COOPERATIVE EXTENSION. Animal Pest Management Around Homes. Bringing the University to You. in Nevada

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1 Animal Pest Management Around Homes in Nevada Non-poisonous snakes are harmless and should be left alone. They are beneficial to the environment. Many Snakes Control Pests Gardeners want to control diseases, insects and get rid of persistent weeds. Pesticides are often recommended. However, their over use or misuse may be harmful to the user, the user s neighbors and the environment including beneficial organisms honey bees, fish, endangered species and insect predators. It is best to adopt an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy that uses a combination of cultural, mechanical, physical and chemical techniques to manage pests. Integrated Vertebrate Pest Management (IVPM) is similar to IPM. Vertebrate pests occupy an area because the habitat meets their needs for shelter, protection from predators, food and water. Much of what is done as IVPM modifies these needs and excludes the pest from the property or buildings. Vertebrate pests are trapped to be relocated or killed. Habitat modifications and trapping may or may not be difficult. Predators may be used in some cases to reduce pest numbers; however, this rarely eliminates the pest. Repellents are available, but most are ineffective. Use integrated methods to control vertebrate pests, see the following table. Contact your local Cooperative Extension or Nevada Department of Agriculture offices for additional information if a pest persists after these techniques have been tried. The back cover lists phone numbers and addresses. Control of some vertebrate pests (lions, bears, dogs, cats, etc.) is best left to a professional. Contact Animal Control in your county, USDA Wildlife Services or Nevada Division of Wildlife for assistance. Bats are not pests! University of Nevada Bats play an important ecological role by eating flying insects including mosquitoes. Encourage their presence; build a bat house in your yard. Bats do best near ponds and streams. Rabies from bat bites occurs only rarely. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION Bringing the University to You Nevada Department of Agriculture Cooperating SP 00-12

2 Pest Cultural Control Biological Control Deer/Elk Bighorn Sheep Plant deer resistant plants or lure crops; harvest large blocks of timber acres, to provide forage away from home and crops Mountain lions and wolves; do not kill (check the law before doing anything to wild animals) House/Deer Mice Rats/Norway Rats Sanitize counters; put food in rodent proof containers; reduce food, water, and shelter; control weeds and remove debris from around buildings Cats limited effectiveness Bears Reduce cover around buildings; thin woods and forests near structures; never leave food or garbage available for bears, this attracts them Ask Nevada Division of Wildlife biologists to trap and relocate Raccoons Same as for bears; reduce food around buildings Dogs limited effectiveness Moles Reduce soil moisture or compact soil to deter digging; reduce population of soil insects, nightcrawlers and earthworms; use milky spore or pesticides to kill grubs Dogs, cats limited effectiveness Pocket Gophers Flood irrigation Dogs, cats limited effectiveness Voles Reduce cover by tilling, mowing or thinning vegetation and remove excess mulch to expose to predators Dogs, cats, raptors may help reduce the population Ground Squirrels Remove cover, trash, etc. around buildings; seal repeated burrow; retreat new burrows; deep tillage burrows (repeat as needed); remove vegetation and wood piles Dogs, cats, hawks, eagles, other raptors, rattle snakes, gopher snakes, and coyotes 2

3 Physical Control Chemical Control Erect wire/electrical deer fencing; fence off gardens, farm fields, orchards and nurseries Repellents: sulfurous are best, they work up to 4 weeks, hot/ spicy ones work okay; propane guns frighten animals for 2-4 weeks then they get use to them Mouse/rat traps and glue boards; concrete, mortar, galvanized sheeting, heavy gauge hardwire cloth or caulk to close off entry holes larger then ½ inch for rats and ¼ inch for mice Anticoagulant or other toxic bait Bear-proof trash containers; fencing; notify Nevada Division of Wildlife (trap and relocate); DON T FEED BEARS! Raccoon-proof trash containers with secure lids; electric fencing; exclude from chimneys, crawl spaces, etc.; traps, USDA Wildlife Services may provide traps Mole traps; flooding; exclude from small areas with wire baskets for bulbs, etc. Use soil insecticides to reduce food supply (moles don t eat plants) Gopher traps; place trap in burrow; wire cylinders to protect plants Baits with strychnine; zinc; aluminum phosphide; and anticoagulants or use gas cartridges and fumigants; apply toxic baits by hand or with mechanical applicator Wire mesh cylinders around plants; snap traps - about a dozen for a small area Zinc phosphide (restricted use pesticide, contact Nevada Department of Agriculture); anticoagulant baits; gas cartridge smoke bombs, and sulfurous or capsaicin compounds painted on trunks may prevent damage (not tested on voles) Exclude from buildings using ¼ inch mesh hardwire cloth, caulking; sheet metal cylinders around trunks of trees and bird feeders; shooting okay; trap and relocate or euthanize; kill trap Zinc phosphide (restricted use pesticide, contact Nevada Department of Agriculture); anticoagulant baits; fumigants; gas cartridge 3

4 Pest Cultural Control Biological Control Chipmunks Store food products in rodent-proof containers; keep ground covered; shrubs, and woodpiles away from foundations Dogs, cats, raptors Douglas/Western Grey Squirrels Plant trees away from buildings; remove branches near buildings to reduce access to roof Dogs, cats, raptors Wood Rats Close openings larger than ½ Wild predators and raptors Feral Cats Seal buildings; don t leave dog/cat food out Large dogs, wild predators Woodpeckers Sapsuckers Use metal barriers. Some will nest in a large nesting box (6 X 6 X ) with a thick layer of sawdust in the box. Let them use it and then trap them in it Pigeons Plant more large growing trees (pigeons like open areas); eliminate roosting spots Frightening devices (not good in cities); encourage falcons to nest; cats with access to nests and roosts Ducks & Geese Shooting and destroying nesting sites Large barking dog Swallows Cats 4

