Month: March 2022

 

 

Last week we celebrated the arrival of spring and the glorious return of mason bees, pollinators important to the success of many of our favorite early blooming fruit trees such as apples, peaches, plums, and cherries. This week we turn our attention to reports of a home invader, boxelder bugs, festooning a suburban home. Boxelder bugs are members of the order Hemiptera, a.k.a. the “true bug” clan. Hemiptera are characterized by their sucking mouthparts and gradual metamorphosis. Some bug-friendly neighbors inquired about vast numbers of boxelder bugs aggregating on their patio and the sunny side of their house. As our friends opened and closed doors, these rascals snuck inside for reasons known only to themselves and Mother Nature.

Hordes of boxelder bugs gather on the outside of a home to enjoy a day in the sun – the perfect Spring Break for a boxelder bug!

How did this horde arrive and why are they now active? Here’s the story. Depending on geographic location, boxelder bugs complete one to three generations each year. They survive winter’s ravages hiding in cracks and crevices beneath shutters, under siding, and by entering other access points in structures. In natural settings outdoors, winter refuges include loose bark or hollows of trees, tangles of brush, and voids under rocks. During the last few weeks as temperatures soared into the upper 60s and 70s here in the Washington metropolitan region, boxelder bugs emerged from these redoubts and made their presence known inside homes as they sought a way out. On the exterior of homes, they aggregated in large numbers to soak up thermal energy from the sun.

Seeds from this old maple tree support a population of boxelder bugs that sun themselves on the side of a home on warm spring days. Wanderers sometimes enter homes, creating a nuisance. Others battle as they feed on a maple seed on the ground. Males and females pair off, and after mating, females deposit eggs in many places, including sides of buildings. Wingless nymphs that hatch from eggs feed on a wide variety of plants.

Spring and summer are times for foraging on a wide variety of plants, including seeds of their namesake tree, boxelder, and other members of the maple clan. Both adults and nymphs feed on propagules on many different kinds of seed-bearing trees and on juicy tissues of many other landscape plants. After gaining sufficient nutrients, mated females deposit eggs on a wide variety of substrates on the ground and also on human-made structures. In autumn, large clusters of boxelder bugs gather on trees and buildings, where they become a nuisance. In the waning days of autumn, they seek winter shelter. They enter homes through cracks in the foundation, gaps in siding around windows or vents, and beneath doors and windows. On cold winter days they are inactive, but as winter retreats and temperatures warm, restless boxelder bugs move about and make their presence known inside and out.

Boxelder bugs are not harmful to humans or pets. They do not bite, sting, or reproduce indoors, however, if you squash them on your drapes or walls, they will stain. So, don’t do that. To limit the number of boxelder bugs taking up residence in your residence, eliminate overwintering places such as piles of lumber, fallen branches, or other refuges close to the house. Some folks go as far as removing boxelders, other maples, and ash trees from their landscapes to reduce food sources for nymphs and adults. Weatherproofing your home can also help keep these invaders out. Caulk and seal openings where utilities enter the home. Repair or replace door sweeps and seal any openings around windows, doors, or window air conditioners. If you find them inside your home, you might try this: simply get out the hand-held vacuum, suck them up, and release them back into the wild. It is wise to choose a liberation point some distance away from your home.   

Ever wondered what the boxelder bug’s beak looks like?

You can learn about another infamous home invader that’s also on the move, the brown marmorated stink bug, and see how to deal with it, by clicking on these links:

https://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2015/4/3/stinky-exodus-underway-brown-marmorated-stink-bug-ihalyomorpha-halysi?rq=stink%20bug%20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kG-2fetbZA

Acknowledgements

We thank Anne Marie and Dennis for sharing their boxelder bugs, and providing inspiration for this episode of Bug of the Week. The wonderful reference “Urban Insects and Arachnids: A Handbook of Urban Entomology” by William Robinson was used as a reference.

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Learn How to Get Rid of Groundhogs That Dig Holes in Your Yard, Under Decks, Sheds & Other Structures

Spring has officially sprung, and the warm weather also means plenty of nuisance wildlife — especially groundhogs — will be making an appearance.

Depending on the region, this critter may be referred to as a groundhog, gopher, or woodchuck. Regardless of the name used for this critter, property owners can all agree on one thing — groundhogs can be incredibly troublesome and must be stopped before causing extensive property damage.

Stop Groundhogs from Digging Holes in Your Yard & Under Your Shed

A group of groundhogs — known as a coterie, can be harmful to the foundation and wiring found throughout a property. Their teeth never stop growing, and the critter’s appetite is insatiable.

