Animal Damage Control

Transcription

1 Slide 1 Animal Damage Control Dealing with wildlife problems in southwestern Indiana Please review Chapter 19, Vertebrate Pests Animal Damage Control Please review Chapter 19, Vertebrate Pests Manual also has good info.

2 Slide 2 Rural/Urban Conflict One of the reasons we humans have problems with wildlife is because we are moving into their habitat. We are cutting down the forests they live in, plowing down the food they eat. In order to survive, they have to co-exist with us; we need to learn to co-exist with them. We will look at reptiles, birds, and mammals.

3 Slide 3 Reptiles We ll start off the lecture with reptiles and amphibians. Please don t panic at the snake pictures!

4 Slide 4 Reptiles Most snakes and lizards in our area are not venomous. Most snakes and lizards are beneficial, because they feed on insects and rodents. Unless positively identified as venomous, please allow all reptiles to live unmolested! Reptiles: Most snakes and lizards in our area are not venomous. Most snakes and lizards are beneficial, because they feed on insects and rodents. Unless positively identified as venomous, please allow all reptiles to live unmolested!

5 Slide 5 Snake Identification Venomous snakes have a wide, spade-shaped head that is much wider than the neck or rest of the body. Non venomous snakes have a narrower head that is almost same size as neck/rest of body.

6 Slide 6 Snake Identification Harmless snakes have round pupils (the black part in the center of the eye). Poisonous snakes have egg-shaped or cat-like (elliptical) pupils. Pit. Poisonous snakes in Midwest also have a conspicuous sensory area or pit (hence the name "pit viper") on each side of the head. The pit looks somewhat like a nostril and helps the snake locate warm-bodied food. It is located about midway and slightly below the eye and nostril. Harmless snakes do not have pits.

7 Slide 7 VENOMOUS - Copperhead Spade-shaped head Sensory pits Photo by Zack Walker Copperhead: venomous Notice spade shaped head, sensory pits.

8 Slide 8 Not Venomous Common Garter Snake No sensory pit between nostril and eye Round pupil Head not much wider than body Garter Snake: non-venomous No sensory pit, round pupil, head not much wider than body.

9 Slide 9 Five-Lined Skink Five lined skink. Juveniles have pronounced yellow stripes down body and a bright blue tail. Adult males lose the stripes and turn brown to greenish bronze. Up to 6.5 inches long. Found on dry, rocky hillsides an stone piles, lumber stacks, and home foundations. Broad-headed skink is larger, more robust.

10 Slide 10 Frogs and Toads Many species of frogs and toads in southern Indiana. Considered beneficial because they eat insects. Sometimes a problem if get into pools.

11 Slide 11 General Reptile Control Cultural/Sanitation Keep grass mowed short Remove debris and brush piles Move firewood away from house Remove food source Control insects and rodents General reptile control: Culture/sanitation Remove food source

12 Slide 12 Exclusion Exclusion: Seal up all windows and holes. Door sweep.

13 Slide 13 Exclusion from Property? Exclusion from entire property not practical.

14 Slide 14 Chemical Control Only labeled repellent Not shown by University studies to be effective. Chemical control of insects and rodents may be effective Chemical Control: Dr. T s Snake Away? Basically a mixture of sulfur and naptha (moth crystals). Not shown to be effective. Loses effectiveness in open air. Could trap snake on property. Chemical control should be reserved for controlling insects that the snakes feed on.

15 Slide 15 Birds Many birds are protected by state and federal law (Migratory Bird Act). Protected birds may not be trapped or killed without a permit. Get a permit from conservation officer ( ) See p. 442 in manual. Birds: Migratory Bird Act; protected birds cannot be trapped or killed without a permit.

16 Slide 16 Why worry about nuisance birds? Why worry about nuisance birds? Overwhelm bird feeders, driving out desired songbirds. Can also outcompete native birds for nesting sites, including store-bought bird houses.

17 Slide 17 Why worry about nuisance birds? Why worry about nuisance birds? (Bird droppings)

18 Slide 18 Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Yellow bellied sapsucker: Medium-sized woodpecker. White stripe running up side. Messy black and whitish barring on back. Red on head and face.