5 Physical Control Chemical Control See Ground Squirrels Moth flakes or balls may be effective in liberal amounts; fumigants test repellents on or near vegetables, bulbs and seeds See Ground Squirrels See Ground Squirrels Zinc phosphide (restricted use pesticide, contact Nevada Department of Agriculture) Trap, and then take to the Humane Society for euthanasia Metal sheathing/netting to protect/exclude from eaves, etc.; visual/sound model hawk/owl, plastic snakes, windmills; loud noises CO 2 gun; rat snap trap with nut meat bait, note: permit required from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Repellants taste and smell (most are ineffective after a week) Exclusion screening at 45 degree angle for ledges; sharp bailing wire-porcupine, catclaw, ecopic; electric shock devices Repellents; tactile (sticky substances); Hot-foot TM, Tangle foot TM, Resist No More TM Keep pools and fish ponds out of sight; cover or use fishing lines or netting to prevent landing in pool/pond; move and relocate Methyl anthranilate may reduce depredation to turf Exclude with netting; slick surfaces (metal sheeting) discourages nesting; nest removal-check with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding permit requirements 5

6 Pest Cultural Control Biological Control Coyotes Herding of livestock; remove carrion Guard dogs; donkeys and llamas can protect sheep Mountain Lions Remove brush and timber near home or farm Annual harvest of mountain lions call Nevada Division of Wildlife for information Rabbits Remove brush, debris, woodpiles and dump that provide cover Dogs Snakes/ Rattlesnakes Remove habitat near home and building; remove piles of brush or wood; control rodents Wild Horses/ Burros Don t feed or encourage Stray Dogs Guard dog Skunks Eliminate food sources, contain dog and cat food and garbage in closed containers Bats Provide artificial roosts outside structures Bats play an important role in insect control; DO NOT KILL! 6

7 Physical Control Chemical Control Fencing (Netaire); keep livestock in safe pens at night; electric fencing; keep small pets in at night Heavy woven wire or electric fences; trapping; night lights; blaring music; USDA Wildlife Services trappers may be available Fence around shrubs, small trees and gardens; 1 mesh hardware cloth 42 above ground and 6 below Some repellents; jack rabbits - ammonium soaps; capsaicin, tobacco dust, sulfurous compounds may be effective Seal all openings ¼ or larger with mortar, foam insulation; 1 /8" hard cloth; sheet metal or steel wool; snake-proof fence can be used; trap with a drift fence and funnel trap (outside); sticky or glue boards and release away from property Non-poisonous snakes are harmless and should be left alone; repellents are available one is registered for rattlesnakes and garter snakes only effectiveness is unknown Fence off areas Spotlights at night; fence off areas Poisoning dogs is against the law! Exclude from buildings with hardwire cloth over openings; live trap and relocate or kill; keep eatables in skunk-proof containers Polypropylene netting, check valves (cones) to allow bats out; sealing all openings after bats are removed; initiate only before bats are born or after they are able to fly; forced air drafts/ ventilation and ultrasonic noises are not effective Repellents and naphthalene have limited or no effect 7

8 University of Nevada COOPERATIVE EXTENSION Yerington..... Winnemucca Lovelock Wendover Elko Battle Mountain Fallon Reno Eureka Incline Village Carson City Ely erington Minden.Hawthorne Tonopah Caliente Nevada Department of Agriculture Logandale Pahrump Las as Vegas Elko 1351 Elm, (775) Las Vegas 2300 McLeod, (702) Reno 350 Capitol Hill Av, (775) Winnemucca 1200 E. Winnemucca, (775) Bringing the University to You Battle Mountain 815 N Second St., (775) Caliente 360 Lincoln St. P.O. Box 68, (775) Carson City 2621 Northgate Ln., Suite (775) Elko 1500 College Pkwy., (775) Ely 995 Campton St., (775) Eureka 701 S. Main St. P.O. Box 613, (775) Fallon 111 Sheckler Rd., (775) Hawthorne (775) Incline Village 865 Tahoe Blvd. Ste. 110 P.O. Box 8208, (775) Las Vegas 2345 Red Rock St. Ste (702) Logandale 1897 Moapa Valley Blvd. P.O. Box 126, (702) Lovelock 810 6th St. P.O. Box 239, (775) Minden/Gardnerville 1329 Waterloo Ln., Gardnerville P.O. Box 338, Minden, (775) Pahrump 1651 E. Calvada Blvd. P.O. Box 1090, (775) Reno 5305 Mill St. P.O. Box 11130, (775) Tonopah #1 Frankee St. P.O. Box 231, (775) Wendover 154 Wendover Blvd. P.O. Box 2409, (775) Winnemucca 1085 Fairgrounds Rd. Fairgrounds, (775) Yerington 504 S. Main St. P.O. Box 811, (775) Authors: John O Brien, Vertebrate Specialist, NDOA Wayne S Johnson, Ph.D., IPM Specialist, UNCE Richard L. Post, Western Area Director & Horticulture Specialist, UNCE M.L. Robinson, Horticulturist, Southern Area, UNCE William Carlos, Horticulturist, Washoe County, UNCE Technical Assistance: Brian Davis and Erin Post Integrated Pest Management Effective in the home garden and landscape. It takes time and effort to develop your own program, but in the long term it will mean healthier plants, safer pest control for you and your animals, and a better environment. UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA RENO The University of Nevada, Reno is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, and in accordance with university policy, sexual orientation, in any program or activity it operates. The University of Nevada employs only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.