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Rabbit Control & Prevention

Learn how to keep the neighborhood rabbit out of your garden this spring with these tips.

Why We Keep Rabbits Out

Anyone who tills soil regards the rabbit as more than a cute addition to the carrot patch. This long-eared mammal possesses a voracious appetite for various fresh vegetation— perennials, annuals, woody plants, vegetables, and fruit. The menu of rabbit favorites is so ridiculously long it’s easier to list the foods they don’t enjoy.

As if that isn’t enough, rabbits also reproduce at excessively high rates, hence the phrase “multiplying like rabbits”. This is why allowing them to hang around may quickly become a total garden infestation and destruction. Their numbers skyrocket at three litters of six babies each per year in the north and up to as many as six litters of three babies each year in the south. In the north, the first litter appears in March but is year-round elsewhere. Their gestation period is a mere 29 days.

Your backyard bunny’s main concern is to eat without being eaten, which is a difficult task given that more than two dozen predatory species relish rabbits. Because of this, nibbling your marigolds is not a carefree picnic but, in fact, a potentially life-threatening mission. However, if the neighborhood Peter Cottontail can squeeze through a hole in your garden fence, it will be able to munch safely. 

How to Prevent Rabbits

The most effective way to keep rabbits out of the garden is to start using the plants they don’t like early in the spring and then be consistent throughout the growing season. 

  • First and foremost, it’s best to keep rabbits from crossing into the garden, to begin with. Many historical remedies rely on spreading various substances around the garden’s perimeter, i.e., human hair, dried blood, or dried blood meal. If you sprinkle dried blood on the soil around all your plants as early in the season as you can, and repeat after heavy rain. Note: If you have dogs, it’s probably best to avoid this method because they will likely be attracted to the scent and potentially dig up your garden.
  • Don’t solely rely on repellents. The most effective way of keeping out rabbits is chicken wire fencing. Install a fence that is 4 feet high and bury it 6 inches deep. Bend the fence’s top foot away from the garden similarly to a security fence so that they are unable to climb or jump over it. For fresh bulbs, try securing a cage or dome of chicken wire over the beds.
  • Rabbits prefer to not leave their shelters, so if you reduce the possible rabbit homes around your yard this will help deter them. Brushing away piles of brush and leaves, and filling in abandoned burrows are also means of prevention. Hopefully, if a rabbit doesn’t have a place to live, it won’t stay long. Rabbits will also breed much more efficiently if they have a suitable habitat available—all the more reason to provide nothing!

What Do Rabbits Dislike?

According to rabbit experts, rabbits have plant preferences based on taste, nutritional value, the presence of poison or prickles, and ease of availability. Their food tastes can also vary by season and even region, so not all plants work for all rabbit species. Do your research, and then tend plants that your local rabbits don’t find very tasty.

Rabbits tend to avoid a few of the same plants as Japanese beetles and deer.

If you’d like to control all these critters, choose plants such as:

  • Lilac bushes
  • Daffodils
  • Lavender
  • Marigolds
  • Forsythia
  • Snapdragons
  • Zinnias

These will likely help to reduce your rabbit population. Obviously, these are not is not a guaranteed solution, as hungry rabbits will eat almost anything. However, filling your garden with these plants might make your garden less appetizing than another one.

If all else fails, calling a wildlife professional at Hogarth’s Pest Control is always a great option. We are skilled in trapping and relocating sometimes required for rabbit control. If you are experiencing an unrelenting issue with rabbits in your garden this spring, don’t hesitate to reach out today!

Michigan Snakes

We have no shortage of snakes in Michigan. Precisely speaking, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources lists 17 separate species that live within our state. Let’s get to know them! (Spoiler alert: Most of them are harmless.)

Black Rat Snake

The black rat snake is found in the southern lower peninsula, typically living in or near woodlands, often near water. They can reach anywhere from 3.5 to 8 feet in length! State law protects black rat snakes, citing them as a Michigan DNR species of particular concern. These non-venomous snakes are harmless to human,  though it is the largest snake you will find in Michigan.

Blue Racer

Blue Racer snakes live throughout most of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and the southern tip of the Upper Peninsula, inhabiting a variety of areas from open woods to meadows, marshes, and the other regions. They can reach anywhere from 4 to 6 feet in length. Once a common species, the number of Blue Racer snakes is decreasing. They have light-colored bellies and will shake their tails when they feel threatened. While they might bite in these cases, these snakes are not venomous.

Brown Snake

Brown snakes live throughout the Lower Peninsula and the southern tip of the Upper Peninsula in many areas, both residential and rural. They are small snakes, reaching only 9 to 15 inches in length. Brown snakes are common throughout the state; they rarely bite and are non-venomous. Brown snakes are shy and like to hide under objects or below the ground.

Butler’s Garter Snake

This widespread species lives in the eastern and southern Lower Peninsula, typically inhabiting moist areas like meadows, marshes, and the edges of lakes. While they can bite, it is unlikely, and they are non-venomous. Many say their teeth feel similar to velcro! Earthworms are a favorite food for the Butler’s Garter Snake.

Eastern Garter Snake

The most common snake in the state, the Eastern Garter snake, can be found everywhere, including urban areas! They have red tongues with a black tip and can reach 2 to 4 feet in length. They can bite but are non-venomous.

Copper-bellied Water Snake

You can only find the copper-bellied water snake in the southern area of the Lower Peninsula. Reaching 4 to 5 feet in length, these snakes do not lay eggs. Instead, they are one of the very few types of snakes that give birth to live offspring. Copper-bellied water snakes are endangered and protected by state law. They will bite if threatened but are non-venomous.

Eastern Hognose Snake

The Eastern hognose snake lives in the Lower Peninsula and the southern tip of the Upper Peninsula. However, they are most common in the western and northern Lower Peninsula, mostly in sandy woodland areas. While once prevalent, this medium-sized species is declining in numbers due to an irrational fear by humans who will kill the snake.  They cannot harm you and will even play dead if threatened.

Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

This authentic rattlesnake reaches 2 to 3 feet in length and can be found in the Lower Peninsula, inhabiting wetlands during the spring and drier areas in the summer. While this species will try to avoid confrontation, they will bite if in danger, and they are venomous— however, the Massauga is the smallest and least venomous rattlesnake. It is important to note that this is the only species of poisonous snake throughout the state of Michigan, which means that the Upper Peninsula is void of any harmful snakes.

Eastern Milk Snake

The Eastern milk snake is common in the Lower Peninsula but rare in the Upper Peninsula.  They survive in a variety of environments and reach 2 to 4 feet in length. They are harmless to humans, though these snakes got their name by lingering around farm buildings, eating mice and rats.

Fox Snake

The western fox snake is found in woods, fields, and dunes in the Upper Peninsula, while the eastern fox snake spends its time in the marshes and wet meadows of the Lower Peninsula. These snakes reach 3 to 5 feet in length and are classified as “threatened” and protected by state law. They are harmless to humans. In the U.P, the western fox snake goes by the “pine snake.”

Kirtland’s Snake

The Kirtland’s snake lives in the Southern Lower Peninsula in damp meadows, vacant lots, and open woodlands. This snake flattens its body when threatened and is endangered and protected by state law. They rarely bite and are non-venomous.

Northern Ribbon Snake

Common in wetland habitats throughout the Lower Peninsula, the Northern Ribbon snake, reaches anywhere from 18 to 38 inches in length. They are great swimmers and harmless to humans.

Northern Water Snake

One of the least pleasant on the list is the Northern water snake. These snakes can reach between 2 to 4 feet in length and live throughout the Lower Peninsula and the eastern Upper Peninsula, mostly near bodies of water. The Northern water snake can have up to 48 young per litter! While not a threatened species, human aggression has eliminated water snakes from many areas. They will bite if threatened but are non-venomous.

Queen snake

The Queen snake is a generally uncommon species that live near bodies of water in the Southern Lower Peninsula. They range from 15 to 36 inches in size and are not only unlikely to bite; they are non-venomous as well. Their diet primarily consists of crayfish.

Red-bellied snake

You can find red-bellied snake throughout Michigan, in fields and woods. They are common and like to hide beneath objects in trash dumps, reaching only around 15 inches in length. They are utterly harmless to humans.

Ring-necked Snake

Throughout Michigan but most common on the state’s larger islands, the ring-necked snake typically lives in moist woodlands. Spotting one is rare, and receiving a bite by one is even more unusual— though they do have slightly poisonous saliva. Despite only reaching 10 to 24 inches in length, they sometimes feast on smaller snakes.

 

Smooth Green Snake

Measuring at 12 to 20 inches in length, the smooth green snake can be found throughout lower Michigan in grassy areas. They are a common species that likes to chow down on insects. They rarely bite humans and are non-venomous!

 

As with most pests, proper identification is key when dealing with any sort of wildlife situation. If any of these snakes are an unwanted presence around your home, you know who to call!

“Michigan’s Snakes.” DNR – Michigan’s Snakes, 12 June 2019, www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350–61219–,00.html.

(Un)Lucky Number Thirteen

One of the critters that are known to cause the most damage in our area is the thirteen-lined ground squirrel. To the untrained eye, this squirrel is often mistaken for an Eastern chipmunk. The squirrel causes extensive structural damage due to their tunnels. The tunnels are dug beneath patios, stairs, and foundations. However, burrows are the most common type of lawn damage caused by thirteen-lined ground squirrels. Because of these reasons, its presence is a nuisance and requires control.

As previously mentioned, thirteen-lined ground squirrels look a lot like the Eastern chipmunk. The biggest difference is that while chipmunks take to the trees, ground squirrels burrow. They make their homes along the foundation of buildings, in gardens, mulch beds, and so forth— they avoid wooded areas.

Associated problems

We hardly ever find thirteen-lined ground squirrels inside of homes and other structures, unlike the majority of their relative squirrel species. Rather than chewing inside, these squirrels will do their damage outside. They cause problems with erosion— tearing up gardens, and creating burrows/holes around the property.

In addition to structural damage, thirteen-lined ground squirrels also affect crops. In some areas, they feed on agricultural crops such as wheat, oats, corn, and — although the damage is limited to the harvest season, not during winter storage.

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel can also be a reservoir and vector for fleas and ticks. Contact with these squirrels risks contracting Lyme disease, as in more recent years they have become conduits of the tick-borne illness. Fleas, lice, and mites can also live on these rodents, so it is best to refer to a professional when dealing with them.

If you suspect you may have an issue with ground squirrels, we would be happy to help! These small and agile squirrels fit into our bait boxes where we trap them, so our control methods are environmentally friendly. Getting on a regular trapping program to control the population is an easy solution.

Coyote Ugly

As spring approaches, it is not unlikely to hear the all-too-familiar howls and yips from our less than friendly neighbors, the coyote. People tend to report seeing more of these predators this time of year because they are breeding. Their breeding season typically begins in January and runs through March, depending on the weather; with this year’s mild winter, it’s safe to say the mating season is well underway.

People are most likely to spot coyotes during their mating season, which occurs in Michigan from mid-January to March. As the fall months approach, pups begin leaving their den sites to establish home ranges of their own. Unfortunately, these young dispersing animals can wander into urban areas. Coyotes are active both day and night; however, activity peaks at sunrise and sunset, and they generally feed in the night.

Diet & Habits

According to Michigan’s DNR, coyotes are opportunistic creatures and will eat almost whatever is available. Smaller mammals such as shrews, mice, voles, squirrels, and rabbits are their preferred food sources. However, as true omnivores, they also feed on berries, fruits, insects, frogs, birds, snakes, seeds, and plants.