However, the most problematic habit of groundhogs is how much they dig. Pest control specialists refer to the burrowers as underground architects, as groundhog tunnels can reach up to 25 feet long and 50 feet deep.

These dimensions can be a true nightmare for any property owner.

The layouts of their burrows are complex, featuring multiple chambers and entrances. Groundhog holes at the surface generally reach up to 12 inches in diameter. It is not uncommon to find as many as six separate holes leading to a single tunneling system.

When burrows are constructed near or under a structure — such as a house or shed, it can lead to devastating consequences. The amount of dirt excavated to create a series of burrows can undermine or erode the structure’s foundation.

This problem is made even worse when groundhog tunnels fill with water.

Groundhogs hibernate from October to March, so as the month of April approaches, the nuisance wildlife will become more active.

Property owners must prepare for the inevitable to ensure their shed, home, or office remains protected against the burrowing critters by referring to professionals in the pest and nuisance wildlife industry.

Safe & Responsible Methods to Discourage Groundhogs from Digging

Homeowners, property managers, and business owners are encouraged to shield their residences or buildings from groundhogs. But they should also exercise caution and understand when it is best to enlist the help of professionals.

Professional nuisance wildlife and pest control experts have the tools and training needed to handle any degree of infestation correctly and — most importantly — safely.

Those without the appropriate training or equipment needed to properly handle a coterie of groundhogs should not attempt to use dangerous chemicals or relocate the burrowers.

By doing so, it could put themselves and others at risk in addition to additional property damage.

Instead, untrained individuals are encouraged to use methods that can prevent or hinder the problem from growing — inhibiting progress of the infestation while waiting for pest experts to arrive.

Manmade Barriers to Prevent Groundhogs Under Sheds

Even if groundhogs have already started to burrow on your property, establishing sturdy barriers around the perimeter can help prevent the situation from worsening.

Consider installing an underground fence that is at least six inches to a foot deep and at least a foot long that is made of hardy, rust-resistant materials like galvanized wire or hardware cloth that groundhogs can’t easily gnaw through.

Groundhogs are skilled climbers, so a barrier that is two feet high, positioned at a 45-degree angle would make the fencing more difficult to scale.

Catseye Pest Control uses Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems — custom-made barriers, to exclude a variety of pests and nuisance wildlife, including groundhogs.

As a lasting solution to a number of pest and nuisance wildlife problems, Cat-Guard covers points of entry such as gable vents, foundations, basement doors, under corner posts, and more.

The placement and installation of Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems is based on the detailed inspection conducted by Catseye technicians during their initial visit. Each property is unique, which is why these exclusion services are tailored to fulfill the needs of the situation.

Focusing on reinforcing the foundation and underground aspects of the property, Trench-Guard is used to defend against groundhogs, skunks, opossums, rats, chipmunks, and other burrowing rodents.

Upper Cat-Guard is used to defend structures from the first-floor windows to the roof, while Lower Cat-Guard is used to defend the first-floor windows down to the ground.

Although these areas are not typically impacted by groundhogs, the systems can be used to defend against squirrels, skunks, birds, and other nuisance wildlife.

Non-Toxic & Organic Repellents

It is not advisable for property owners to use harsh chemicals or toxins to resolve a groundhog or other wildlife infestation. The improper use of such substances can result in dangerous repercussions.

Even the specialists at Catseye avoid the use of intense toxins or chemicals and only use repellents that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A non-toxic repellent against groundhogs is an ultrasonic groundhog repellent. This device emits pitches and vibrations that groundhogs find unnerving.

The animal interprets loud noises as a sign of danger, which often leads to them being scared away. The incessant noise transmitted by the repellent can help to ward off the burrowing pests.

Although rudimentary, a windchime or radio can be used as a temporary solution.

Organic deterrents concocted from spices and liquid soaps can also help encourage groundhogs to leave the property.

Groundhogs dislike the strong smells associated with some seasonings like hot peppers and garlic. Solutions containing these spices, water, and liquid soap are chemical-free and can be liberally sprayed throughout the affected area to discourage groundhogs from returning.

If homemade repellents don’t do the trick, products like coyote or fox urine granules could be a temporary solution.

The vermin mistake the smelly pellets and granules as territorial markings made by the predators. Groundhogs don’t want to become a meal for a coyote, bobcat, or fox, so they typically run away at the first whiff of these predators.

Consult Catseye Pest Control to Resolve Your Burrowing Pest Problem

Allow the licensed specialists at Catseye to defend your property against the damaging effects of a burrower, whether it is groundhogs, rats, or other avid diggers.

Our team of nuisance wildlife and pest control experts understand the ways nuisance wildlife can infiltrate a home or business and damage the surrounding property.

