[Blog] Is your home or business prepared for the fall season? (3) Tips to prevent wildlife this fall

Every September in southwestern Ontario our local wildlife populations start to gear up for the cold winter ahead. Food sources become rare, harborage points are at their peak and predators are hungry. All of this makes the coming winter an even more competitive endeavour. Now, before you close this because I’m already talking about winter take a moment and consider. Three, maybe four months out of the year in Canada life is good for our local wildlife. During the colder season- it’s a game of life or death. With the ability to leave their harbourage only a few times during the course of hibernation the importance of stockpiled food stores becomes critical to survival. Where does all of their food come from? Foraging, scavenging or stealing all fit into the mix. However, today’s blog isn’t about that. Today’s blog is about how to make sure that wildlife is not foraging, scavenging or stealing from you. No one say’s you can’t help our local wildlife. However, follow some simple tips and you’ll minimize the likelihood that any negative effects will occur in relation. 1. Feeding Wildlife. Though arguably a bad habit to have. Feeding wildlife is something that is almost unavoidable in urban areas due to refuse and waste disposal. However, if you love to observe and enjoy our local species it is best to maintain their habitat a minimum of 30 yards from your home. Leaving refuse (suitable for consumption) is not a crime. However, throwing bread crumbs on your back patio to feed the squirrels could quickly lead to further intrusion into your home. Utilize the food source here to draw the intruders away from your home. Not towards it. 2. Bird Feeders/ Bird Baths/ Ponds A little taste of Mother Nature in your own backyard provides a beautiful escape from city life. However, providing food, water, and harborage in your own backyard is a risky move. Being that wildlife requires these exact three factors to survive- having them all in your environment definitely increases the attractiveness of your home or business. Fret not! This does not mean you cannot enjoy the luxury of these things. Placing them away from your house will attract them away just as placing them close will draw them toward. Place bird feeders and baths in the rear of your environment. Ponds should be no closer than 25-30 yards and should be monitored for wildlife intrusion. If placed correctly this will actually provide sanctuary to local wildlife and will provide a much greater service to our local environment without endangering yours. 3. Exterior Foliage. Every fall we watch in amazement as the trees around us begin to transform before our eyes. We revel in the magic of Mother Nature and then curse her when the colors fall and our routine raking begins for another 2 months. Well, some of us do. Cleaning up dead foliage around your home or business and pruning overgrowth the control plant life is critical to fall preparation. Dead foliage provides great nesting material, harborage, and captures water for extended periods. During the fall overgrowth should be trimmed back from the foundation a minimum of 1 foot to allow easy identification of intrusion points. Leaf debris and dead branches should be routinely removed to discourage harborage and standing water.

By ensuring you can see all of your environment, you can better protect it from intrusion, and by limiting the attractants within it, you can ensure you don’t fall victim to the overwinter blues!

Hopefully it helps! Let us know on Facebook! We appreciate the support! www.facebook.com/thebugguysca

#skunks #squirrels #wildlife #pestcontrol