In urban areas, coyotes eat garden vegetables, garbage, and pet food. They also tend to prey on unattended household pets if the opportunity arises. Some coyotes even learn to kill smaller livestock, such as calves, goats, sheep, and poultry.

Although coyotes have become a common sight throughout Michigan, including in urban areas, they are generally timid and do try to avoid or limit human contact. According to the Michigan DNR, their presence in subdivisions and urban or suburban areas, while surprising to many folks, as a result of increasing populations (both coyote and human) and encroachment of human environments into their natural habitat.

In most cases, you can avoid a coyote by posing a threat. The coyote will typically retain its fear of people and easily scare away. This may not work, however, if the coyote is being fed or if there are food sources like pet food or bird feeders in the area.

Coyote Mating

Coyotes are monogamous and can maintain couplings that last for several years. New mates are only accepted after the removal of one of the pair. Mated male coyotes attend to the females who give birth to the annual litter in an underground den; these dens are often used year after year unless the coyotes feel threatened. Because their breeding season runs from January through March, the pups are born in the early spring. Litter size depends on a variety of factors but typically ranges from four to seven.

Not only can they make a meal of your beloved pet, but they can try to mate with them as well. It is important to always spay or neuter your dogs. Coyotes are attracted to and can mate with unsprayed or unneutered domestic dogs. Unspayed female dogs in season can attract male coyotes. While there has been successful hybridization of “coydogs”, this is not a recommended practice.

When you see a coyote

  • Never approach or touch a coyote.
  • Never intentionally feed a coyote.
  • Eliminate all outside food sources, especially pet foods and bird feeders.
  • Put garbage out the morning of the pick-up day.
  • Regularly clear out wood and brush piles; they are suitable habitat for squirrels or mice and can attract coyotes.
  • Do not allow pets to roam free— consider keeping pets indoors or accompany them outside, especially at night.
  • If you spot a coyote, make a lot of noise to scare it away (yell, clap your hands)

Though the propensity of encountering a coyote is greater due to population increase, there are ways you can go about avoiding a potentially dangerous situation. If you are experiencing issues with a particularly pesky coyote, be sure to contact a professional. We do provide Urban Marksmanship services, and would be happy to assist you! Give us a call today.

Love Stinks

Love is in the air, and it’s almost as if we can smell it. Oh, wait… we can. However, it isn’t love that is making our eyes water, but rather the all too familiar stench of skunks. In Michigan,  skunk mating season stretches from February through the end of March. This means you may notice that familiar smell wafting through your neighborhood, as well as increased sightings of skunks’ bushy black tails scurrying for cover— or maybe even some of the less fortunate specimens alongside the road.

Skunks Mating Habits

The trademark stink we’ve come to recognize occurs when males attempt to court females who may not be “in the mood”, per se. When this happens, female skunks will generate the aroma to repel the dejected suitors. Fortunately, this epic skunk romance only lasts a short time.

After a sixty-day gestation, the pregnant female skunks give birth to their litter of 4 to seven pups in April to May. Older females come into their breeding season earlier in the season than the younger females and, therefore, give birth to their litters earlier in the spring. Older females also tend to bear larger litters. Females tend to breed by their second summer. In a typical population of skunks, the vast majority of the females will be pregnant or will have just had litters.

Most female striped skunks only reproduce once a year; however, males will reproduce multiple times, with numerous females. After mating, the females no longer associate with males and will become aggressive towards them.

Litters & Life Expectancy

After mating, female skunks disperse from their winter dens to separate maternal dens to wait out their gestation.

The young are born blind and deaf with short, fine fur. Despite this, they already have patterns present on what little coat they have at birth. Pups do not open their eyes until they are about three weeks old, and then they continue to nurse until they are about six weeks to two months old. It is around this time that they learn to forage and hunt by following their mother in a single-file line during outings. The mothers protect their young; during this time, she displays extremely defensive behavior, so it is essential to avoid a little of skunk pups should you come across one. The male young become independent by July to August, while the female young may remain with their mothers until the following spring season. Both males and females begin mating around ten months old.

Unfortunately for most, striped skunks usually do not survive their first year due to severe weather conditions and disease. After that first year, they can live up to seven years in the wild and up to a decade in captivity. Other factors contributing to skunk mortality include predation and parasitism, as well as risk from road systems and hunting.  Like humans, skunks who don’t get lucky can’t die of shame. As the saying goes— try, try again.

So the next time you’re outside this spring season and notice that familiar stench, take a moment of silence for yet another guy who, much to his chagrin, struck out on love. Poor sap. Better luck next time!

American Red Squirrels

Small but mighty, American red squirrels are a force to be reckoned with. Red squirrels differ from other tree squirrels by their deep reddish color, territorial behavior, and their smaller body size. Weighing in at roughly 7.1–8.8 oz, they are less than 30% the size of grey squirrels. Male and female American red squirrels are actually very similar in appearance.

Their fur color can vary greatly, depending on the season and where they live. Brownish or reddish are the natural colors of the upper parts. In summer, they have a black stripe along their sides; this separates the dark upper fur from the creamy or white underbelly fur. The squirrel’s tail is often edged with white and is not as thick as other North American tree squirrels. Distinctive white bands surround their large, black eyes. This squirrel’s compact body paired with strong claws and agile back legs allow them to excel at climbing and running through trees.

Habits and Diet

Red squirrels prefer staying up in the trees; because of this, they have a relatively long lifespan of 5 to 10 years. We rarely see a red squirrel down on the ground or at bird feeders, although they can occasionally be seen running along the tops of fences. They’re much faster than the larger tree squirrels, and their movements are quick and jerky. Their diet consists of seeds from coniferous trees such as pines, cedars, spruces, and firs, but they also do well with other high-energy food, such as peanuts. They store these food items in hollowed-out pine trees where they make their dens in rural environments. In more urban areas, these squirrels will chew their way into just about anything.