This knowledge can help us prevent the critters from returning by using fail-safe techniques that do not endanger pets or people.

During the first visit to your property, our technicians will inspect the affected areas and determine how the wildlife is able to burrow under the shed or other structures and what can be done to evict them from the premises — for good.

When you are ready to regain control of your property, contact us to learn how Catseye can help.

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After a somewhat dreary and rather chilly end of winter, the ides of March arrived with temperatures in the 60s and 70s here in the DMV. As in years past, this triggered the emergence of this season’s vanguard of mason bees, awakened from their winter slumber just in time for the first day of spring. Several years ago, I established a colony of mason bees by purchasing about 30 hollow cardboard tubes from a purveyor of bee paraphernalia. These tubes were rapidly colonized by grateful hordes of bees and now the colony occupying my car port numbers in the hundreds. Mason bees are solitary bees, meaning they lack the well-known social structure of honeybees where a queen mother rules the colony. In the world of my mason bees, every female is a queen tasked with providing food for her own daughters and sons. Although each female is solely responsible for raising her own young, they are gregarious and will happily live in close proximity to one another, sometimes establishing colonies of hundreds of bees each with her individual nest.

Watch as a male horned-face mason bee emerges from his bee-tube-nursery and takes his first steps into the sunlight. Next on the agenda, find a mate.

The food each female provides consists of pollen cakes, nutritious balls of pollen and nectar gathered from Mother Nature’s first blossoms of spring. Mason bees provide the valuable ecosystem service of pollination. High on their list of favored plants are some of my favorites as well, apples, cherries, and blueberries. In a fascinating study, Drs. MacIvor, Cabral, and Packer found that in addition to insect pollinated plants, some Canadian mason bees collected significant pollen from wind-pollinated trees including oaks and birches, and the ubiquitous lawn weed, white clover.

This is what my carport looks like on springtime mornings when mason bees are busy collecting pollen.

Mason bees are remarkably energetic during daylight hours but I was curious to see what they did at night. Who wouldn’t be? One way to find out, grab a flashlight and have a look. In the middle of the night, mason bees rest near the entrance to their brood chamber. Their abdomen faces outward and is flexed downward, creating a formidable barrier barring access to the pollen cakes and brood beyond these hard-working mothers. Like many other bees we have met in Bug of the Week, mason bees are gentle and not at all interested in stinging humans. Nesting materials for mason bees can be purchased commercially and I highly recommend creating habitats for these industrious and fascinating pollinators.   

At night mason bees rest, rear ends facing outward perhaps to block intruders from entering their galleries. With the morning sun, the colony springs to life with brown horn-faced bees and blue orchard bees shuttling pollen from blossoms to their brood chambers. Check out the mason bee almost dead center at about one minute and thirty seconds in the clip as it enters a brood chamber head first, then performs a 180-degree pirouette, before reentering the chamber rear end first. After unloading pollen, it’s off to collect another load.

References

The interesting article “Pollen specialization by solitary bees in an urban landscape” by J. S. MacIvor, J. M. Cabral, and L. Packer Singer was used as a reference for this episode.

This post appeared first on Bug of the Week

 

 

After a somewhat dreary and rather chilly end of winter, the ides of March arrived with temperatures in the 60s and 70s here in the DMV. As in years past, this triggered the emergence of this season’s vanguard of mason bees, awakened from their winter slumber just in time for the first day of spring. Several years ago, I established a colony of mason bees by purchasing about 30 hollow cardboard tubes from a purveyor of bee paraphernalia. These tubes were rapidly colonized by grateful hordes of bees and now the colony occupying my car port numbers in the hundreds. Mason bees are solitary bees, meaning they lack the well-known social structure of honeybees where a queen mother rules the colony. In the world of my mason bees, every female is a queen tasked with providing food for her own daughters and sons. Although each female is solely responsible for raising her own young, they are gregarious and will happily live in close proximity to one another, sometimes establishing colonies of hundreds of bees each with her individual nest.

Watch as a male horned-face mason bee emerges from his bee-tube-nursery and takes his first steps into the sunlight. Next on the agenda, find a mate.

The food each female provides consists of pollen cakes, nutritious balls of pollen and nectar gathered from Mother Nature’s first blossoms of spring. Mason bees provide the valuable ecosystem service of pollination. High on their list of favored plants are some of my favorites as well, apples, cherries, and blueberries. In a fascinating study, Drs. MacIvor, Cabral, and Packer found that in addition to insect pollinated plants, some Canadian mason bees collected significant pollen from wind-pollinated trees including oaks and birches, and the ubiquitous lawn weed, white clover.

