Pioneer Pest Management is well equipped to take care of all wildlife problems that may occur on your property. Whether it is squirrels, raccoons, opossum, moles, skunks, bats,or other wildlife, we have the knowledge and equipment to deal with the problem.
Squirrels
Raccoons
Opossum
Moles
Skunks
Bats
Pioneer Wildlife Management
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Squirrels
Identification: Native squirrels of the Pacific Northwest include the Douglas squirrel, red squirrel, Western gray squirrel and Northern flying squirrel. They range from 10 to 24 inches in length, with the Douglas as the largest and the Northern flying as the smallest. However the most common urban squirrels today are the non-native fox and eastern gray, both invasive species from the East Coast.
Feed on: The squirrels feed mostly on plant material, but they will also eat fungi, insects, bird eggs and nestlings.
Habits: They will construct nests out of leaves, twigs, shredded bark, moss, insulation, and other soft material in hollow trees, attics, and nest boxes. In urban areas, squirrels mostly nest in buildings and other structures.
The Problem: Squirrels will take advantage of accessible attics, chimneys, basements and crawlspaces both to raise young and escape the winter cold. Additionally, its search for food may bring it to a bird feeder, back door, or a garden containing bulbs. Squirrels are often the most frequently cited wildlife pest and the most preferred wildlife species.
Raccoons
Identification: The raccoon is a 2- to 3-foot long stocky mammal weighing 10 to 30 pounds. It is furry with distinctive black-mask markings around its eyes and light and dark rings around its tail.
Feed on: The omnivorous raccoon will eat fruits, berries, nuts, acorns, corn, and grains as well as crayfish, clams, fish, frogs, snails, insects, turtles, rabbits, muskrats, and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. In urban areas, they will also scavenge in garbage cans and compost piles and eat pet food left outside.
Habits: Raccoons are active year-round and is well adapted to human environments, where it will harbor in backyards, beneath decks and crawlspaces, and in attics and chimneys. Because they are nocturnal, raccoons can go undetected for some time.
The Problem: Raccoons can damage homes in search of nesting sites – ripping off shingles, fascia or vents to get in, destroying insulation once inside, and staining and causing odor issues with their urine. In addition, they can carry ectoparasites that can then infest the attic other parts of the house. Raccoons are known to carry diseases and internal parasites, including rabies and roundworm.
Opossum
Identification: About 2 to 3 feet long, including tail, and weighing up to 15 pounds, the opossum has coarse grayish fur, a pointed face, and hairless, rounded ears. Its long hairless tail enables it to carry food and nesting materials and hang from trees. Their feet resemble small hands, toes have claws, and the rear foot has an opposable thumb.
Feed on: This omnivore feeds on fruits, nuts, green plants, insects, snails, snakes, frogs, birds and their eggs, and small mammals such as meadow voles, mice, and rats – both fresh and dead. In human environments, they will also eat from vegetable gardens, compost piles, garbage cans, or pet food dishes.
Habits: Opossum shelter in abandoned burrows, tree cavities, brush piles, and other dense cover. In human environments they may move into sheds and under steps, porches, decks, as well as attics, garages, and crawlspaces where they make an untidy nest of sticks and whatever else may be available. They are not generally not aggressive unless cornered, when they may hiss, growl, and show their teeth.
The Problem: High populations can develop when food is plentiful, and some will enter a home through a pet door in search of food. Opossum are considered a nuisance when they feed from gardens, defecate in yards, get into fights with pets, and can inflict serious injury sharp teeth. Opossum carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.
Moles
Identification: Moles are small, short-furred mammals with cylindrical bodies; slender, pointed snouts; and short, bare tails. Their limbs are short and spade-like.
Feed on: worms, insects, and other invertebrates.
Habits: Moles live underground in a network of interconnecting tunnels, thus their eyes are poorly developed.
The Problem: Moles will eat roots, bulbs, and other plant material, but the greatest problem is caused by their burrowing, which dislodges plants and dries out their roots, creates unsightly mounds and ridges in lawns, makes lawn maintenance difficult, and destroys valuable plants.
Skunks
Identification: About the size of a house cat, the striped skunk’s fur is black with a white stripe on its head and neck extending down the back, and usually separating into two white stripes. .
Feed on: Skunks prefer eggs, eating those of ground-nesting birds, but they will also feed on insects, grubs, small rodents, snakes, frogs, mushrooms, berries and fruit, pet food, bird food, and garbage.
Habits: Skunks often den in abandoned burrows dug by ground squirrels, fox, or coyotes. They will also harbor in brush piles, hollow logs, and culverts, as well as beneath decks, porches, and buildings. They are attracted to residential areas by the ready availability of food, water, and shelter.
The Problem: Skunks are not only an odorous annoyance when threatened, they are carriers of numerous diseases, including rabies, leptospirosis, listeriosis, canine distemper, canine hepatitis, Q-fever, tularemia, and trypanosoma. They will also eat garden fruits and dig for grubs and other insects. They may also damage lawns by rolling back sections of sod in search of insects.
Bats
Identification: Bats are small, winged mammals, with wingspans of 10 to 15 inches, depending on the species. The head and body are covered with fur, and the membraned wings connect the hind legs, body, and forelimbs. Another membrane connects the small hind legs to the tail.
Feed on: These nocturnal animals feed on insects, primarily those active at night.
Habits: Bats are common in the Northwest. In spring, females roost in buildings, bridges, caves, and tree cavities to birth and rear young. Adults leave roosts at night to forage for insects. In late summer or fall, males join the colony for breeding, after which the bats sometimes might migrate to warmer areas or hibernation roosts.
The Problem: Bats prefer to roost on dark, hard surfaces, such as cement ductwork and chimneys. They can cause problems with noise, structural damage, and loss of ventilation; in addition, droppings and urine can accumulate, creating odors and attracting insects; and they can transmit diseases, such as rabies.
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Pioneer Pest Management specializes in humane, effective, and environmentally sensitive methods to control nuisance wildlife. We have the necessary tools, techniques and equipment to effectively deal with the situation so you can be assured your problem will not be a problem for long.
To protect your family, home, or business:
- We inspect the property to identify the animal and harborage sites, then determine necessary and proper management methods.
- We will implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies where viable and will recommend areas of exclusion, sanitation, or other actions you can take to help reduce wildlife attraction and future populations.
- As a part of the Pioneer Home Defense and Commercial Protection programs, we will maintain a constant vigilance against new populations and respond to any such service request you may have.
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