It is WAR! (Voles, rabbits, racoon, squirrel and wasp.) Oh My!

[Carol Dee]

I am ready to scream.

The voles have taken out 10 or more of my Hosta. Also got one of my clematis. I put out baited rat traps and a racoon (We think took up residence under our back deck.) carries the trap off and eats the bait. I have also put out some granules that are supposed to deter all rodents. HA! Today while weeding flower beds a vole ran about a foot away from my hand.

The rabbits have had a batch of babies someplace in the yard. We have not found the nest yet. But they are eating lots of my annuals as they have emerged. If I protect them until they are up good, we seem to be o.k.

The racoon also tries to get bird feeder off the shepherd hooks. So far it is pulling them the wrong direction and has been foiled. Last night DH finally set live traps. The bait (tuna) has been removed can and all. Not setting off trap!

Squirrels love to dig in freshly planted pots. Many mornings I go out and replant viable plants.

The wasps are MANY and everywhere. I will put out wasp traps a.s.a.p.

(This winter we had a bigger than ever mouse problem in the house too.) We do blame the taverns trash yard for bringing them in. The tap has a penned area they have put all cans for almost 3 years, the bags have rotted away, and they are full of vermin. We think part of the uptick in pests is the fact we no longer have a dog. Will passed away last fall. He was an indoor dog but marked the yard well every time he went out.

All that said, HELP Please. All suggestion and success stories welcome.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Inundated with Voles. Max, the cat, catches about two a month. NOT ENUF!

New place evidently has moles. UGH.

I've tried traps (couldn't set them bymyself), poison, vibrating, Sonic, granules, etc. NUTHIN' worked. I even took out the grass and went to a drip only with foundation plants for the front yard. NOPE. Still walk around squishing tunnels.

I just ordered a Gopherhawk directly from their website. Free shipping. A whopping $46.90. It will be here next week and I can let you know....

 

[digitS']

I would have a talk with the "authorities." Surely, it isn't okay for a food & drink establishment to have exposed garbage. Either of you have a health problem that you can associate with that nearby exposure, that's a court case but that's convoluted and expensive and it shouldn't have to come to that. The threat, maybe with a little history, might provide special motivation.

I don't like to use poison on mice because I worry about the neighborhood cats eating the critters. However, @seedcorn has assured me that this shouldn't be a problem and our garage would be mouse Winter Heaven without me doing something.

A raisin dipped in peanut butter on an old-fashioned mouse trap is a good remedy inside & out. However, I find that it is only the younger mice that will come repeatedly to the same trap. Mature mice must recognize the danger after a community member is killed so I have to leave the traps in the greenhouse, exposed to the sun for months before re-baiting. Just buying new traps if there seems to be a wholesale need.

Raccoons show up in the distant garden but seem only interested in more mature ears of corn. The neighbor grows lots of corn and ignores the ears he doesn't want/need. So, the coons show up late. I will take bad/surplus ears out and almost never have any sign of coons.

Wasp nests are a spray-with-poison-and-walk-away problem. I haven't had to deal with any nests in the ground, except for being stung by stepping on them, and will tolerate wasps in the garden 100%. They kill insect pests ... of course, I have also seen them kill honey bees.

Steve

 

[Carol Dee]

Inundated with Voles. Max, the cat, catches about two a month. NOT ENUF!

New place evidently has moles. UGH.

I've tried traps (couldn't set them bymyself), poison, vibrating, Sonic, granules, etc. NUTHIN' worked. I even took out the grass and went to a drip only with foundation plants for the front yard. NOPE. Still walk around squishing tunnels.

I just ordered a Gopherhawk directly from their website. Free shipping. A whopping $46.90. It will be here next week and I can let you know....

Let me know if it works. Thanks.

I would have a talk with the "authorities." Surely, it isn't okay for a food & drink establishment to have exposed garbage. Either of you have a health problem that you can associate with that nearby exposure, that's a court case but that's convoluted and expensive and it shouldn't have to come to that. The threat, maybe with a little history, might provide special motivation.

I don't like to use poison on mice because I worry about the neighborhood cats eating the critters. However, @seedcorn has assured me that this shouldn't be a problem and our garage would be mouse Winter Heaven without me doing something.

A raisin dipped in peanut butter on an old-fashioned mouse trap is a good remedy inside & out. However, I find that it is only the younger mice that will come repeatedly to the same trap. Mature mice must recognize the danger after a community member is killed so I have to leave the traps in the greenhouse, exposed to the sun for months before re-baiting. Just buying new traps if there seems to be a wholesale need.

Raccoons show up in the distant garden but seem only interested in more mature ears of corn. The neighbor grows lots of corn and ignores the ears he doesn't want/need. So, the coons show up late. I will take bad/surplus ears out and almost never have any sign of coons.

Wasp nests are a spray-with-poison-and-walk-away problem. I haven't had to deal with any nests in the ground, except for being stung by stepping on them, and will tolerate wasps in the garden 100%. They kill insect pests ... of course, I have also seen them kill honey bees.

Steve

IF the wasps are after the honey bees they will have to go.... We are having enough problems with the hives this spring as is.

The tap closed. Left a ton of junk behind. Yes, I think it is time to ask the city for clean-up help.

 

[digitS']

Carrol Dee, if you are talking about ground squirrels ..

. I have used rocks the size of the burrow, a short board, and a sledge hammer.

Drive the first rock as deep as the board will allow. Add a second rock and a third. Seems to work .

 

[so lucky]

Are you ready to get another dog, Carol Dee? Maybe a terrier of some kind?
I have moles and voles, but so far no problem with rats and raccoons. As far as wasps, those jet sprays really do the trick.
Our dog Penny keeps the yard free of rabbits. Sad to say, she loves baby rabbits .

 

[seedcorn]

Coons use coke & yellow fly bait.
Wasps, spray poisons.
Mice, vole-rat bait.
Rabbits-are good fried. BB gun will do trick.

 

[baymule]

You have gotten hood Advil. Definitely call the city and complain.

I like the dog idea.

 

[Carol Dee]

Thanks, but we are not ready for another dog.
May just have son bring his (Lucky) around to do a patrol and pee once a day! LOL

 

[baymule]

You have gotten hood Advil. Definitely call the city and complain.

I like the dog idea.

hood advil!!! LOL stupid smart phone! that should read GOOD ADVICE!