This is what my carport looks like on springtime mornings when mason bees are busy collecting pollen.

Mason bees are remarkably energetic during daylight hours but I was curious to see what they did at night. Who wouldn’t be? One way to find out, grab a flashlight and have a look. In the middle of the night, mason bees rest near the entrance to their brood chamber. Their abdomen faces outward and is flexed downward, creating a formidable barrier barring access to the pollen cakes and brood beyond these hard-working mothers. Like many other bees we have met in Bug of the Week, mason bees are gentle and not at all interested in stinging humans. Nesting materials for mason bees can be purchased commercially and I highly recommend creating habitats for these industrious and fascinating pollinators.   

At night mason bees rest, rear ends facing outward perhaps to block intruders from entering their galleries. With the morning sun, the colony springs to life with brown horn-faced bees and blue orchard bees shuttling pollen from blossoms to their brood chambers. Check out the mason bee almost dead center at about one minute and thirty seconds in the clip as it enters a brood chamber head first, then performs a 180-degree pirouette, before reentering the chamber rear end first. After unloading pollen, it’s off to collect another load.

References

The interesting article “Pollen specialization by solitary bees in an urban landscape” by J. S. MacIvor, J. M. Cabral, and L. Packer Singer was used as a reference for this episode.

This post appeared first on Bug of the Week

Learn About the Theory That Claims Omicron Variant May Have Originated From Mice or Rats

Scientists theorize that the Omicron variant may have come from a rodent — most likely a rat or mouse.

While SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 has multiple evolutions, the most dominant strain to date is Omicron, leading researchers and epidemiologists around the globe to focus on pinpointing its origins.

Unlike the mutations of other coronavirus strains, those of Omicron are extremely rare in humans, making it odd that the strain is currently the most easily transmissible among people.

In addition to Omicron being rarer in humans than other COVID-19 strains, it also has the most mutations — a total of over 50, many of which have never been seen before in humans by experts.

These facts are leading scientists to believe Omicron couldn’t have started from a people-to-people transmission, but rather by way of a rodent-to-person spread.

Of the existing Omicron mutations, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China in December 2021 confirmed that 45 closely resembled sequences found in a virus common in mice and rats.

Regardless of if the COVID-19 strain evolved in rodents before humans acquired it or not, it’s important to understand the risks wild mice and rats pose to people as well pets and to know when to seek help from professionals who can safely deal with an infestation of the disease-carrying varmints.

Omicron Mutations in Mice: Started with B.1.1

The incredible speed at which Omicron changes and produces new mutations is similar to the evolution of viruses seen in animals infected with COVID-19, especially mice.

According to the study conducted by the experts at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, one of the first Omicron mutations — a point mutation or base variant referred to as B.1.1, may have been transported from a mouse to a person midway through 2020, eventually evolving and spreading to another person by the end of 2021.

Another factor that hints to mice being the primary source of Omicron is that the spike proteins — or proteins responsible for injecting viruses in the cells of its host — in mutations of the COVID-19 strain appear to be very closely related to those inside the cells of infected mice.

Spike proteins of RNA viruses such as coronavirus normally change the RNA sequencing in humans from G to U, yet Omicron’s cause a switch from C to A.

Such alterations are common in rodents, but do not typically occur in people, further suggesting rodents, particularly mice, as the culprits behind Omicron.

In the same study, the senior author Dr. Wenfeng Qian revealed that of the 25 mutations in the Omicron spike proteins in humans, 18 were not found in lab mice, indicating to experts that the strain probably originated from wild mice.

How Rodents Directly & Indirectly Spread Diseases

Rodents can spread diseases to other organisms like wildfire, which makes the pests a threat to public health if they go unchecked in areas inhabited by humans.

Because rats and mice tend to frequent unsanitary places such as dumpsters and sewage systems in order to hide from predators, reproduce, or attain food, the critters tend to pick up viruses as well.

Once infected, rodents can transport the sickness to humans either directly by way of its feces, urine, and saliva or indirectly through parasites — namely fleas and ticks.

Unfortunately, rats and mice are ubiquitous, with cities such as Boston, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut facing higher populations of the pests.

But ultimately, no matter where you are situated rodents can appear and getting an infestation of the disease-spreaders is incredibly challenging for non-professionals to resolve — not to mention dangerous.

Aside from being the potential originators of Omicron, simply coming into contact with rodent excrement can cause pets or people to become infected with Hantavirus, which impacts the pulmonary system, rabies, and salmonella among other RNA viruses.

Although not always deadly, the negative effects of contracting such diseases can be long-lasting, resulting in permanent respiratory issues and nerve damage.