19 Slide 19 Sapsucker damage Sapsucker damage to tree trunks: holes drilled into tree trunks. Usually in a straight line, horizontally or vertically.

20 Slide 20 Flicker Downy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Several other woodpeckers are common in southern Indiana. They may do damage to trees looking for food; may hollow out trees for nests. Flicker: A common ant-eating woodpecker of open areas Medium to large woodpecker. Grayish brown. Barred on top, spotted below. Black crescent on chest. Rump white, conspicuous in flight. Yellow or red patches in wings obvious in flight. The smallest and most common American woodpecker, the Downy Woodpecker is found throughout most of North America from Alaska to Florida. It lives in a variety of habitats from wilderness forests to urban backyards, and comes readily to bird feeders. Description: Small woodpecker. Black and white plumage. Plain white back. Small, pointed bill. Pileated woodpecker: Nearly as large as a crow, the Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in most of North America. Its loud ringing calls and huge, rectangular excavations in dead trees announce its presence in forests across the continent. Description: Large woodpecker. Red crest on head. Black body.

21 Slide 21 Woodpecker damage Problem: woodpeckers like to drum on hollow trees to claim territory and attract mates; they will also gouge out nests in dead trees. A wood or log house in the forest looks like a giant dead tree to them, and they ll do serious damage. Notice that patching up the first hole simply made the bird move over a foot and drill again. Can try to repel with scare devices (pie pans, birds eye balloons, etc.) Cover side of house with blankets, sheets, burlap Use bird netting from roof to ground Switch to colored vinyl or aluminum siding, not cedar siding.

22 Slide 22 Pigeons Pigeons: Otherwise known as rats with wings. A common sight in urban areas throughout the world, the Rock Pigeon was introduced into North America in the early 1600s. City buildings and their window ledges mimic the rocky cliffs used by wild pigeons. Description: Large pigeon. Color variable, but wild birds are gray. White rump. Rounded tail, usually with dark tip. Pale gray wings have two black bars. Wings broad with moderately pointed wingtips.

23 Slide 23 Starlings Starlings: Began with 100 individuals introduced into Central Park in New York City in the early 1890s; a group dedicated to introducing America to all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's works set the birds free. The European Starling has become one of the most numerous birds on the North American continent. It is a fierce competitor for nest cavities, and frequently expels native bird species.

24 Slide 24 Starlings Starling swarm: Can reach tens of thousands of individuals.

25 Slide 25 To prevent roosting (pigeons and starlings) Exclusion is best control option. Porcupine wire (left) to prevent roosting on ledges. Bird netting can be strung from roof overhang to ledge or ground.

26 Slide 26 Nuisance bird control To control nuisance birds: Bird netting to exclude birds from gardens (especially berry crops), and from building nests on ledges, under eaves, in barns, etc.

27 Slide 27 Nuisance bird control Scare devices have very limited effect. Birds get used to them quickly, then ignore them. Scare devices include terror eye balloons, flash tape, rubber snakes, fake owls, etc.

28 Slide 28 Prevent roosting by being annoying Making a lot of noise (blowing whistles, banging pots and pans) as starlings come in to roost may drive them away. Must be done as a neighborhood to keep them out; just 1 person won t scare them far enough away. Champagne is optional.

29 Slide 29 Geese and other Waterfowl Geese and waterfowl: Attracted to water, but may fly away from ponds in search of food. Are a game bird, may be hunted in season (but not in city).

30 Slide 30 Geese as problem Geese as problem: Numerous, make driving hazardous or difficult to get to buildings.

31 Slide 31 Grazing Damage Goose: grazing damage. Eat vegetation, including vegetable seedlings, farm crops, grass, landscape plants.

32 Slide 32 Aggressive Behavior Aggressive behavior during mating season.

33 Slide 33 Droppings Droppings: large, cigar sized. Can contaminate water, cause pollution problems; slippery, dangerous and disgusting. Please notice the people swimming and wading in the feces-contaminated water

34 Slide 34 Waterfowl control Goose control: Stop feeding the geese! They will congregate wherever they can get a free meal. Plus, bread is bad for them no nutrition.

