Wildlife and Gardens - Part 7
of soil around them.
Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) rarely do any damage and that only in the process of digging for grubs and worms, but they can try to take up residence under your house or garage or get stuck in window wells. And, while cats are generally pretty canny about leaving them alone, dogs don't seem to have the sense to realize that skunks should not be bothered. This is especially true of puppies and can mean that you will be faced with trying to de-skunk a pet - not a pleasant job.
Opossums (Didelphis virginiana) have never caused any damage that I've been aware of. Their nocturnal calls, however, are guaranteed to raise the hair on the nape of your neck. They will eat any pet food you leave outside, but that's about it.
People constantly complain about mole (Scalopus aquaticus) tunnels in their lawns and about moles "eating" their plants. Well, the tunnels don't bother me and can be mashed flat and moles are carnivores and don't generally eat plants, but they do disturb roots and bulbs with their digging. However, voles (Microtus pinetorum) are another story. They will use mole tunnels or make their own to dine on your bulbs and fleshy plant roots.
I've never had plant damage that I could attribute to mice, but they can girdle young trees and, of course, like all critters, they want a nice warm home for the winter and what could be better than yours? Most people, including me, are not fond of having them in the house.
What Can You Do?
Once you invite wildlife, you invite all wildlife that is indigenous to your area and that can make use of the habitat you have provided. You can't pick and choose. They will either come or they won't. If they come, you will have a certain amount of plant damage and, perhaps damage to your house and possessions. That's just a fact of life in sharing your space with wildlife. You can't "get rid" of the offending animal without killing it and if you have a habitat that supports that particular creature, another will come to take its place. Relocating wild animals is tantamount to signing their death warrants and I do not recommend it at all. But, you can do things to discourage
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