For the inexperienced, confronting a rodent infestation is not just risky but unsafe and oftentimes unsuccessful.

Do-it-yourself methods are generally impermanent solutions, making reinfestation inevitable.

Additionally, without the proper technology, experience, or training, non-professionals put themselves and others in harm’s way.

Should you suspect rodents such as rats or mice on your property, call for a certified pest management technician to design a secure and enduring solution that ensures everyone’s safety.

Contact Catseye Pest Control for Rodent Control & Removal

There are few scenarios as unpleasant as struggling with a rodent infestation and properties with a mouse or rat problem generally require expert help.

By enlisting support from professionals such as those at Catseye Pest Control, homeowners or business owners can feel at ease and assured that their pest issue is in good hands.

As leaders in the pest management industry, our technicians are certified to be rid of rodents on the property by way of our professional Rodent Plus Program.

Effective in protecting residences or buildings against mice, rats, squirrels, and chipmunks, this service uses EPA-regulated, controlled solutions and strategies to eradicate the critters from the area.

And to keep the premises pest-free year-round, clients are encouraged to enroll in our Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems service.

By installing custom-made barriers in all access areas throughout the property, our licensed pest control specialists can reinforce your business, office, or home against disease-transmitting nuisance wildlife for the long-term.

Relieve yourself of unwelcome invaders and recruit the best pest experts in the field by contacting us to schedule a free inspection of your property today.

The post Did Omicron Come from Rodents? appeared first on Catseye Pest Control.

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A fascinating new study by entomologists Andrew Davis and Benjamin Frick at the University of Georgia produced a firestorm of interest in the Jorō spider over the past week or so. Jorō is a native to eastern Asia (Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan). Although it has been known in Georgia since 2013, it is now spreading rapidly in southeastern states to many counties in Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. Jorō joined its cousin the golden silk spider, Trichonephila clavipes, which has been in the US for more than a century and now occupies parts of Florida, several other southeastern states, and even rarely makes an appearance as far north as Pennsylvania. The golden silk spider, a native of Central and South America, has remained mostly bottled up in the south likely due to its inability to tolerate cooler temperatures further north. However, the recent study by Davis and Frick found Jorō spiders to have a higher metabolism, supported by a faster heart rate, and a better ability to tolerate freezing temperatures than their warm-loving cousin. These traits combined with more rapid development enable Jorō to complete its life cycle rapidly, before chilly temperatures bring its seasonal development to an end. Davis and Frick suggest that this suite of adaptations may enable Jorō to escape the relative warmth of the south and expand its range northward along the eastern seaboard, whereas the golden silk spider may remain largely trapped in warmer southern states.

While these findings support the potential for a northward range expansion, there is much yet to be learned about how successfully Jorō will survive northern winters. But as our nation and world warm, we have seen several southern species of insects expand their range to higher latitudes and altitudes. We also don’t know how rapidly range expansion will occur. In nature the typical mode of dispersal of many spiders, including Jorō, is by aerial dispersal of spiderlings. They balloon on strands of silk like Charlotte’s babies in the book ‘Charlotte’s Web’. By the way, ballooning likely has given rise to the more spectacular moniker for Jorō, the “parachute spider”. No, they really will not rain down on you from airplanes. Long distance transit by Jorō probably depends on human assistance. Adults and their spawn are good hitchhikers. Jorō may have entered this country as an inseminated and gravid female or as an egg case stowaway in a cargo container from Asia. Their arrival in the DMV is likely to take several years by natural means, but a new introduction at a local port or a human assist in vehicles from the south could accelerate their arrival.

The bite of Jorō will be terrible and painful, right? Nah, according to expert Rick Hoebeke, the risks to humans and pets are small due to the puny size of Jorō’s fangs, which are unlikely to pierce our skin. I have visited Joro’s cousin, the golden silk spider, up close and personal in the rainforest of Costa Rica and found the large females to be completely non-aggressive. These spiders are passive hunters that build enormous webs, larger than a meter in diameter, to capture prey snared by silk.

In the rainforests of Costa Rica and landscapes in the southeastern United States, golden silk spiders build webs exceeding a meter in diameter. Hair tufts on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th pairs of legs distinguish golden silk spiders from Jorō spiders. Watch as a female manipulates the remains of an unrecognizable victim while a male golden silk spider observes from a safe distance.