35 Slide 35 Waterfowl control Select unpalatable varieties Leathery leaf Fibrous leaf Hairy leaf Avoid turf grass around ponds Plant barrier vegetation Use ornamental fences/structures Use temporary fencing for seasonal damage Build seawalls/rip-rap Use rock mulch Pond design = steep slope Goose control: Select unpalatable plants. Plant barrier vegetation, or building barrier fences/structures. Pond should have steep slope.

36 Slide 36 Geese control Goose control: make it hard to get in and out of water. Notice the non-stop barrier along the water, and how natural it looks. There is a variety of options, including logs, stone wall, impenetrable plants.

37 Slide 37 Taste repellents Less is more Select critical areas Discourages feeding only Susceptible to rain/mowing May require multiple applications Follow label directions Part of an overall IPM program Taste repellents: Rejex-It is grape flavored candy

38 Slide 38 Dead Birds If you find a dead blue jay, cardinal, robin, crow or raptor, call local health department to see if they need it to test for West Nile Virus. If you find dead migratory geese, ducks, etc, call Wildlife Conflicts Info Hotline ( ) to report location. Could be many factors, including West Nile virus, Avian flu, natural causes (predators, severe weather), impact with windows/power lines, toxicants. If you find a dead blue jay, cardinal, robin, crows, or raptor: contact local health department to see if they want to pick it up for testing for West Nile. If you find dead migratory geese, ducks, etc., DO NOT PICK UP THE BIRDS FOR TESTING. Call the Wildlife Conflicts Info Hotline ( ) or DNR to report location and number of dead birds. Dead wild birds should not be handled with bare hands. If you need to dispose of a dead bird, use gloves or plastic bag turned inside out to pick up bird. Double bag it, and dispose of it in trash.

39 Slide 39 Nuisance Mammals Nuisance mammals some damaging, some just annoying.

40 Slide 40 Wandering Pets Wandering pets can be considered pests.

41 Slide 41 Feral Cats Feral cats cats that have been abandoned. Don t get shots, can spread rabies, distemper.

42 Slide 42 Wandering cats very damaging to wild bird population; #1 reason for song bird decline.

43 Slide 43 Wandering cats use sandboxes, gardens as litter box. Covering sandbox helps keep cats out; laying chickenwire flat on ground may discourage cats from walking across flower beds.

44 Slide 44 Dogs Dogs running loose can be dangerous bite people, kill children. Spread rabies. Loose dogs also defecate in yards, etc.

45 Slide 45 Animal Control Most communities have leash laws that prohibit pets from running loose. Call your city s animal control office, Humane Society, etc.

46 Slide 46 Fencing Fencing off property is best option. Repellents may give temporary relief, but not always.

47 Slide 47 Raccoon Raccoon: fur bearing animal, specific hunting times, but can be taken without a permit if discovered damaging property; must report to conservation officer within 72 hours. May damage vegetable and fruit crops, esp. corn and watermelons. May tear up lawn looking for grubs and worms. Will feed on garbage, bird seed, pet food. Will kill caged rabbits and poultry.

48 Slide 48 May try to enter homes, garages, barns looking for food. May try to enter through chimney; may tear shingles or siding trying to get in.

49 Slide 49 Control: live trap, baited with tuna or catfish. Exclude from garden with electric fencing, 1 strand at 6 inches. Secure garbage, don t leave pet food out. Install chimney cap. If raccoon enters attic or building, wait until it leaves to forage (between 11 pm and 4 am). Locate opening and seal. Breeding season is March-April don t separate mother from young! Wait until family leaves in June.

50 Slide 50 Deer Deer: protected animal, numerous laws during hunting season.

51 Slide 51 Deer Damage Deer damage: browsing plant eaters. Will feed on everything they can reach. Very few plants will they avoid.