Communication

Their excellent senses of sight, smell, and hearing enable them to communicate with one another easily. They often make different sounds to call to each other, making distinctive noises as warning calls when they have to defend their territory. Body signals such as tail-jerking and foot stamping, chemical signals, and different sounds like a rattling buzz are the means to alert the other members of the tribe.

Problems Associated with American Red Squirrels

These squirrels can cause a slew of issues for Northern Michigan homes and businesses by nesting inside of structures. Once this happens, it turns into a generational situation in most cases, which will continue for years until something is done.

These squirrels are extremely talented climbers; they will use anything near the home to obtain access, such as wires and trees. They will even jump off of close access points if they are not directly touching. Red squirrels will chew into homes through the ridge vent, soffit, dormers, crawlspace vent, and any other pipe or accessible gap on a home. They are even known to chew into cedar shake and log homes to obtain direct access.

The same holds as they run along power lines, which can cause problems with transformers. American red squirrels can also carry a variety of diseases such as mange, cat scratch fever, typhus, and occasionally rabies; it is essential to avoid handling these animals.

These squirrels will need to be removed. Exclusion must be performed on their entry/exit points, as well as having trees trimmed back, fecal matter removed, and continued population control methods enforced so that if/when they do come back, they can be controlled before they do more damage to a structure. Red squirrels are incredibly aggressive and territorial, so once you have managed the population in your area, the problem will likely subside until the next reproduction cycle.

Red squirrels reproduce from May until June. Some females will have a second cycle around August, depending on their location. Eradication can be a time-consuming process, sometimes taking up to a month at certain times of the year. When temperatures drop in the winter months, they tend to move around significantly less, which can further draw out the removal process. We will do a thorough inspection of the structure to create the most effective plan possible for each specific situation.

Leave It To Beaver

beaver damage beaver damage beaver damage

Property damage caused by beavers at a northern Michigan client’s home.

 

In recent years, beaver populations have been relatively high. This is due to a lack of extensive trapping and an abundance of food. These animals can cause considerable problems for county road commissions, private landowners, and waterfront landowners. They create these problems by tree cutting, building dams, flooding property, and blocking culverts. We most often receive calls from property owners experiencing issues due to beaver damage of trees and flooding of waterways, which interferes with land uses. This can cause devastating structural and landscaping damage if untreated.

Beaver Trapping and Removal

Beaver are especially aggressive in the late summer and fall, but do not hibernate in the winter months so a problem may persist. There is one overwhelming fact of dealing with them – you must remove all of the beaver to solve the problem. Any attempt to control these problems without removing the beaver is futile. It is possible to unplug a culvert and draw the water down with them still in place; however, in most cases, the dam will be rebuilt, and the water will flood the next day again.

Ideally, if the problems are not too extreme, an experienced trapper can remove all the beaver in the area during the licensed trapping season. Unfortunately, beaver problems often crop up well before the late fall trapping season. If the problem is pressing, a free Beaver Damage Control Permit can be obtained from the DNR. This allows the landowner to remove the beaver outside of the trapping season if there is proven damage (road washout, flooding, etc.).

Catching these animals during the offseason is more difficult; this is due to their behavior being somewhat different from what many trappers most commonly deal with. Inexperienced trappers will often create more of a problem for you in the long run. They can sometimes only catch one or two of the young beaver; this results in the rest of the colony with adults becoming much warier.

Removal Mistakes

A common mistake we hear of is landowners stating their intention to remove the beaver by shooting them. Research indicates the average colony is about five animals. Anyone trying to shoot all the beaver in a colony one time will quickly find that is impossible. The most likely scenario is that one or two of the young may be vulnerable to shooting; the rest of the colony will become completely nocturnal. Shooting these animals is not easy since there is very little visible when they are swimming. Shooting should only be a last resort for wildlife professionals.

In years past, conservation officers and fire officers would blast beaver dams out with dynamite. Times have changed, and dams are not blasted anymore. Another danger of blasting the dams is the likelihood of washing out downstream roads, culverts, and stream crossings. When a large dam (some up over six feet high) is suddenly breached, a large head of water rushes downstream.  Anyone who intends to breach a beaver dam should keep in mind that it can do considerable damage downstream; it is important to scout out any potential crossings downstream ahead of time. The danger of washout is even greater if there is a significant gradient downstream.

Successful Removal

As stated, if downstream stream crossings are a concern for removing a large head of water, the dam can typically be removed gradually. The best practice is to remove a section of the upper portion of the dam and then let the water flow out down to the level cleared overnight. The next day another part of the dam can be removed, which allows the entire impoundment of water behind the dam to drain more gradually, hopefully avoiding any downstream water damage. If the impoundment behind the dam is vast, greater care needs to be taken breaching the dam. When removing a large dam, great care should be taken only to remove just enough of the dam. This will relieve some of the water pressure over several days.

One thing to remember is the easiest way to minimize beaver problems in Northern Michigan is not to create an ideal habitat next to stream crossings. Of course, beaver are in the rodent family, and they are incredibly prolific. If a suitable food habitat is present near water, landowners will likely have decades of reoccurring problems. The only long-term solution to minimize beaver problems outside of trapping is converting nearshore stream habitat to conifer that beaver don’t utilize for food.

We specialize in the trapping and removal of these animals, so call us to set up an inspection today!

V(Ermine)

The stoat, also known as the ermine (or the short-tailed weasel) is a mammal native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the weasel by its more substantial body and longer tail with a noticeable black tip. Originally from Eurasia, ermine crossed into North America some 500,000 years ago, where they naturalized and joined the closely related, native long-tailed weasel.

The name ermine is for any species in the genus Mustela, most notably the stoat, identified by its pure white coat in the winter months. In the late 19th century, stoats were first introduced into New Zealand to control rabbits, where they have since had a devastating effect on native bird populations.