For arachnophobes, Jorō spiders may be scary but for arachnophiles these are beautiful spiders which may provide important ecosystem services, including biological control of crop pests such as brown marmorated stink bugs or spotted lanternflies, with which they have an ancient association in their native range in Asia. Jorō spiders may be like Hannibal Lecter “having an old friend over for dinner” when they meet the stink bug or lanternfly for the first time here in the US. Large spiders like these may also become juicy prey items for feathered and non-feathered reptiles. As with all non-native species that arrive on our shores, it is difficult to predict what impact they will have on our ecosystems but experts suggest that beyond their somewhat scary mien, and maybe giving our indigenous large orb weavers like the black and yellow garden spider a run for their money, any direct impact on humans and pets will be minimal. 

One final tidbit about Jorō: in Japanese folklore Jorō is a shapeshifter known as Jorō-gumo. Jorō-gumo turns into a beautiful woman, seduces men, binds them with silk, and devours them. Yikes, sounds like a bad date to me.

Acknowledgements

Bug of the Week thanks Rick Hoebeke for identifying Jorō as it arrived in the US and for providing insights into the ways of these large beautiful spiders. We also thank Mary Nouri and Sarah Morgan for sharing their great images of Jorō. Fascinating studies entitled “Physiological evaluation of newly invasive jorō spiders (Trichonephila clavata) in the southeastern USA compared to their naturalized cousin, Trichonephila clavipes” by Andrew K. Davis and Benjamin L. Frick, “Nephila clavata L Koch, the Jorō Spider of East Asia, newly recorded from North America (Araneae: Nephilidae)” by E. Richard Hoebeke, Wesley Huffmaster, and Byron J Freeman, and “The Life Cycle, Habitat and Variation in Selected Web Parameters in the Spider, Nephila clavipes Koch (Araneidae)” by Clovis W. Moore provided the inspiration for this story and details surrounding the stars of this episode.

To see other large orb weavers and differentiate them from the Jorō spider, please click on this link: https://resources.ipmcenters.org/view/resource.cfm?rid=27877

To hear more about the Jorō spider, please click on this link: https://wamu.org/story/22/03/11/joro-spiders-relatively-harmless-in-dc/

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Learn About Organic Squirrel Repellents that can Temporarily Stave Off an Infestation

Squirrels can make a mess of any yard, lawn, or garden, but keeping them away is an involved chore.

Whether the furry critters are littering a property with caches or small holes to store food such as nuts, chewing away at the siding or eaves of a home or building, stripping the bark off of trees, or terrorizing bird feeders and flower beds, squirrels are a nuisance that no one wants in their yard.

As a year-round pest, squirrels can be a challenge for any property owner. Dealing with an infestation of the nut-gatherers is not only time-consuming, but also impossible for a non-professional to completely resolve on their own without the help of a certified pest control technician.

Although not a failsafe solution to the problem, inexperienced individuals should rely on safe, natural squirrel repellents to stave off the tree-climbers until experts can arrive.  

Odorous Sprays

Squirrels have incredibly powerful noses. Through its olfactory apparatus — the nasal cavities that connect to the brain in order to interpret smells, a squirrel can detect those within its scurry or family.

Homeowners and business owners alike can use this strength against the critters by dousing the property in scents that squirrels hate.

Spices

The ingredients required to concoct a natural squirrel deterrent can be found inside of the typical spice cabinet, including:

• Cinnamon: A generous amount of ground cinnamon or cinnamon oil mixed with cayenne extract or peppermint oil and warm water must be applied to affected areas to ward squirrels away. And as elements such as rain can wash away the scent, reapply the perimeters at least once a week or as needed to get the best results.
• Garlic: The smell of fresh garlic is abhorrent to squirrels but a downside to using a garlic-based sprays is it fails as a long-standing solution. For those who choose to create an organic squirrel spray made of chopped garlic, pepper and vinegar, be aware that constant reapplication is necessary for it to be effective.
• Pepper: From white and black pepper to paprika and jalapenos, squirrels despise this seasoning. To keep squirrels out of a birdfeeder or other parts of a yard, spray the property with a mixture of tabasco sauce and water or sprinkle ground pepper throughout the area. This can also work for crawlspaces and attics, although if applied as a liquid solution, it may discolor hardwood surfaces.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Most homemade squirrel deterrents created from spices tend to also include some amount of the condiment vinegar, but apple cider vinegar alone can dissuade squirrels from infiltrating. It can be sprayed directly onto hard surfaces or applied to old towels which can then be stuffed inside crawlspaces to keep squirrels from nesting there. This is not a good solution for outdoor areas as pure vinegar can harm or kill plants.

For untrained individuals without the expertise or tools to handle infestations of squirrels and other nuisance wildlife, deferring to homemade repellents can help control the problem in the short-term.

But no homemade concoction can compare or produce the long-term results that come with expert pest specialist intervention.