52 Slide 52 Deer Damage Male deer rub antlers on trees, causing severe damage to bark and cambium.

53 Slide 53 Deer vs Rabbit Damage Deer damage on upper left, rabbit damage on lower right. Deer are nibblers; rabbits bite with sharp incisors.

54 Slide 54 Vehicle Hazard Deer are a hazard to drivers.

55 Slide 55 Deer Control Deer control: standard fencing is worthless; a deer can hop a 10 foot fence without thinking about it. Electric fencing, set up in this fashion, has been known to work.

56 Slide 56 Deer Control Odor and taste repellents, such as soap, Hinder, etc. Repellents are short lived, will not deter hungry deer.

57 Slide 57 Guns are considered Mechanical Control Hunting in season; farmers can apply to DNR for out-of-season harvest if crops being destroyed.

58 Slide 58 Stop feeding/luring them! Most important thing is to NOT lure them to urban areas by feeding them. Sounds harsh, but feeding them in your backyard does not benefit them. They learn to lose their fear of humans, they become a nuisance by damaging property, and they re more likely to get hit by cars.

59 Slide 59 Deer resistant landscape plants 1. Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance 2. (Rutgers): Resistance of Ornamentals to Deer Damage 6. (Maryland, W. Virginia): 7. resistan.htm Deer resistant plants listed on page 449 of the manual. Problem is: deer can t read! If deer are hungry enough, and if there are no other food sources, they ll eat the plants on this list!

60 Slide 60 Rabbit Rabbits: small game animal, specific hunting season. Feed on numerous flower and vegetable plants. See page 450 for rabbit-resistant plants. Then go back to slide 59 to see why this is not guaranteed!

61 Slide 61 Rabbit Damage Deer damage on left, rabbit on right. Deer are nibblers; rabbits bite with sharp incisors.

62 Slide 62 Rabbit Damage Will strip bark in winter. Can walk across snow to reach higher bark.

63 Slide 63 Rabbit Control Control: fencing around garden. Bury edge of fencing.

64 Slide 64 Rabbit control Use wire cylinders around young trees to protect from winter feeding.

65 Slide 65 Rabbit control Trapping: bait with apples, carrots, fresh green vegetables. Repellents: short lived. None labeled for edible crops.

66 Slide 66 Squirrels Squirrels: small game animal. Cute rats. Feed on seeds, nuts and fruit.

67 Slide 67 Squirrels and Gardens...notorious for stealing half-ripe tomatoes. Are doing this for food and moisture.

68 Slide 68 Squirrel Damage Will also chew on bark, girdling trees. Dig up bulbs.

69 Slide 69 Squirrel guards to keep squirrels out of tree. However

70 Slide 70 Squirrel control Squirrels are agile acrobats. Guards don t work if squirrel can jump from nearby trees, roofs, or power lines.

71 Slide 71 Squirrel Control Trapping is not usually a good option. There are too many in our neighborhoods to make a dent in the population; they are also very suspicious of traps. If you try to trap them, bait with peanut butter, corn, nuts, apple. Tie trap open 2-3 days to overcome trap shyness. Can be hunted in season; can be taken if causing damage, if report to Conservation Officer within 72 hours.

72 Slide 72 Protecting bulbs Bulbs and other perennials can be protected by planting them in cages like this. Can also just roll out chicken wire over bed.

73 Slide 73 Squirrel Control Best control: provide food and water away from the garden.

74 Slide 74 Mole Mole: not protected. Insect eater. Lives underground. A 5 ounce mole will consume lbs of worms and insects each year. Moles can dig surface tunnels at approximately 18 feet/hour. Moles travel through existing tunnels at about 80 feet/minute.

75 Slide 75 Moles have huge, strong paws for digging through soil. One to two moles per acre; will dig up to 2 miles of tunnels per year. Moles can dig surface tunnels at approximately 18 feet/hour. Moles travel through existing tunnels at about 80 feet/minute.

76 Slide 76 Mole feeding tunnels Two types of tunnels: feeding tunnel, may be used only once or twice. Usually only 1 or 2 moles per acre.

