By the time you read this, Phil will have made his prediction. For all our sake, we hope it is for an early spring. In the midst of winter, Groundhog’s day is a fun diversion and reminds us spring is on the way sooner or later. Some 40,000 make the trek to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to witness this yearly event dating back to the 1800’s. Punxsutawney Phil has met Oprah Winfrey, President Reagan, Governors Thornburg and Rendell, and in 2001, his prediction was broadcast live to New York City’s Times Square. Fun as Phil is, groundhog’s day is folklore.
Here are some facts about the groundhog, and how to manage the furry creature once he makes an appearance in your yard.
Marmota monax, the groundhog, also known as the woodchuck, is a chunky creature weighing up to 10 lbs. Its length ranges sixteen to twenty inches plus the tail, four to seven inches. While open farm land is their first choice, the groundhog has made a comfortable home in the suburban landscape where plenty of food and shelter make life easy for them. Often a groundhog will construct its burrow along stone walls, at the base of trees, and even along a foundation.
Groundhog burrows can be identified by the large mound of excavated earth at the main entrance. On this mound, which is constantly renewed by debris from within, the groundhog frequently sits to look for danger. The entranceway is 10 to 12 inches in diameter, and they also have secondary entrances. These tend to be hidden and dug from below so mounds are not seen.
The groundhog can be the bane of most homeowners. The animal’s feeding and burrowing habits conflict with human interests. Damage often occurs on farms, in home gardens, orchards, nurseries, and around buildings. Damage to crops such as alfalfa, soybeans, beans, squash, tomatoes, and peas can be costly and extensive. A homeowner may lose his or her entire tomato patch. Fruit trees and ornamental shrubs may be damaged by a groundhog as they gnaw on woody vegetation. Mounds of earth from the excavated burrow systems and holes formed at burrow entrances present a hazard to farm equipment, animals, and humans. On occasion, burrowing can weaken building foundations.
In Pennsylvania, groundhogs are classified as game animals. Game protection is removed when they damage personal property. In that case, groundhogs can be controlled by the property owner using the lawful means. If a homeowner does not feel comfortable with any means of control, there are many wildlife pest control companies who can do this for you.
If the area is small, poultry wire or two inch woven mesh fencing can be installed. With three foot minimum above ground, the fence should have twelve inches buried in the ground, with six inches bent in an L shape pointing away.
Scarecrows can provide temporary relief from groundhog damage. Move them regularly and incorporate a high level of human activity in the susceptible area.
There are no repellents or toxicants that are for use on groundhogs. There are other products such as fumigants and gas cartridges available at home and garden centers which are labeled for use on groundhogs. Please carefully follow the directions as these are dangerous products.
There are live traps the homeowners can use as well. Place the trap near fresh damage or at the main entrance of the burrow. Use fresh bait such as apple slices, carrots, and lettuce. Be careful once the animal is trapped. Give some thought to a relocation area at least ten miles away and where the groundhog will not be the pest he was to you.
The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have a free publication on groundhogs, contact us at (570) 963-6842 or email: LackawannaMG@psu.edu for a copy.
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension Lackawanna County
Showing posts with label repellent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label repellent. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wildlife Damage in Winter
While the attention this week will be on our friend Phil, the rest of his kin will still be hibernating well into the month of March. The groundhog is notorious for doing quite a bit of damage around the home landscape. Who hasn’t lost a tomato in its prime or noticed gnawed ornamentals in their yard? This time of year, in the dead of winter the groundhog is not to blame. A fair amount of landscape injury comes from 'A Tail of Two Critters'. The whitetail deer and the cottontail rabbit can do extensive damage in winter around your home.
Whitetail deer are selective and adaptive eaters. Their eating habits change with the seasons and availability of a food source. They may ignore a planting in summer but turn to it when nothing else is around to sustain them. Often deer will try plants for taste, so you may notice a plant ripped and left behind as it did not please the animal’s pallet. Signs of deer damage are jagged or torn stem ends, bark that seems to have been rubbed off and of course their droppings.
Cottontail rabbits are active all year round and can usually be seen dawn to dusk. As they need cover to protect themselves from predators, they are often seen around brush piles, field edges, and landscaped backyards. There they find suitable food as well. Rabbits can do a serve amount of damage in the winter when other food supplies have dwindled to the point of actually killing some trees and shrubs. Telltale signs are patches of gnawed bark within two and half feet of the ground. Distinctive to the rabbit is their clipping of stems which resembles a knife cut.
