a birdbath and the rate with which they increase/decrease depending on the degree of exposure to sunlight (and specific temperatures). However, in a totally unscientific way, i.e., …
How can I euthanize mice that are found still alive in a mouse trap?
You didn’t mention the type of trap you are using. I assume it is a standard snap trap, and if the mouse is alive, then it has probably been caught between the shoulders and the hips.
You can reduce the …