Critter Control

There’s no shortage of yard roaming critters here in Florida. Squirrels, Raccoons, opossum, armadillos, mice, bats, birds, snakes, gators… the list goes on and on. These animals can destroy plants, lawns and even buildings if not controlled. When it becomes obvious that something must be done, it's not always clear what can a homeowner do on their own and when  a professional should be called in to help.

A recent online post to a homeowner site serves as a good example case.  A homeowner had an armadillo problem. It was destroying his lawn by rooting for grubs. The homeowner proposed trapping the animal and the reaction from the community was varied, swift and voluminous. We’re fortunate to have excellent resources on almost all homeowner issues from UF/IFAS available online. These research based articles should be viewed as authoritative information. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also maintains a website that is helpful as it integrates State laws into its recommendations to homeowners.

So back to our armored, grub loving, lawn destroying friend… IFAS and the FWC have resources specifically devoted to laws, rules and techniques for catching armadillos. As they are considered an invasive species, armadillos must be euthanized if trapped. They may not be released elsewhere. A side note about releasing animals… while many think this is more humane, the relocated animal faces many challenges (see FWC website) and has a low likelihood of survival. There are numerous laws and regulations regarding what animals can be released and where they may be released. Visiting the IFAS site gives details on how to avoid trapping altogether. Removing the critters food source is one such option. For armadillos, that would be lawn grubs. Use of chemicals to control grubs and other insects also has obvious drawbacks, especially if you have children in the yard. Most lawn services are already including grub and insect control in their treatments. If you can tolerate the nocturnal feeding of an armadillo and the damage is minor then you may consider a “live and let live” philosophy.

When a homeowner notices other damage to property what steps should be taken? The IFAS website outlines a number of practical procedures. First is to determine what animal is causing the damage. This can be tricky as many of these critters feed at night. Get your scatology hat on! Second is determining why the animal is on your property. This typically revolves around why we are there as well; food, water and shelter. If you remove the source of their visitation, then the animal will likely move on. Third, weigh your options. We already mentioned changing the habitat. Other options are chemicals and trapping. Poisoning is almost never allowed due to other health concerns and as mentioned many laws exist regarding trapping. Finally, IFAS recommends starting with habitat modifications then moving on to more aggressive techniques such as trapping. Monitoring the results after changing the habitat is key to determining whether or not to escalate to the next step.

The “battle” between man and beast has been an ongoing drama in human history. Homeowners clearly have good motivations to protect their property from damage. On the flip side, attempting to co-exist is a better option for some homeowners. Using research based online resources or calling a professional are always the best starting point before taking action.