Get Rid Of Skunks Armadillos And Moles
Skunks armadillos and moles
Skunks, armadillos and moles, what do these 3 pests have in common? Really, very little, with the exception of one key factor, an insatiable taste for white grubs! In fact, if you have any of these creatures digging up your yard, they are probably there to enjoy the fine cuisine!
You can exclude them from your yard with the proper fencing, which for moles would require an underground fence, but wouldn't it be smarter to remove their food source? We give more information on how to do this below.
Skunks
Skunks can be a problem, especially when they make a home under your home. If you have grubs, and an easy place for skunks to get under your home, you will probably have a skunk problem at some point. Getting the skunks away from your home can be a problem, and a bad plan for doing so is far worse than no plan at all. This is the method that seems to work best:
A method for removing skunks
- Block every point of entrance along the sides and ends of the building, but leave the suspected main entry open.
- Spread powdered chalk or flour around the entrance for a couple of feet in front of the entrance opening.
- After dark, check the chalk or flour for exit tracks which indicate that the skunk has gone to forage. If no exit tracks are visible, check back in an hour. Keep doing this until you are sure that they are all gone, or that none were there.
- Temporarily seal the entrance.
- Open the entry again the next night for an hour or so to allow any stragglers to get out, and then seal the entrance well.
Armadillos
Armadillos are less of a problem to get rid of than skunks, because they won't spray you with foul smelling gas if you disturb them. Exclusion usually works for prevention.
Moles
Moles don't understand the difference between your property and your neighbors property, and since they travel underground, an above ground fence will not keep them from coming into your yard. To exclude moles, would require an underground fence, either one that covers the entire yard, or surrounds the entire yard about 3 feet deep.
Habitat modification
Fortunately, there is a better way. If there is nothing on your property these pests will not visit your property. The best way to keep all these creatures from digging up your lawn is to get rid of what is attracting them. To get rid of the critters, you should get rid of the grubs, to get rid of the grubs, you should get rid of June Bugs, to get rid of June Bugs, you should get rid of your outdoor lighting! I understand that you can't get rid of your outdoor lighting, but in most cases, you can change the color of the bulbs you use for outdoor lighting. A yellow light will not attract June Bugs, and if there are no Jun Bugs, there will be no June Bug larvae, which is what white grubs are.
If you can't change the lighting, there are some chemical treatments that work pretty well. Early spring and fall treatments with carbaryl granules will do the trick for those seasons, and early summer or late spring treatment with Imidacloprid will do the job for the remaining months of summer.
Integrated pest management or IPM
This is a good example of good IPM practice.
- Start with the least toxic method. Prevent the things that attract the pest.
- Practice prevention methods like exclusion, that is, change the habitat.
- Use the least toxic pesticides available as a last resort.