77 Slide 77 Mole mounds Deep tunnels, used for traveling, breeding dens. Will see mounds of soil appear overnight, no hole or tunnel.

78 Slide 78 Mole mounds Reason why no hole/tunnel seen: mole digs shaft to surface to kick out soil, fills tunnel in behind himself.

79 Slide 79 Mole Tunnel System Mole tunnels very sprawling, large; many levels. One mole can dig 100 feet of tunnel PER DAY, over 2 miles per year. One to two moles per acre. This is reason flooding and poison gas don t work.

80 Slide 80 Mole Control A legitimate way to control moles involves a shovel, a bucket, a lawn chair, and a cooler full of beer. Sit in the lawn chair and drink the beer. When you see the mole pushing up a tunnel, sneak up behind it, scoop it out of the ground with the shovel and throw it in the bucket.

81 Slide 81 Mole Control Control: trapping is best.

82 Slide 82 To capture a mole: set mole trap over active tunnel. SLIGHTLY collapse tunnel, so mole can see it s still open. Set trap over tunnel, run plungers up and down to miss rocks/roots. If don t catch in 4-5 days, move to new location.

83 Slide 83 Bromethalin: only bait that works. Looks, smells and tastes like a worm, so moles will eat it. Worm must be placed in an active tunnel, as discussed moments ago.

84 Slide 84 Mole Control Mole control: moles eat worms and grubs. Don t eat poison peanuts, Juicy Fruit gum, not affected by broken glass in tunnel, don t care about castor beans or castor oil or mole plants.

85 Slide 85 Controlling Food Supply? Controlling food supply doesn t work reliably. Grubs only part of diet; earthworms impossible to control. Moles can t tell if yard is devoid of grubs. May do twice as much digging because less than half the food available.

86 Slide 86 Vole Voles are rodents, and eat plants. Note rounded nose, short tail. Can produce 5 to 10 litters per year!

87 Slide 87 Vole tunnels Roadways eaten into grass.

88 Slide 88 Vole feeding damage Vole feeding damage. Especially bad in winter, heavy mulch loads.

89 Slide 89 Vole Control Vole control: Mouse traps baited with peanut butter, placed next to hole. Cover with a bucket or basket so that it s nice and dark for vole (and so nothing else gets to trap, like birds or pets). Not practical for large populations. Poison mouse bait down the holes (not spread over surface).

90 Slide 90 Shrew Shrew: insect eater. Note pointed snout, longer tail. Not considered a pest.

91 Slide 91 Crayfish Crayfish: Crustaceans (arthropods). Aquatic and terrestrial species. Terrestrial species can move about over surface for short periods of time.

92 Slide 92 Crayfish Mounds Crayfish mounds: unsightly, not nice to hit with lawn mower.

93 Slide 93 Crayfish control: Improve Drainage Improving drainage of site is only means of controlling crayfish in lawns. Raise grade, use tile drain, etc. Not possible for crayfish nesting near ponds, dams, etc.

94 Slide 94 Control with chemicals? Controlling with chemicals is not recommended. Tunnels reach to water table; poisons will therefore easily reach water table, nearby ponds. Also, new crayfish can migrate onto your property any time.

95 Slide 95 House Mouse House mouse. Not protected. Grayish, 3 inches long plus 3 inch hairless tail. Generally do not move more than 10 feet from nest. Exclude by caulking holes pencil width (1/4 inch diameter) or greater.

96 Slide 96 Mouse control Poison baits are available. Dangerous to kids and pets. Also, potential of a dead mouse in wall.

97 Slide 97 Mouse control Trapping: place traps along baseboards, near potential nesting sites, every 5 to 10 feet. Bait them with peanut butter, bacon or chocolate. See graphic for proper trap placement. Dead trapped mice are yucky, yes...

98 Slide 98 Mouse control Sticky traps don t kill mouse right away. Mouse suffers as it dies. Also have to handle a live mouse.

99 Slide 99 Legal Aspects Taking or harvesting of animal. Must get permit from conservation officer Deer wait for hunting season and get permit; or If deer causing damage to crops, can contact conservation officer for deer control permit. See page 441 in manual Legal aspects of harvesting animals.

