| Wildlife - May 2008
Please Note: All recommendations are for central Maryland. Time frames shift two weeks earlier in Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore and two weeks later for Western Maryland. Check publications for further information.
Occurrences
Turtles, toads, and snakes are active. Snakes are benefical creatures that feed on rodents. They should not be harmed.
Those jelly-like masses you see in your pond are frog, toad, or salamander egg masses. Don’t disturb them.
Many bird species continue to arrive such as the Orchard and the Baltimore Oriole (MD’s State Bird). Some orioles may overwinter. They tend to nest around water.
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Attracting
Landscaping for Wildlife – Make your backyard more wildlife friendly by providing basic needs of food, water, shelter, and space throughout all four seasons. Below are ways to improve existing areas on your property such as gardens, lawns, and natural areas.
Plant native plants – They provide natural food sources and cover for birds, all mammals, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Native plants offer ornamental value and adapt to our local environment and require less water, maintenance, and fewer chemicals. Include a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines, grasses, and herbaceous perennials in your garden. Some good choices include American holly, serviceberry, persimmon and oak species. See HG 120 Native Plants of MD for a list of native plants that offer wildlife value.
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Nuisance
The USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services program has a cooperative agreement with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Division, to provide the residents of Maryland with information on how to deal with nuisance wild animals. The program operates a toll-free Nuisance Wildlife Information Line: 877-463-6497. Normal working hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. People calling after hours, or on weekends and holidays, may leave a message on the answering machine and calls will be returned during the next work day.
Squirrels will come to eat the bird food you put out even when your bird feeders are advertised as “squirrel-proof”. To keep squirrels from robbing seed from feeders place a cover (baffle) over tube feeders or place a baffle on a postunder the feeder. Keep feeders at least 15 feet from the house and vegetation so squirrels cannot jump onto the feeders.
Store bird food in secure containers with lids to keep squirrels and other rodents out. Squirrels can gnaw through plastic trashcan lids.
Squirrels feed on tender new plant growth and dig up seeds, flowers, and bulbs in search of food. Discourage squirrels by removing access to food sources such as bird feeders. Rotate the use of commercial repellents. Protect individual or small groups of plants with a fine mesh netting or a floating row cover. To deter digging sprinkle crushed oyster shells over the surface of the garden. You can protect newly planted bulbs with a piece of one inch mesh chicken wire extending at least a foot beyond the edge of the bed and mulch.
Moles and voles are active. Moles create raised tunnels in lawns. Control by tamping down tunnels with your foot whenever they appear. Moles do not necessarily indicate a white grub problem. They feed on a wide range of soil critters including earthworms. Voles create tunnels underground that are not raised. Look for entrance holes about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Sometimes tunnels are shallow and are open along the soil surface. Voles feed on plant material such as roots, bark, or the entire plant. Where voles are a problem try using mouse snap traps baited with apples or peanut butter. Cover with a shingleor piece of wood to increase effectiveness.
Rabbits can be a nuisance in flower and vegetable gardens, feeding on young and tender plants. They can be excluded with a low, 2 ft. high fence that is secured to the ground. You can also repel them with commercial repellents, bloodmeal, or by sprinkling hot pepper flakes around plants.
Keep bird feeders and bird baths clean and provide your wild birds with fresh water. Remove bird nests attached to your house after the birds have left to prevent problems with bird mites coming into your home. These small mites do bite people. Bird nests may also be found in rain gutters, and chimneys. IF you have problems with birds, recycle aluminum pie plants and computer CDs by hanging them in the landscape. The reflective surfaces help to deter pesky birds.
Woodpeckers may be heard tapping on wooden structures. This may be territorial behavior or active searching for insects. They prefer soft woods like cedar. Dissuade persistent woodpeckers by tacking up some hardware cloth over the area. Small trees may be protected from wood pecker damage by draping nylon netting over the canopy and trunk. Protect branches and trunks of larger trees by loosely wrapping ¼ inch hardware cloth or burlap around them.
Where deer are feeding on garden and landscape plants, apply a repellent, such as “Deer-Away”, “Liquid Fence,”, “Hinder” or “Ro-Pel” to vulnerable plants. If deer pressure is heavy, try rotating repellents. Small deodorant soap bars have been used with some success. Polywire fencing connected to an inexpensive, solar-powered charger can successfully exclude deer. Grow plants seldom damaged by deer. See FS 655 Deer Resistant Ornamentals.
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