Appearance

At its full adult size, an ermine’s total body length from crown to rump will be about 6.5 inches to 13 inches. Males are typically twice as large as their female counterparts. The tail length is, in most cases, about 35% of an ermine’s total body length, ranging from 2 inches to 5 inches. They have the classic weasel form: lengthy body, squat legs, long neck supporting a triangular head, slightly protruding round ears, bright black eyes, and long whiskers. Their short, moderately fine fur is white in the winter, and the tip of the tail is black. In the summer, the fur on the back is chocolate brown, while the fur on the belly extending to the upper lip is yellowish-white.

Where do they live?

Ermine are distributed around the northern part of the world. They are found in the temperate regions of Eurasia and North America and are absent from the Great Plains.

They prefer woodlands near marshes, rivers, shrubby fences, and open areas adjacent to forests. Although ermine reside primarily on the ground, they swim well and can climb trees.

Ermine make their dens in hollow logs, tree roots, rodent burrows, and holes stone walls. Most commonly, these dens are nearly a foot below ground. Ermine will line their nests with fur and feathers from their prey, and dry plant material. Burrows will have side cavities that are used for storing food and as bathrooms.

Reproduction

Both male and female ermine will have many different mates throughout their lives. They will mate in the late spring to early summer months, with females producing only one litter each year. Their young are born in April to May, after an average pregnancy of 280 days; this includes an 8 to 9 month time period in which the offspring are dormant More hours of daylight beginning in March trigger the young to start their development. Litter size will range anywhere from 3 to 18 offspring but averages 4 to 9. The young are born blind and helpless, and are covered with fine white hair; a prominent, dense mane of dark fur develops around the neck by their third week (the function of which is unknown).

The young grow quickly and can hunt with their mothers within eight weeks. Although females do not reach their full adult size until a least six weeks after birth, they can mate when they are only 60 to 70 days old, which is often before they are even weaned, whereas males do not breed or grow to adult size until their second summer. Only the female ermine care for the young— they nurse and protect them until they can achieve independence.

Females may survive for two or more breeding seasons in nature, while males generally do not survive that long. The total number of offspring that each ermine has in its life ultimately depends on the amount of food that is available.

Behavior

The slender, agile bodies of the ermine allow them to move swiftly both above ground and through their burrows. Females hunt in the tunnels more than males, which may explain the higher number of males that end up being trapped. Ermine can also run smoothly and quickly across the snow. They are ideal predators, hunting in zig-zag patterns, moving by a series of leaps, each of up to one-half inch. Ermine are curious creatures, investigating every hole and crevice, often stopping to survey surroundings by raising their heads and standing upright on their hind legs. They may travel up to 9 miles in one night!

Adult males dominate females and young. Females tend to remain in their birthplace throughout their lives. Males ermine spread out and claim vast territories that usually contain or overlap subsequent females’ territories; however, interestingly enough males females only associate with one another during the breeding season.

Range

Ermine territories change size with prey abundance. The maximum home range size is about 50 acres. When food is abundant, they can live in smaller areas of only around 25 acres. The ranges of males are usually twice the size of female ranges. These are solitary mammals, keeping others out by patrolling their territory boundaries and marking them with scent.

Communication

Ermine have a keen sense of smell, vision, hearing, and touch that help them to locate prey. Most members of the weasel family are relatively quiet mammals, but some vocalizations may be used for communication. Ermine likely use a specific odor to let other ermine know they are ready to mate.

Diet and Predators

Ermine are mostly nocturnal carnivores. They prey on small, warm-blooded vertebrates, preferably mammals rabbit-sized and under. When mammalian prey is scarce, ermine eat insects, frogs, fish, birds, and eggs. In more severe climates, ermine often hunt underneath the snow and survive entirely on small rodents. It is a requirement that ermine eat every day to meet their extremely high energy demands. They will store leftover meals as a way of managing these demands.

When an ermine senses prey, it will approach as closely as possible. With incredible speed, it will grasp the back of the victim’s head and neck with their sharp teeth and wrap itself around the victim. The victim will die from repeated bites to the base of their skull. Ermine have very keen senses that help them locate prey. Rabbits and rodents are mainly followed by their scent, insects by sound, and fish by sight.

Ermine are aggressive and fierce, although small animals. However, potential predators are larger carnivores, including red fox, gray fox, fishers,  martens, badgers, raptors, and occasionally, domestic cats.

Role in the ecosystem

Ermine are essential predators on the small mammal communities in the ecosystems in which they live.

Unfortunately, many ermine die from a parasitic worm that infects them through their noses. Eventually, the worm causes holes in the skull, putting pressure on the brain, which causes death. Shrews are believed to carry this parasite.

Associated Problems

Ermine can take domestic poultry when they can gain access to them, which can become a problem for farmers. The primary damage they cause is raiding chicken coops and injuring or killing other domestic birds.  However, ermine are excellent at catching mice, which makes them valuable to humans.

How do they interact with us?

Humans have trapped thousands of ermine each season for centuries, but the demand for their pelts has decreased in recent years. They are not considered endangered or even threatened, although hunting in some areas may impact populations severely.

Ermine can become a nuisance pest to farmers and domestic bird owners. We will determine the severity of the problem by inspecting the damage, taking note of how any poultry has been killed, and by droppings. Since ermine pose the most significant problem to domestic fowl, we will concentrate on the exclusion of coops, barns, and any other enclosures by sealing up any access points. Ermine may also be trapped and removed from the area. If you believe to be experiencing problems associated with ermine on your property, do not hesitate to give us a call today!

Fall Exclusion

It is that time of the year (again) when homeowners need to start thinking about fall exclusion against overwintering pests and wildlife rather than prevention alone.  It is most ideal for homes and businesses to take the necessary steps to exclude various pests before the temperature really begins to drop.

The most common fall pest problems include:

  1. Rodents

  2. Wildlife

  3. Overwintering Insects

Rodents

The house and field mouse are two of the leading players in this group.  The house mouse prefers grains, seeds, cereals, fruits, and vegetables— virtually anything humans will consume. They will take up residence inside and feed off of whatever they can find, and they do not come and go.

