Skunk spray is the nasal equivalent to stepping on a hornets nest or staring at the sun. Skunk spray contains a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals called thiols or mercaptans, but the Tolypocladium fungus has a compound in it called pericosine that neutralize the stink – that can linger for months. The pericosine reacts with skunk spray’s thiol compounds, forming residues that aren’t belligerent to the nose and can washed away. The pericosine can be used on skin and even around the eyes as it doesn’t cause irritation. Additional ingredients are added to the pericosine to neutralize than quicker.
Rodents are cagy, vigilant,
inobtrusive and nocturnal animals. To outsmart these Delta residents and
protect your home, you need to know what you’re dealing with and here are some helpful
hints to help you recognise them.
House mouse nest in walls, attics, crawl spaces,
woodpiles, garages, basements, storage
places but they really like to hang out in the kitchen and pantry. Signs of
house mice include food that has been left out and nibbled on, droppings
similar to the size of rice and a musky odor they leave behind.
Roof rats are smaller in appearance than their
cousins the Norway rats. They are climbers of both trees and homes, nesting in attics,
walls, appliances, garages, and in foliage like ivy and climbing vines. Signs
of roof rats include grease marks, scampering and climbing noises, the smell of
urine and feces on floors and insulation. These guys will eat almost anything.
Norway rats are larger than the roof rats. They are known as burrows, digging holes in the ground and spending a lot of time there. Like the roof rat, they like to nest in attics but will also be in basements, walls, woodpiles, sewers and in their burrows. Signs of these rats is the smell of their malodourous urine and tons of feces. Similar to the roof rats, these guys like to eat everything from grass seeds to fertilizer.
A typical wasp and hornet nest can contain as many as 6000 insects and build a nest the size of a beach ball. But now, these super nests (16,000 wasps) are cropping up this summer, as a side effect of a warming climate, can potentially grow to the size of a Smart car, and this can be a record year for the shocking spectacle. These super nests haven’t been seen in decades. Normally, wasp populations die out over the winter and new queens start again in the spring but unseasonably warm winters, the wasps survive to form perennial nests, or colonies that persist through the winter and live to see the spring – forming massive nests and supporting a couple queens. If you see a nest, the best thing to do is hire a licensed commercial pest control operator to take care of it.
Squirrels feed on seeds, nuts, acorns, tree buds, berries, leaves and twigs but believe it or not will eat meat. But if they have become an issue around or in your house then choosing the right kind of squirrel trap might help rid your property of squirrels. These rodents can bring viruses and health conditions which can be dangerous to your family. When trying to capture a squirrel, household foods work well to attract them, such as cookies, biscuits, crackers, fruits and nuts. When trapping a squirrel I only recommend live cage traps, these catch-and-release type devices use bait, as previously described, to lure the squirrel inside the cage. Once the squirrel steps on a trigger the door instantly shuts it inside. Place the live trap on a path that the squirrel uses or close to the entrance of their nest. Once you catch a squirrel you are required to release it in a wooded area, but not too close to your house as they will return.
As the days
continue to get hotter, wasps and hornets continue to prosper. Wasps that live
in colonies and yes you guessed it; attack in swarms and sting repeatedly. To
avoid this perilous encounter, have the wasp hives removed long before they
look like a beach ball on steroids. Most species of wasp and hornets will
attack when provoked but there are the solitary group of wasps that rarely
sting – like the mud-dauber and potter wasps. They are distinguished by mud
nests on walls and ceilings. Back to the stinging ones, including bald faced
hornets, yellow jackets and paper wasps – all can be dangerous especially if
you are allergic to them. At this time of year, the warmer it gets the more
aggressive and active they are therefore nests near doorways, porch
ceilings or bushes need to be removed. As the summer proceeds, the queen begins
to lay a lot of larvae and the whole nest gets super protective. If you happen
to get too close to an active nest move away slowly, as rapid movements provoke
stinging.
When it comes to selecting between the best squirrel proof bird feeder brands, money in research and creating designs with better technology, finishes and makes is very important. No matter whether you are looking for a traditional or contemporary look , you will find one that suits your budget and needs. Squirrel proof bird feeder are designed to give you good control with a multitude of functions such as size, shape and quality of material matter. When it comes to size, in this case it matters, go for something bigger that can get the job done. For maximum birds you usually want to get a regular shaped design but the sky is the limit on shape. And yes, quality matters, choose one that has a bottom that is heavy and thick enough for sturdiness and long-term use. The brand and warranty on the cage is very important so paying a bit more for a reliable known brand makes perfect sense.
Disease-carrying ticks have increased their topographical range in the past 20 years, now showing up in different places every year and they reproduce rapidly. The rate of tick-borne disease will continue to increase as we experience environmental changes that led to rising populations of mice and deer which carry the ticks that feed on them, helping the ticks to spread, and there are no tick-control answers. Lyme is the best-known tick-borne illness but they can carry Babesiosis, Powassan virus, Bourbon virus, Heartland virus, rash illness, Rickettsia parkeri, hemorrhagic fever, ehrlichiosis and tularemia. Scientists don’t understand ticks as well as they do other disease-spreading pests. So here is how you can protect yourself from ticks: before you go outside use insect repellents to cover your skin, wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck your pants into your socks.
So where did these nasty ants come from because they surely didn’t come from here. It is believed that they came to North America on a shipment of cargo back in the 1930s. So, how did they get in your lawn, well most likely from an infested nursery plant, fertilizer or grass sod being used in the home’s landscaping. Fire ants like warm, sunny conditions as they prefer dry lawns and avoid shady areas. When responding to a disturbance of sorts, fire ants first use their mandibles for grip and then inject venom through a stinger. Fire ant stings are very painful and potentially fatal. Their venom is an alkaloid that is very irritating to humans and results in red bumps and white boils. These ants are difficult to control because the colonies are often very large underground nests with multiple queens. One common sign of fire ant activity is the worker, swarmer ants, sandy earthen mounds and people being stung by ants.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Virus (HPS) is a severe, respiratory disease that can be lethal and is spread through infected rodent droppings, urine or drool. A person can contract the virus by breathing in air particles, such as stirring up dust in areas where rodents have been causing the virus to get into the air. It’s best to wet down droppings with a disinfectant to prevent the particles from becoming air-born. Symptoms of the virus typically develop within six weeks after exposure and may include fever, muscle aches, chills, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain and respiratory distress. There is no treatment for HPS but recovery may be probable with quick medical care.