Exclusion is the first step to protect your landscape from damage. Most people like the bucolic scene of deer roaming in nature so fencing around individual plantings is usually the choice. Remember, deer are hungry and can reach over to eat so height is a consideration. For the cottontail, two to four foot of chicken wire tight to the ground is a hindrance. Wire-hardware cloth and tree guards will offer some protection to the trunks too.
Repellants have been shown to be successful in conjunction with other means of control. If you choose to use such a product, please follow the labeled directions. There are a lot variables to consider when using repellents as the animals’ eating habits change with availability. They are best used at the onset of visible damage.
Both rabbits and deer are protected and cannot be harmed outside of the established hunting times. Because of the prolific nature of the rabbit’s reproduction, trapping is generally not effective. For more information on controlling the damage these two tails can do, contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request the Winter Wildlife Packet. In addition, there is a new Master Gardener training class scheduled to begin in March, contact us for more information.
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Whitetail deer are selective and adaptive eaters. Their eating habits change with the seasons and availability of a food source. They may ignore a planting in summer but turn to it when nothing else is around to sustain them. Often deer will try plants for taste, so you may notice a plant ripped and left behind as it did not please the animal’s pallet. Signs of deer damage are jagged or torn stem ends, bark that seems to have been rubbed off and of course their droppings.
Cottontail rabbits are active all year round and can usually be seen dawn to dusk. As they need cover to protect themselves from predators, they are often seen around brush piles, field edges, and landscaped backyards. There they find suitable food as well. Rabbits can do a serve amount of damage in the winter when other food supplies have dwindled to the point of actually killing some trees and shrubs. Telltale signs are patches of gnawed bark within two and half feet of the ground. Distinctive to the rabbit is their clipping of stems which resembles a knife cut.
Exclusion is the first step to protect your landscape from damage. Most people like the bucolic scene of deer roaming in nature so fencing around individual plantings is usually the choice. Remember, deer are hungry and can reach over to eat so height is a consideration. For the cottontail, two to four foot of chicken wire tight to the ground is a hindrance. Wire-hardware cloth and tree guards will offer some protection to the trunks too.
Repellants have been shown to be successful in conjunction with other means of control. If you choose to use such a product, please follow the labeled directions. There are a lot variables to consider when using repellents as the animals’ eating habits change with availability. They are best used at the onset of visible damage.
Both rabbits and deer are protected and cannot be harmed outside of the established hunting times. Because of the prolific nature of the rabbit’s reproduction, trapping is generally not effective. For more information on controlling the damage these two tails can do, contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request the Winter Wildlife Packet. In addition, there is a new Master Gardener training class scheduled to begin in March, contact us for more information.
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Friday, October 1, 2010
Protecting your Landscape from Deer
Now is a good time to protect your garden labors from deer. Here are some tips from Penn State horticulture professor Jim Sellmer.
Unless you have to protect large areas of new growth an economical approach to deer-proofing both new and mature trees and shrubs is individual fencing. A deer can reach over fencing, so make sure it is high enough; several feet higher that any tree or shrub that is less than 3 feet tall. Place fence posts about 4 feet from the tree or shrub to prevent deer from leaning over the fence. Attach plastic or woven wire mesh to the stakes. Inspect your fence at least once per week, especially after a heavy snowfall. Once the snow hardens, you may need to make your fences taller.
An alternative to fencing is the use of chemical deer repellents. Be aware that most repellents wash off from rain or snow and extremely hungry deer won’t be deterred. Repellents will need to be applied routinely but can be made from household items, such as a mixture of spoiled eggs and water, or purchased from garden centers. Deer become tolerant to the taste and smell of repellents, so switching the repellent type is important during the season.
An easier approach to fighting deer is to plant trees and shrubs that deer don’t find delicious, but please remember that no plant can be entirely deer-proof. For a comprehensive list of deer resistant plants compiled by Penn State extension educator Linda Wiles go to: http://monroe.extension.psu.edu/Horticulture/deer/index.html.
For the complete article by Sellmer visit the web at http://live.psu.edu/story/35640
If you have any gardening questions please call your county extension office. In Lackawanna County call our garden help line at 963-6842 ext. 1377 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu
Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Unless you have to protect large areas of new growth an economical approach to deer-proofing both new and mature trees and shrubs is individual fencing. A deer can reach over fencing, so make sure it is high enough; several feet higher that any tree or shrub that is less than 3 feet tall. Place fence posts about 4 feet from the tree or shrub to prevent deer from leaning over the fence. Attach plastic or woven wire mesh to the stakes. Inspect your fence at least once per week, especially after a heavy snowfall. Once the snow hardens, you may need to make your fences taller.