Field mice are most known to find dwellings inside in older homes and structures, such as barns, garages, etc.  We most commonly find them in areas where there are more forests and fields.  They are scavengers and will eat any food that is readily available to them— from birdseed to garbage.

Wildlife

Wildlife that you may find yourself trying to eliminate from your home would include raccoons, squirrels, birds, bats, and opossums.  These animals can create several different issues depending on the animal. They all, however, can wreak havoc on your home, attic, and electrical equipment, not to mention the health hazards which can arise from the feces and urine. All of these animals search for ideal places to overwinter, which is why fall exclusion can be very common.

Overwintering Insects

These include anything that will try to survive the cold winter months inside a hidden protective section of your home or business.  This includes stink bugs, Asian lady beetles, and cluster flies.

Stink bugs are small enough to use many different opportunities to enter a structure, so think about more than just the windows or doors as possible entry points.

Overwintering guests usually occur in the fall when the temperatures start to drop.  They can be located in your attic for up to six months during the winter, which is why homeowners will then see huge populations as they make their way out around the windows and doors as the temperature begins to increase.

When the stinkbug or other pest starts warming up, you may begin seeing them move out of light fixtures, vents, and any other opening they may have found. Their antennae are capable of sensing temperature change and wind current.

So why exclusion as opposed to trapping?

Fall exclusion is always the best policy with overwintering pests (although it is not 100% when it comes to in-laws).

Protecting an area against pest access via physical exclusion is the most effective method for protecting your home or structure. Exclusion involves altering the environment so pests cannot enter or travel through.

Wildlife tends to occupy space under structures or decking through unseen gaps and holes. To most homeowners, merely trapping the animal seems like the best option. Though useful in most cases, trapping is not a permanent fix. Typically, property owners have had to trap an animal every year in the same spot. Excluding the deck using different applications, depending on the intended animal (or animals) that the homeowner would like to keep out, is the key to success. In most cases, the exclusion is guaranteed permanent.

How do you know exclusion is best for you? Just take a look!

The best starting point is to walk the perimeter, scanning the home top to bottom.  Look for overhanging branches that may give easy access to the roof or vents.  Look for entry points that need to be repaired. Think small;  a mouse can enter into a hole the size of a dime.

Look for excessive coverage on the ground level.  Make sure you are not giving rodents and other animals a protective place to move around with no chance of being discovered. Think about relocating woodpiles and other items that may be leaning up against the home or structures, as these can be safe havens or access points for unwanted guests.

Call a Pest Control or Wildlife Removal Professional

Exclusion reduces long-term pesticide requirements, as well as continued trapping.  There are particular products we utilize to stop mice or other pests from entering a structure.  A copper mesh can be used in most entry points where ventilation is needed.  Caulk, netting, and wire mesh are ideal around windows, doors, holes, and cracks. Cap the chimney opening,  ridge vents, and any other accessible runs into the attic should be repaired and closed off.

During our inspection, we will also check openings from the ground on up, look at the roof, shingles, vents, soffits, and plumbing penetrations.

We’ve excluded, but are still spotting wildlife scurrying about.

If you happen to be dealing with a severe rodent problem, it may be time to invest in bait stations and bait to place around the structure and keep them working for you year-round. This will keep the outside population under control and help stop them from entering at all.

For overwintering insects, applying a residual insecticide to the entry points will eliminate the large populations you may find yourself.  Spraying the exterior of the home, usually, the south side is an excellent area to start as this will help reduce the numbers that make it inside.

Example of our work

Hogarth’s Pest Control & Wildlife Removal offers our customers a solution to the entire problem, not just a band-aid. If you are suffering from any unwanted pests or wildlife near your home this fall, exclusion may be right for you. Call us today!

All About Opossum

Opossums are North America’s only marsupial. They live everywhere except for the Rocky Mountains, plains of the west, and areas in the northernmost region. Opossums live in solidarity and are mostly nocturnal. They are distant relatives of the kangaroo; however, opossums are much slower and produce a nauseating smell when threatened. The opossum can survive in a wide range of conditions and locations due to their flexible diets and reproductive tendencies. If you are potentially dealing with an infestation, removal should be handled by a professional.

Opossums can reach up to 40 inches in length, which is about the size of the average housecat. Their bodies are covered in grayish-white hair. Opossums have a narrow, pointed face with hairless ears and a bald, rat-like tail. Additionally, the female opossum has a pouched stomach for holding their young.

Although the general public may use the terms “opossum” and “possum” interchangeably, they are different. A possum is a term used to describe a marsupial found in New Zealand, Australia, and China though they happen to be similar in appearance.

Habits

As mentioned before, opossums are nocturnal marsupials, which means that they are mainly active after dark. They are typically known to live in solidarity when they are not actively breeding. Though they prefer to travel by land, opossums are also skilled swimmers and can use their opposable rear thumbs and long tails to climb trees and other structures effectively.

Opossums enjoy a diet of grains, fruits, and insects, but will also eat out of garbage cans, compost piles, and pet food dishes if easily accessible. They will even eat fish, birds, and other mammals if need be.

Opossums usually bear two to three litters each year, with an average of seven young per litter. Like many marsupials, the newborn young spend their first several weeks of life in their mother’s pouch. After this period, young opossums will leave their mothers in search of their own home.

Opossums do not hibernate through the winter. Their greatest challenge, especially in colder climates, is simply to survive. In many cases, opossums will alter their foraging and sleeping habits during the winter months, coming out during the day instead. It is not uncommon for opossums in northern states to suffer from frostbite during these frigid periods. Their tails are particularly susceptible to frostbite as they have no fur to protect them.

