The one thing I would bet, would have been whatever they could catch. I’m also sure that is why we gain weight so easily, we are not out looking for and gathering our own lunch.
“Smithsonian – Smithsonian Science Termites for breakfast?”
I also love these stories and how animals and/or insects adapt to their environment.
Photo by PPMA
Pocket Gophers can really do some serious damage to our lawns and properties. Along with their damage they can create holes which people can fall into and often times could lead to broken bones or physical damage to young or older people. I have heard some people say “well they really don’t harm things so lets just leave them alone”? They will damage landscapes including bushes, trees and create unsightly holes and that alone should be enough to stop them from further damaging your lawn. Bushes and trees cost money and if someone falls because of a hole, how much is that doctor or urgent care call?
One of the biggest concerns is damage to playgrounds, soccer fields and areas where children run and play. They actually perform a good service aerating the soil, but the damage often seen is the dying vegetation. They rarely leave their underground complex and most damage is done to the roots of bushes, since they only feed on vegetation. They get all their water from the vegetation they consume. They breed during the Spring to early summer and often have up to 7 babies per year. So has you can see that family can grow quickly causing more damage. It is possible to have 2 -20 gophers per acre of course depending on food availability. Gophers may live up to two years and the majority will be young adults. Gophers are not known to be a significant source of any diseases transmittable to humans or animals. People can trap these critters which is time consuming or use bait injected into the ground and hidden away from prying eyes. Many additional critters may use their tunnels for their benefit including lizards and toads.
Call ProBest for more information or to schedule a visit 480-831-9328
pocket gophers
pocket gophers
The other day I rounded the entrance to my cul-de-sac and two coyotes ran out in front of my truck. This isn’t the first time that I’ve seen a coyote but is does concern me about the pets in the neighborhood. I live in the City of Phoenix, not in a rural section but a established community that has been there since the 1980’s. So why would there be coyotes in this section of the city? Coyotes thrive just about everywhere in the U.S., I think because it adapts and will eat almost anything.
Coyotes are most active at night and early morning, when there is little interaction with humans they may hunt throughout the day. I think they look cool and are similar in general appearance to a dog such as a collie. But remember they are wildlife not pets, do not feed them it will only cause more issues.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emdot/145432
marya (emdot) from San Luis Obispo, USA
So what can you do to prevent them from frequenting your home or backyard, I’ve seen them jump gates over 6 foot high? Installing higher fencing can help but adding this may not serve to prevent that ambitious or mischievous one from getting in. If you live on a farm or acreage with animals, you may have to get serious and install electric fencing or change the property. There are also noise machines, lighting and the use of a good size dog may be enough to scare them off.
Liberty Wildlife is committed to nurturing the nature of Arizona by providing quality wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, and conservation services for the community.
From time to time even the smallest need a helping hand, we assist Liberty with an ongoing rodent issue and fly control. How about making a donation to Liberty to help the cause.
So just the other day I wrote about frivolous lawsuits and this story is another of the absolute “what the hell is wrong with people stories” maybe with people going to hell for their acts? In my business we often have to dispatch things, the methods used are not always the nicest but I also don’t get a thrill out of just killing things. If given the chance I would rather move the critter to another location, we move snakes and critters, its not always their fault that they thought your home was a nice tree.
This FaceBook thing also has gotten out of hand, people are posting things that I really don’t want to see. My postings are relative to what I do and I don’t want to see some girl standing at a river throwing puppies in, I think God will get her back for that (Karma) sending her to Hell. “Chicago man tortured, killed rodents, posted the videos to Youtube.”
So again I ask, lets think before we post – the key word here is THINK please. I do realize that I may be somewhat hypothetical, I do kill things but I’m also not showing pictures of my work. I did an article awhile back on hunting and trapping – “Wildlife trapping” and I truly believe hunting and trapping is better for the animals then dieing a slow death from hunger or over population. But torture for torture sake of any living thing is wrong, again my opinion.
Photo by Univar
I run across some really stinky little issues from time to time, like a rodents who died within a home. So its one of those things that isn’t easy to fix, so I often recommend the odor bags. I have used these bags many times and have never been disappointed in their use.