100 Slide 100 Live trapping: Considerations Use trap big enough for animal you are trapping. Place trap where animal is causing damage. Place where animal feels comfortable (along fence/under shrubs, not in middle of yard. Use proper bait for animal pest. Check trap daily, or more often Don t hold animal longer than necessary. Don t allow pets, kids to harass trapped animal Don t get bitten (or sprayed)! Live trapping: considerations.

101 Slide 101 Live trapping: Releasing Release where suitable habitat exist where it will not create a problem for someone else. Do not release in state preserve or state park; do not bring to WWNP. Do not drop onto farmer s land Do not drop onto anyone s property without permission. Live trapping: releasing.

102 Slide 102 Who To Call... Animal identification, attracting wildlife, animal rehab: Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve (812) Hunting permits, legal, wildlife damage IDNR (IN. Dept. of Natural Resources), Winslow, IN (812) Who to call for info.

103 Slide 103 COMMON INSECT PESTS I m going to cover a few insect problems that mostly affect homes or homeowners, rather than garden plants.

104 Slide 104 Termites Termites: E-4 Termites feed on the cellulose in wood. Can slowly, over time, cause serious damage to homes. Termite workers never seen above ground they dry out too quickly. Sometimes, only evidence is the mud tubes seen on lower left. These are created by termites so they can travel from soil (where the nest may be) up into the wood they are feeding on.

105 Slide 105 Ants vs. termites. Termites almost never seen above ground, out in open, whereas ants frequently above ground. Adult swarmers: Termites have straight abdomens, ants have a thin waist. Termites have 2 pairs of wings, equal length; ants have 2 pairs of wings, different lengths.

106 Slide 106 Ants Ants are a nuisance indoors. They get into everything. Sanitation is big! No food left out, everything in tightly sealed containers. Frequent washing/sweeping/mopping. Watch ants, see where they are getting into room/house. Can sometimes seal off entry places or follow back to nest. Ant baits only work against sugar ants, not Pharaoh ants or other species. See E-22.

107 Slide 107 Carpenter Ants Carpenter ants: Very large, black. Do not feed on wood, but instead hollow it out to build their nests. Will only excavate soft, rotting wood. Therefore, not a problem in trees (can t control them inside a tree, anyway).

108 Slide 108 Ticks Three common species of ticks in southern Indiana, all of which spread Lyme Disease. Note: Blacklegged tick is another name for Deer Tick. Notice the size, compared to the ruler and dime. See E-71.

109 Slide 109 Ticks Ticks feed by burrowing their mouthparts into skin and sucking blood. Body can expand greatly as fills with blood. First aid: grasp tick close to head with tweezers. Gently pull upwards and away. Sharp pull can leave tick mouthparts in your flesh, encouraging infection. Use repellents on socks, pants, skin.

110 Slide 110 Hornets Every year, in late summer, people look up and see a basketball sized hornets nest and freak out. No reason to be overly concerned, though: this nest has slowly been increasing in size since the mid spring. You re only seeing it now because the leaves are dropping. This is a baldfaced hornet nest. These are social wasps, meaning they develop large colonies living together (see E-44).

111 Slide 111 Baldfaced hornet queen overwinters under leaf litter. In spring, she emerges and builds a small nest and lays a few eggs. These eggs hatch into the first set of workers. After that, she stays within nest and lays eggs.

112 Slide 112 By end of summer, a hornets nest can hold over 3000 workers (all female). While not aggressive, they WILL defend their nest if attacked. As temperature drops, queens leave and find overwinter site under mulch. Rest of colony dies off when freezing weather occurs. If you want to collect one of these nests, cut it off and stick in deep freeze for 2 or 3 weeks.

113 Slide 113 Hornet control These methods are not recommended: attacking with stick, shooting the nest, or trying to burn them out.