Habitat

Opossums will seek out pre-existing structures such as hollow logs, tree cavities, brush piles, garages, or animal burrows when looking for a place to live. They are partial to environments near swamps or streams but also can survive in diverse areas, ranging from moist to arid, open fields to forests. Opossums will always prefer to make a home with proximity to water and food.

Threats

Though not dangerous to humans, opossums do cause somewhat of a structural risk. Opossums can den in garages and attics where they will construct a messy nest. They can also tear insulation and ductwork if they gain access to the interior of a home. When searching for food, they can also damage lawns. Opossums may destroy the nests of game birds and poultry. When startled, they tend to bare their sharp teeth and hiss.

Although the lifestyle habits and overall appearance of opossums make them seem like prime hosts for rabies, they are not. Their body temperature is too low to house the disease, and it is only in rare cases that they can contract it. However, opossums can carry an array of other conditions; this includes, but is not limited to, leptospirosis, tularemia, and tuberculosis. They may also become infested with mites and fleas, especially in urban regions.

Opossums have been known to “play possum” when startled or harmed; this can give a witness the impression that the opossum is diseased. They play possum by drawing back their lips, baring their teeth, producing saliva and foaming around their mouth, as well as secreting a foul-smelling substance from the glands of their anus. Rather than a sign of disease, this act is a natural defense mechanism. In other moments of extreme distress, opossums are known to play dead.

Opossum Removal

To prevent an opossum from shacking up in a home or other structure, homeowners should always store trash and compost in sealed bins with animal-proof lids, preferably in a locked shed or outbuilding. It is good practice to bring pet food dishes inside at night to avoid attracting not only opossums but other nuisance wildlife as well. Homeowners should also remove other apparent sources of food from the property, such as fallen berries and fruits. It is imperative to inspect the outside of the home or structure(s) for holes and access points, such as broken vent covers. To further limit opossum accessibility to a home, tree branches hanging near roofing should be trimmed, as opossums are skilled climbers and leapers.

If you suspect an opossum infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest control professional to conduct an inspection and work with you to develop an opossum treatment plan. Opossum removal techniques, such as traps and fencing, may be used. A professional can also provide more helpful opossum facts that can help prevent future infestations.

Raccoons: “Trash Pandas”

Raccoons are medium-sized mammals that are about 2-3 feet in length. They have round, stocky bodies and their coats are made of salt-and-pepper colored fur. Raccoons are known best for the “bandit mask” of black fur around their eyes, and black rings around their fluffy tails. They have a 5-fingered paw with opposable thumbs, allowing extreme cheekiness.

Nicknamed “coons” for short, we rarely spot these mammals during the day because of their nocturnal lifestyle. Raccoons live throughout the United States but have become increasingly common in the forested eastern portions.

Habitat and Diet

Raccoons prefer to live in forest areas close to a body of water. Although commonly in association with water and trees, we also find them around farmsteads and livestock watering areas. Typically these mammals like to den in ground burrows, brush piles, hollow trees, muskrat dens and runs, abandoned buildings and barns, dense clumps of cattail, haystacks, and crevices in rocks. They are also notorious for overtaking parts of homes, including attics, chimnies, and hollow areas beneath porches to make dens.

Raccoons are omnivorous, which means they consume both plants and other animal meat. This includes berries, fruits, nuts, frogs, fish, crayfish, mussels, insects, turtles, mice, rabbits, muskrats, and even bird eggs. Raccoons usually have one litter of young each year, usually born in late spring or early summer. One litter can yield between three and five young, called kits. They can live for 12 years in the wild and even longer in captivity. They do not hibernate per se but do become inactive during severe winter weather.

Signs of a Raccoon Infestation

There are both visual and audible signs of identifying a raccoon infestation. Damage to a home’s shingles, insulation, lumber, electrical wiring, walls and other parts of the structure are telltale signs that a raccoon has taken up residence. Another indication of an infestation is the presence of scat, stains from urine, or nesting materials.

Additionally, raccoons often ransack and make a mess of garbage in cans while they search for food. If a homeowner notices trash randomly dispersed about the property, raccoons could be to blame. Pawprints may also be visible throughout the property.

In some cases, raccoons will destroy bird nests, kill poultry, and cause damage to gardens and agricultural crops, so any signs of these types of activities can also mean there is an infestation. Hearing loud thuds and noises from movement can also signify a homeowner may have raccoons in the home.

Dangers of Raccoons

While not all raccoons carry rabies, they are major hosts of the rabies virus throughout the United States, especially in the eastern states where their populations are continuously increasing. It is important to note that just because you see an active raccoon during the daytime, it does not necessarily signify it is rabid. That being said, there are key indicators that a raccoon may be infected with the rabies virus. Key symptoms of a rabid raccoon include apparent confusion and disorientation, wet and tangled looking hair, leg paralysis or difficulty walking, significant aggression, and production of loud, strange noises. Rabid raccoons are likely to foam at the mouth and have watery eyes.

In addition to the rabies virus, there are other harmful diseases that raccoons can carry and potentially transmit to humans; this includes roundworm, an intestinal parasite. Roundworm transmitted through unintentionally ingesting one of their microscopic eggs.

Raccoons also pose a severe threat to property. They will damage homes and other structures, especially when they try to enter through chimneys or attics that they target as potential den sites. Raccoons can even tear off shingles or boards to gain access to an attic or wall space as they have opposable thumbs.

How to Get Rid of Racoons

There are numerous precautions that homeowners may take to try to avoid a raccoon infestation from taking afoot. Firstly, raccoons can gain access into homes through holes, uncapped chimneys, broken vents, and other openings near/on the roof, which is why homeowners should regularly inspect these potential points of entry. Loose shingles and siding should also be repaired upon noticing. It is also helpful to have a licensed wildlife technician (if your builder hasn’t) install a chimney cap or mesh cover over exposed openings to prevent the animals from entering.

