Control Methods for Individual Vertebrate PestsJeanette Stehr-Green and Judy English, Washington State University (WSU) certified Clallam County Master Gardeners

Vertebrate and Identifying damage Recommended methods of controlBirds: Droppings; deep triangular peck holes or slashes in larger fruit; smaller fruit eaten whole

− Exclusion (netting that reaches ground or is gathered around trunk)− Scare tactics (must be frequently changed)− Chemical repellants (active ingredient methyl anthranilate [food grade])

Cats: Plants uprooted; feces buried in soil − Exclusion (chicken wire at ground level or just below soil through which plants can grow; mulching with stone or pebbles; single or double strands of electric fence at low voltage)

− Resistant plantings (Rue? Marigolds?)− Scare tactics (motion-activated sprinklers, dogs)

Deer and Elk: Leaves and twigs ripped from plants leaving a ragged edge; annuals pulled out of the ground; damage to larger trees extending only to about 8 feet; broken branches and torn bark from animal rubbing tree trunk (~4 feet high)

− Exclusion (8 foot fence around garden; lower fences effective if slanted outward, double, or made of solid material; fencing individual plants)

− Scare tactics (must be frequently changed)− Chemical repellants− Resistant plants (wdfw.wa.gov/living/deer.html) (however, young and

hungry deer will nibble on anything)− Hunting

Dogs: Digging up plants; holes in lawn or garden

− Exclusion (fencing of entire garden, fencing of individual plants, chicken wire at ground level, mulch that is uncomfortable to walk on)

− Resistant plantings (vigorous plants that resist breakage; thorned or prickly bushes but avoid long thorns)

− Important to explore reason for garden damage (dog in need of attention and exercise; digging for prey; trying to escape to mate)

Moles*: Large, volcano-like mole-hills that they push up periodically along their tunnel systems; probably do not intentionally damage plants; plant damage due to voles which often use the mole’s tunnel systems

− Exclusion (wire mesh bottoms on raised beds and wire mesh baskets around bulbs or roots of plant)

− Scare tactics (watch dog or cat)− Chemical repellants (castor oil-based repellants effective in Eastern

Washington species but not proven on Western Washington species)− Trapping (must be buried along active runways)− Poisons (hard, pelletized baits don’t work; newer gel and worm-shaped

baits that better mimic natural food sources more promising)− Hunting or otherwise killing (observing active digging on molehill,

stunning, and digging down to catch animal)

Mountain Beavers: Damages plant by clipping off stems and branches, leaving 2 inch stubs; destroys more vegetation than it eats; stacks cut vegetation near burrows

− Exclusion (fencing selected plants; fencing entire yard with rabbit-proof fence; two wire electric fence)

− Trapping

Rabbits: Twigs on trees and shrubs clipped cleanly at a 45 degree angle; bark on lower stems and branches gnawed away, leaving parallel grooves in the wood

− Exclusion (chicken wire fence at least two feet high with bottom edge tight against ground or buried a few inches; hardware cloth mesh cylinders; commercial tree wraps)

− Removal of shelter and hiding places− Hunting (Rabbits are classified as game animals; therefore, regulations

regarding hunting and trapping are in place.)

Raccoons: Attack fruit, nuts, and vegetable crops

− Exclusion (with two-strand electric fence with the first wire about 6 inches from the ground and the second wire 6 inches higher; rodent guards on trunks of fruit trees)

− Trapping

Rats and Mice: Trails through vegetation; gnawing at base of trees/shrubs

− Removal of wood piles, dense vegetation, and rubbish around garden− Removal of food sources− Baited traps (mouse favorite: mix of peanut butter and rolled oats)

Tree squirrels: Attack fruit, nuts, and vegetable crops; strip, eat bark from tree

− Exclusion (rodent-guards on trunks of fruit trees)− Chemical repellants− Cage trapping− Hunt but native squirrels protected by law

Voles: Gnawed roots and root crops (small grooves left by the 2 large front teeth); girdling of tree trunks extending to just above soil line; if other food unavailable will girdle trees and eat bark

− Removal of shelter and hiding places− Trapping (mousetraps baited with peanut butter or pieces of apple set in

their runs)− Poisons (rodenticides)

* Townsend or Pacific mole has litters of three or four in April; at 3-4 weeks old young moles leave nest for own territory; lifespan about 3 years

6/01/2015