Easy to use to remove dead rodent odors, urine and feces odors, skunk odors, musty mildew odors, and cigarette smoke odor. Doesn’t have to come into contact with dead rodent or odor causing agent and works even if carcass is not removed. Bags are easy to use and last an average of 3-4 months in use and contain no chemicals, toxins or fragrances. Simply place the bag near the odor and in 24 hours the odor will be gone. Earth Care does not mask odors it removes them. Its contents are bio-degradable, non-flammable, non-toxic, safe around children, pets & mother earth.
A friend on mine recently had an issue with bats, so I recommended he try hanging some bags near the spot where the bats had been nesting, here’s what he said:
I did exactly what Keith said and I was pleasantly surprised as to the results, odor gone. I’m sold on these bags. W. Davis – Florida
To a Pest Management Professional the slogan – Integrated Pest Management is really important. Why, you ask? Because it is at the heart of what we do, everyday! I don’t think that many of us that really want to harm nature and there is a fine line to doing that and protecting us from the bugs that could kill us.
At its core is this principle – “Integrated Pest Management is a process involving common sense and sound solutions for treating and controlling pests. These solutions incorporate three basic steps: 1) inspection, 2) identification and 3) treatment. Treatment options vary from sealing cracks and removing food and water sources to pesticide treatments when necessary.”
But you and I both know that it isn’t always easy controlling certain pests like cockroaches in apartments, so its take everyone’s cooperation and help to solve the dilemna. The same goes for scorpions, home-sealing is just one step to controling these beasts.
So heer are a few tips to help you in your mission to keep your home or business bug free.
Most of us enjoy the occasional wildlife that we encounter but without some form or measure of keeping them at bay, we might have a bad encounter. You see the shows on TV where someone decides to take a picture of some creature and the creature feels threatened and attacks. It is never by the way that lone little bird, it is the Grizzly Bear that people want the picture of. Bears can run fast so unless you have a friend with you, that bear will catch your but and eat you. That therein lies the problem – they are animals and wild creatures.
I had a friend whose family raised a raccoon and this raccoon was still wild and got into trouble frequently. I’m reminded of this as we encounter wildlife in our day to day work. It is impossible to know for sure but these animals don’t know the difference between your home and a tree. It also becomes a problem when we feed them, then they become accustomed to handouts. One of my favorite little spots to visit is Monetzuma’s Castle and they used to have squirrels until one day when a squirrel bit the hand that was feeding it.The squirrel just sees the food and if isn’t given the food in a manner that it is used to it lashes out and bites.
This also applies to letting a wild animal live in your home or shed, birds and other wildlife carry parasites and once the animal is gone where are the bugs going to go? Wild animals also carry fleas and ticks and the same applies, they will seek out a new food source and that could be you. So don’t allow animals to live in your attic, if you hear something it is time to investigate.
I knew it was just a matter of time for someone to jump all over this eating insect stuff to think it was unethical. Letter: Eating animals, including insects, isn’t ethical.
17 million kids go to bed hungry every night around the world – something to think about.
The part that gets me is when people use any means to justify the end like I’m going to do right now!
Now just strictly taking what the Bible says:
King James Bible – Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.When God gave humanity dominion over the animals, it was in order to care for, tend to, and use those animals to their fullest potential in a just manner. At the time that God gave mankind dominion over the animals, humans did not eat meat (Genesis 1:29). Eating meat did not begin until after the Flood (Genesis 9:1-3), and it was at that time that animals started to fear humans. However, although God changed the way we interact with animals, in that they are now “meat,” we still bear a responsibility to care for or treat animals humanely. Human “rule” over animals does not mean we have the right to mistreat or misuse those animals. http://www.gotquestions.org
There are about 7 billion people on the planet and sooner or later there isn’t going to be enough food. Now I will tell you if I didn’t have access to the type of food I’ve always had – I would eat whatever I could get my hands on, period. Now I’m fine with you if you what to be a vegetarian but frankly I’m never going to be and nothing, nothing you say will ever change that fact.
Just for the record the trees are not standing up, they are petrified (you know who you are). Petrified Forest National Park is the only national park unit to protect a section of Historic Route 66! Animal life at Petrified Forest includes amphibians, birds, insects, spiders, mammals, and reptiles. Over sixteen varieties of lizards and snakes make Petrified Forest their home.