Homeowners should always store trash in sealed areas or containers, ideally in a locked shed, garage, or outbuilding. Raccoons are very cheeky and are easily able to open garbage cans; if they are left out in the open, it is imperative to have tightly fitting lids to avoid attention from hungry raccoons. Homeowners should also remove bird seed, feeders, and fountains, as they are sources of sustenance to raccoons. Likewise, brush, built-up debris, and leaves can serve as perfect hiding spots and dwellings for raccoons; it’s essential to rid the yard of these piles regularly. Also, consider storing firewood, which raccoons can use to build a shelter, at least 20 feet from the house during the colder seasons.

If you suspect an infestation and require additional information, contact a licensed pest professional to properly inspect the property and buildings. From there, they will formulate a plan to get rid of the raccoons. Please note that homeowners should not attempt to address an infestation themselves, especially since these mammals may be rabid or carrying raccoon roundworm and other diseases as mentioned above.

Oh, Canada (Geese)

Canada geese are a familiar late summer/fall sight beckoning the onset of autumn with their arrow-shaped flight pattern pointed south. Michigan is the home to over 330,000 Canada geese. Some stay year-round, many more are just passing by. Michigan’s hunting season for this bird runs on various dates from September through February.

The large, black-necked Canada goose with its signature white chinstrap is an extremely familiar and widespread bird of fields and parks throughout the entire country. Thousands of “honkers” (aptly nicknamed after the sound of their calls) migrate north and south each year, filling the sky with long V-formations. But as lawns have become increasingly abundant, more and more of these now grassland-adapted birds are remaining in urban and suburban areas year-round, where some people have begun to regard them as pests.  Canada Geese are fit for aquatic life; their long neck, sizely body, large webbed feet, and broad, flat bill make for the ideal waterfowl. Their black head with white cheeks and chinstrap fades into a black neck, tan breast, and brown back.

Canada geese live in a variety of habitats near water, grassy fields, and grain fields.

Canada geese particularly seek out lawns for two reasons:
1) They can digest grass
2) When they are feeding with their young, well-manicured yards, give them a full, unobstructed view of any approaching predators.

Because of these reasons, they are especially abundant in parks, airports, golf courses, and other areas with expansive lawns throughout Michigan and the surrounding states.

Diet

In spring and summer months, geese concentrate their feeding on grasses. During the fall and winter, they rely more on heartier foods such as seeds, including agricultural grains, and berries— seeming to be especially fond of blueberries in particular. They also happen to be very skilled at removing kernels from dry corn cobs. Canada geese dabble for food in shallow water by tipping forward and extending their necks under the surface. During much of the year, they live in large flocks, and many of these birds are related to one another.

Mating

They mate for life as ducks and other waterfowl species, with meager “divorce rates,” and as a result, pairs remain together throughout the years. Geese mate “assortatively,” meaning larger birds choose larger mates and smaller ones choose smaller mates; in any given couple, the males are usually larger than the females.

It is quite typical that Canada geese will not breed until their fourth year; less than 10% of all geese produce as yearlings; this is because most pair bonds are unstable until birds are at least two to three years old. However, there is documentation of extra-pair copulations.

In the spring, pairs break out from flocks and begin defending territories. The spacing of these pairs is variable and depends on the availability of nest sites, and population density; where the population is vast, and even after a great deal of fights birds might end up nesting in view of one another, as some populations are somewhat colonial.

Threat displays of geese may involve ‘head pumping’; the bill will be open with the tongue raised, and there will be hissing, honking, and vibration of neck feathers. When/if an intruding goose doesn’t retreat, geese may grab each other by breast or throat and hit each other with their wings. This type of fighting may result in injuries as Canada geese have teeth and can be quite strong.

Canada Geese and their young

The female selects the nest site, builds the nest, and incubates the eggs. In many cases, she will brood goslings in cold, wet, or windy weather and while they’re sleeping for the first week after hatching. The males guard the nest while the females incubate.

Soon after hatching, goslings begin pecking at small objects but spend most of their time sleeping and feeding. They will remain with their parents at all times throughout the first year, though in some cases “gang broods” form, especially in more southern states. These will include at least two different broods, and sometimes five or more, that travel, and feed together, supervised by one or two adults.  As summer dwindles and birds become more social, they may gather in large numbers at food sources. Where food is scarce or inconsistent, it is likely they will compete with displays of aggression and fights.

Migration

During the winter, geese can remain in northern areas with some open water and food resources even where temperatures are frigid. Geese that breed in the most northern reaches of their range tend to migrate long distances to overwinter in the more southern parts of the range, whereas geese breeding in the southern United States migrate lesser distances or not at all. Individual geese tend to return to the same migratory stopovers and wintering areas each year. Spring migration may be difficult to follow because of birds that over-winter and movements between overnight rest stops and feeding areas. However, the bulk of spring migratory patterns tends to move north behind the retreating snow line, where the temperature is averaging 35 degrees Fahrenheit and above.

Migrating flocks generally include aggregations of family groups and individuals, in both the spring and fall. Flights usually begin at dusk but may start at any time of day, as the birds fly both night and day. They travel in a V formation, with the more experienced individuals taking turns leading the flock.

Control

We see these birds all over Michigan, always in the least ideal places. Golf courses and those with homes near bodies of water most often complain of their droppings which are abundant and unsightly.

As we mentioned above, Canada geese do have a permitted hunting season, however, outside of the season, it is best to use herding dogs to eradicate the issue. Noisemakers and other persistent, consistent deterrents will ensure a flock does not return. This must be on a consistent, even yearly, basis if the property seems to be a hot spot for Canada Geese.

Hogarth’s Pest Control and Wildlife Company is NWCOA-certified for Geese removal and has a Border Collie on staff— an ideal tool for these types of jobs. The key to remediating a Canada goose problem comes down to consistency. As we mentioned above, these birds frequent the same locations for food and rest each year. It is important to set up a deterrent program that will continuously remind the geese that they are not welcome on the property. We work with you depending on the needs of your property, so give us a call today!