It is hard to say what is eating your petunias, but rabbits could definitely be the culprit since you know they are around. If you can find a stem that was eaten, see if the bite was taken at a …
We have something eating our impatiens plants every evening. We have tried every repellent to no avail. Our property abuts a woods, and we have had deer, fox, goundhogs, rabbits, and bobcats in the backyard over the years. What do we do next?
You have been introduced to the first law of dealing with wildlife: repellents are not fences. You might want to visit this site to see why repellents don’t always work: Why Repellents Fail
If a rabbit or woodchuck is eating …
Some animal (squirrels?) is eating plastic in our yard: plastic tray on the gas grill, plastic edging in the garden, plastic handles of tools, vinyl siding on the house. If this is a squirrel as we suspect, what can we do to stop it?
You need to find out what animal is doing this. Different animals are managed in different ways, so proper identification is key. If it is squirrel damage, you should be able to see the incisor imprints at the location of …
We have too many destructive chipmunks around! What can we do? They get in the garage, they chew on the landscape edging and they have chewed into electrical cords.
First, do you have a bird feeder? Typically, chipmunk populations explode due to the availability of non-natural food sources, such as a bird feeder that spills seed. See below for information on managing your bird feeder. Trapping is still the …
Is there a humane way to discourage pocket gophers from setting up residence in a yard and garden area? I do not want to use traps or poison.
Less-lethal Ways to Control Pocket Gophers
Mounds of the Plains pocket gopher. Photo by Dallas Virchow.
Only three options exist for keeping pocket gophers out of your property without using traps or toxicants.
- The first is to remove all the
I recently noticed holes in my yard that are about 2 inches wide. What could be causing these?
There are many creatures that will create holes in lawns. As with all areas of pest control, it’s essential to know your target pest. Methods, materials, traps, baits, etc. vary widely from species to species. In this case it is …
How do you control a raccoon digging up pansies? Tulip bulbs?
Chances are, the raccoon is digging up the pansies or tulip bulbs in its search for grubs or other insects as a food source. Spraying the area with an insecticide may help alleviate the problem (you should always carefully read …
How do I stop crows from feeding in my nut trees?
You describe a major problem in the pecan industry—predation by birds. A major legal concern for management efforts is the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 that protects most bird species, including crows. There are similar state laws that …
Is it safe to use castor bean plants in a vegetable garden as a gopher deterrent?
It won’t deter pocket gophers, period. Neither will it deter moles, voles, chipmunks, or other ground squirrels. If you want more information on managing pocket gophers or other small mammals in your garden, visit the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage …
Is bougainvillea a deer-proof plant?
You can find some lists which state bougainvillea will not be browsed by deer, and others that say it will. What this discrepancy demonstrates is that there is no such thing as a 100% deer-proof plant. Different deer have different …