Through Catseye Pest Control’s Squirrel Removal service, technicians can create customized control and exclusion methods for the property.

Residents and property owners should always consider calling trained technicians to come up with permanent solutions — ensuring squirrels are eradicated from the area for good.

Laundry Products

If the spice cabinet is empty or an alternative strategy is required, non-experts without the training to be rid of a squirrel infestation on their own can also look to their bathroom or laundry room for deterrents.

Supplies such as dryer sheets, laundry soap, mothballs and even deodorants all have distinct scents to keep squirrels from overstaying their welcome.

Mothballs are particularly detested by squirrels because the material contains naphthalene, which also happens to be the by-product of burning objects.

As a result, squirrels mistake the smell of mothballs for the odor of smoke from a forest fire and are enticed to run away from the scent to avoid danger.

The effectiveness of mothballs and similar products only lasts as long as the odor lingers. Once the scent fades or is lost, the squirrel infestation will most likely reoccur unless a pest control expert intervenes.

Scents of Predators

Squirrels also use the power of smell as an indirect defense mechanism against predators.

A squirrel can pick up the scent of a predator, such as a badger, weasel, coyote, fox, raccoon, or bobcat, and interpret it as a warning to stay away.

Any product with a smell that mimics the odor of animal urine can be weaponized against squirrels.

A popular approach is to sprinkle fox urine granules around the premises to create a natural barrier of the scent.

The downside of this method is that these granules have an incredibly strong and unpleasant odor that permeates throughout the air so anywhere it’s applied becomes virtually uninhabitable.

Herbs & Flowers

Those with a green thumb can pivot their talents towards growing herbs and flowers that keep squirrels at a distance.

Among the list of squirrel-repellent plants are mints like peppermint and spearmint, and rosemary. Conveniently, such herbs can be infused into essential oils as well.

Squirrels are also disrupted by the intense odor of a thiol — the liquid produced from the anal glands of skunks.

Curating a garden or flowerbed around plants that produce a similar scent can shield the rest of the vegetation.

Crown imperials, spider flowers or cleomes, and skunk cabbage all emit a skunk-like odor.

It’s important to note that because squirrels do not hibernate, planting such strong-smelling herbage is not a long-term nor year-round solution.

Sensory Scare Tactics

Scented deterrents are safe bets when fighting off a scurry of squirrels, but other tactics can produce similar results.

A squirrel has sensitive paws and dislikes touching surfaces that are difficult to dig or chew through, so spreading inorganic mulch, gravel, and even coffee grounds on the ground or around a garden can dissuade a squirrel from trespassing.

And much how like a dog can hear frequencies that are inaudible to human ears, squirrels can also detect sounds above the regular frequency range.

This discovery has led scientists to develop efficient ultrasound devices that produce unpleasant sound waves — causing squirrels to run out of hearing range of the device.

As a last resort, visual decoys can sometimes work against the tree-climbing nuisances.

Statues of predatory birds such as owls and hawks may frighten off a handful of squirrels while objects such as baffles can shield birdfeeders and similar structures from the fluffy-tailed critters.

But as with all do-it-yourself tactics, there are limitations to these strategies or may succeed in repelling just a couple of squirrels. If a property is struggling with an infestation, a professional needs to be called.

Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems: The Ultimate Solution Against Squirrels

Squirrels are agile, intelligent, and resilient creatures.

It’s rare that homemade efforts would be enough to deter a scurry let along an infestation of them from settling onto a property.

The most failsafe answer to a squirrel problem is to seek custom-made solutions provided by experienced professionals in the pest management industry, like those created through Catseye’s Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems.

No matter if the nuisances are entering the property by way of overhanging branches, utility lines, poles, or rooftops, Cat-Guard specialists have the means and training to design barriers that are guaranteed to protect.

After performing a free, in-depth inspection of the area, our technicians can then pinpoint all of the vulnerable places where squirrels are getting in and create tailored defenses to bar them from re-entry.

Those enrolled in this program are also entitled to annual inspections, so clients can rest assured their property is pest-free all year round.

Keep Squirrels Out with Catseye Pest Control

If squirrels are terrorizing your property, regain control with help from the best pest management experts in the industry.

Our methods are not only safe and effective but also executed in an environmentally friendly way.

For more information regarding our programs and services or to schedule a free inspection, contact us.

The post Natural Squirrel Repellents & Deterrents For Your Yard appeared first on Catseye Pest Control.