An alternative to fencing is the use of chemical deer repellents. Be aware that most repellents wash off from rain or snow and extremely hungry deer won’t be deterred. Repellents will need to be applied routinely but can be made from household items, such as a mixture of spoiled eggs and water, or purchased from garden centers. Deer become tolerant to the taste and smell of repellents, so switching the repellent type is important during the season.
An easier approach to fighting deer is to plant trees and shrubs that deer don’t find delicious, but please remember that no plant can be entirely deer-proof. For a comprehensive list of deer resistant plants compiled by Penn State extension educator Linda Wiles go to: http://monroe.extension.psu.edu/Horticulture/deer/index.html.
For the complete article by Sellmer visit the web at http://live.psu.edu/story/35640
If you have any gardening questions please call your county extension office. In Lackawanna County call our garden help line at 963-6842 ext. 1377 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu
Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Mosquitoes
The signs of the season are upon us: the smell of charcoal grills, the new or refreshed lawn furniture, tiki torches, convertibles, short shorts, and tank tops. These are in addition to the buds and blooms forming on the landscape and filling the air with colors. We all know those long, hazy days have returned. Another telltale sign, that no one wants to see, is the ubiquitous mosquito. These pests stick their pointed “noses” all over us to remind us summer is back.
Worldwide, there are 3,000 species of mosquitoes, 200 in the United State, and about 60 in Pennsylvania. Beyond their annoying bites, the mosquito is a carrier of several diseases such as West Nile virus and encephalitis. The mosquito even puts our dogs at risk by transmitting canine heartworm disease. The mosquito most often discovered in urban areas of Pennsylvania is the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens.
Adult female mosquitoes require a blood meal in order to produce viable eggs. While feeding, the females inject saliva-containing anticoagulants that prevent the blood from clotting. Because mosquitoes take numerous blood meals, they can acquire disease organisms from an infected host and later transmit those organisms to previously uninfected hosts.
With this in mind, it is important for the homeowner to take these steps to manage the effects mosquitoes can have on the quality of life:
Encourage indoor activities: The northern house mosquito is most active at dusk to dawn. Pennsylvanians with immune system deficiencies should try to limit outside activities to daylight hours. Likewise, parents of young children and infants should keep children inside during these same hours.
Eliminate standing water: This will reduce the number of potential mosquito breeding sites.
• Remove old tires, cans, buckets, pots, and similar items that can trap rainwater.
• Position tarps and boat covers to allow rain runoff and limit ‘ponding.’
• Turn plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows upside-down when not in use.
• Keep swimming pools chlorinated.
Exclusion: All doors and windows should fit tightly and remain closed during the peak mosquito activity. Replace screening that has holes or tears.
Effective Repellents: Materials containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) are effective in repelling mosquitoes. For more information on the safe use of insect and tick repellents, or other horticultural issues, contact the Penn State Master Gardner Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawnnaMG@psu.edu
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce
Worldwide, there are 3,000 species of mosquitoes, 200 in the United State, and about 60 in Pennsylvania. Beyond their annoying bites, the mosquito is a carrier of several diseases such as West Nile virus and encephalitis. The mosquito even puts our dogs at risk by transmitting canine heartworm disease. The mosquito most often discovered in urban areas of Pennsylvania is the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens.
Adult female mosquitoes require a blood meal in order to produce viable eggs. While feeding, the females inject saliva-containing anticoagulants that prevent the blood from clotting. Because mosquitoes take numerous blood meals, they can acquire disease organisms from an infected host and later transmit those organisms to previously uninfected hosts.
With this in mind, it is important for the homeowner to take these steps to manage the effects mosquitoes can have on the quality of life:
Encourage indoor activities: The northern house mosquito is most active at dusk to dawn. Pennsylvanians with immune system deficiencies should try to limit outside activities to daylight hours. Likewise, parents of young children and infants should keep children inside during these same hours.
Eliminate standing water: This will reduce the number of potential mosquito breeding sites.
• Remove old tires, cans, buckets, pots, and similar items that can trap rainwater.
• Position tarps and boat covers to allow rain runoff and limit ‘ponding.’
• Turn plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows upside-down when not in use.
• Keep swimming pools chlorinated.
Exclusion: All doors and windows should fit tightly and remain closed during the peak mosquito activity. Replace screening that has holes or tears.
Effective Repellents: Materials containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) are effective in repelling mosquitoes. For more information on the safe use of insect and tick repellents, or other horticultural issues, contact the Penn State Master Gardner Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawnnaMG@psu.edu
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce
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