114 Slide 114 To control: ONLY IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO RUN FAST! Get any aerosol hornet spray that shoots out a stream of chemical 10 to 20 feet long. Aim for entrance hole at the bottom of nest. Soak it good. It will take a couple of days to kill off colony; plan on repeating. If nest is too high to reach, LEAVE IT ALONE!

115 Slide 115 Carpenter Bees A very common problem is with carpenter bees, which cause lots of cosmetic damage to exposed wood.

116 Slide 116 Carpenter Bees Carpenter bees, also called wood bees, are about the size of a bumblebee. Close up, the differences are: bumblebees are very hairy, whereas carpenter bees are smooth. Bumblebees have a lot of yellow on their abdomen, carpenter bees very little.

117 Slide 117 The female carpenter bee bores dime-sized, perfectly round holes in wood. She then makes a 90 degree turn and follows the wood grain down, hollowing out egg-laying chambers. She ll lay one egg in each chamber, and fill it with pollen for the larva to eat.

118 Slide 118 Carpenter bees are solitary insects (see E- 63). Females rarely sting only if you try to capture them. Males will dive-bomb you, but they have no stingers.

119 Slide 119 Carpenter bee control To control: dust the holes with Sevin DUST. Leave holes open for a day or two. Then fill with wood putty. Literature says that the bee won t attack treated wood (paint, stain), but that s not necessarily true.

120 Slide 120 Ladybugs Most ladybugs are beneficial, but the Multi-colored Asian Ladybeetle makes a nuisance of itself in fall. Gets its name from wide variation in sizes, colors, spots. In Asia, they overwinter in the cracks along cliffs; in Midwest, they use our houses. Mostly a problem with light-colored houses, especially on south and west sides. Will worm their way under siding, attic vents, etc., and then enter house. Exclusion with tight-fitting window frames and door sweeps. Screens on vents. Vacuum up when seen inside, and dump bag outdoors. See E-214.

121 Slide 121 Spiders Most spiders found around the home are harmless. In fact, they are beneficial, because they capture and eat other flying insects. This orb weaver, also known as an argiope, frequently builds webbing with zig-zag pattern in center of web. Harmless.

122 Slide 122 Daddy longleg spiders are not a web builder. They are a hunter. The body is small, but the legs can spread almost 2 inches out. Sometimes find their way indoors. Contrary to myth, they almost never bite people, and their venom is no more toxic than any other garden spider. Wolf spiders are fast runners that will chase their prey. Wolf spiders are hairy and often large, up to 1-3/8 inches long, sometimes confused with tarantulas. Their legs are long and spiny. Many are dark brown. Wolf spiders may hunt day and night. They usually occur outdoors, but may wander indoors in search of prey. Not harmful unless you try to pick them up.

123 Slide 123 Brown Recluse The mature brown recluse spider has a body about 3/8 inch long and 3/16 inch wide. The leg span is about the size of a half dollar. The overall color is light tan to deep reddish brown. The distinguishing mark is a darker contrasting brown fiddle-shaped area on the front half of the back. This marking is why the brown recluse is often referred to as the "fiddle-back spider". The bite of this venomous spider can cause serious ef- fects. It is especially dangerous to children, the elderly, and to those in poor physical condition.

124 Slide 124 Spider control Spider control: Some insecticides are labeled, but many don t work, since the spiders are not insects. Since the spider can survive several months without eating, killing their food supply is not a fast way to control. Also, recluses are reclusive, and the insecticides rarely reach them behind furniture, under couches, etc. Best control is sanitation. If you have dust bunnies, you have perfect environment for recluses. Vacuum frequently, especially under furniture. Web-building spiders can be vacuumed up, too. DUMP VACUUM immediately in a plastic bag and tie off tightly.

125 Slide 125 Prevent pest entry by sealing off all openings. Repair torn screens, and be sure fresh caulking around all windows. Fill in and repair any openings/cracks in foundations, including dryer vents, cable inlets, etc. Use a door sweep to keep pests from crawling under doors, especially for doors leading to garage or basement. See How to Pest-Proof Your Home from Univ. of Kentucky:

126 Slide 126 And don t harm natural biological control!