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Last August we recapped some dire news concerning the plight of migratory monarch butterflies, particularly the scary decline of monarchs on the west coast of the US.  In 2014, Bug of the Week communed with thousands of western monarchs in Pacific Grove, CA, also known as “Butterfly Town, USA”. Six years later in 2020, the annual winter monarch count in the west plunged from tens of thousands to a shocking 1,914, a decline of more than 99.9% from historic levels. Many believed it might be too late to save the western migratory monarchs. Attempts to have monarchs declared an endangered species by the US Fish and Wildlife Service failed in December of 2020 as resources were needed to focus on “higher-priority listing actions” according to agency officials. In a remarkable and not fully understood turnabout, populations of western monarchs have increased more than 100-fold to almost 250,000 overwintering butterflies reported in the current annual winter monarch census completed in January 2022. This is really encouraging news and Emma Pelton, conservation biologist with the Xerces Society, called the upswing “magnificent”.   

But what is behind this remarkable “bounce” in the western monarch population? Alissa Greenberg of NOVA provided a fascinating peek into possible explanations for this phenomenon in her interview with experts of monarch biology and ecology. Several potential hypotheses were advanced. Drs. Louie Yang and Art Shapiro of UC Davis and Elisabeth Crone of Tufts University propose that a series of “fortunate events” may have conspired in the spring and summer of 2021 to boost populations of monarchs throughout their range. These include a fortuitous match of the spring arrival of monarchs to high quality patches of milkweeds in peak condition to support the growth and development of monarch caterpillars. High food quality translates into higher survival of robust caterpillars that develop into fecund adults, which boost monarch populations. Dr. Shapiro adds that drought in the west may have reduced planting of many crops, thereby reducing attendant pesticide applications harmful to monarch butterflies and their young. An additional hypothesis advanced by entomologists and conservation biologists posits a population supplement of migratory butterflies as urban and suburban monarchs spawned on milkweeds planted by butterfly enthusiasts joined those from natural and rural settings. Yet another possibility advances the notion that some peripatetic monarchs from the larger eastern migration hopped across the country to join their western counterparts. As author Greenberg points out, further research is needed to confirm or infirm these ideas and it is likely that several mechanisms acting in concert underlie this remarkable “bounce” in populations of western migratory monarchs.

Along the California coast monarchs cluster on pine branches and rest during cool, moist mornings. As the morning mist clears, monarchs bask in the mid-day sun to warm their bodies. By afternoon with flight muscles sufficiently warmed, they take wing to visit nearby blossoms. In 2014 when these monarchs were filmed in Pacific Grove, western monarch populations were similar to those in the winter of 2021-2022. This spring why not plant some milkweeds to feed monarch caterpillars? Milkweeds also provide a nectar source for adults.

So, what can be done to help save these unique and charismatic migratory creatures? Globally, mitigating climate change, reducing unnecessary pesticide use, and conserving resources and habitats for wildlife will help. Locally, providing milkweeds for monarch caterpillars and nectar plants for adults can facilitate reproduction and survival of monarchs. Regional references for milkweed plants can be found at this link https://xerces.org/milkweed and references for monarch nectar plants can be found at this link https://xerces.org/monarchs/monarch-nectar-plant-guides  For great tips to create your homegrown monarch habitat, click on this excellent story about University of Kentucky entomologists Adam Baker and Dan Potter, who evaluated several elements of garden design to better support the needs of monarchs:  https://news.ca.uky.edu/article/uk-research-shows-how-build-more-effective-monarch-butterfly-gardens 

Be sure to consult a reference to learn what milkweeds work well in your geographic region. Here in Maryland, species including common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata, and butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa, are good choices. In the waning weeks of winter, monarchs will depart their winter redoubts on the west coast and abandon the montane fir forests of Mexico to begin their long journeys northward. With days getting longer, it is time to plan your gardens and include appropriate milkweeds and nectar plants to support the monarchs. We have a role to play in conserving these remarkable wanderers.

Acknowledgements

Please visit the excellent story by Alissa Greenberg of NOVA to learn more about the renaissance of western monarchs at this link: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/western-monarch-population-growth-2021/

To learn more about monarchs, their migrations and perils, and how to conserve them, please visit the following websites:

https://xerces.org/monarchs/western-monarch-conservation

https://xerces.org/monarchs/eastern-monarch-conservation

https://xerces.org/blog/monarch-numbers-from-mexico-point-to-declining-population

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/monarch-butterflies-near-extinction

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/monarch-butterflies-risk-extinction-climate-change

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/climate-change-is-playing-havoc-with-mexicos-monarch-butterfly-migration/2019/12/23/e60c1e0e-21ab-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.html

http://www.monarchwatch.org/index.html   

http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/agrawal/2017/02/10/monarch-population-size-over-winter-2016-2017-announced/

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