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Nuisance Wildlife (Mammals)
Latin Name: Chiroptera
Common Name: Bats
Other Names: Big brown bat, Mexican free-tailed bat, Little brown bat
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in North America.
Biology:
There are around 47 species of bats that reside in North America and bats may be found in all regions of the continent at some part of the year. Where food is not available in the winter months they will migrate south to warmer climates where they can remain active during the winter, or they may hibernate up to 6 months, surviving only on fat reserves. Bats feed almost exclusively on insects in North America and are nocturnal in habit, capturing their prey while in flight by capturing larger insects in their mouths and many insects in their webbed tail area. They also may land on plants or the ground to capture insects directly. Three of the most widely found bats are mentioned above, and thus these may be the ones most likely to
Latin Name: Lepus californicus
Common Name: Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Other Names: American desert hare
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native animal from Washington south throughout Baja California and much of Mexico, and east to Missouri. It’s range is expanding eastward and it has been introduced into the East Coast from Florida north to New Jersey.
Biology:
This is a well known and common hare in the western U.S. and south into Mexico. It can be found from sea level to as high as 10,000 feet and will remain active throughout the year. In warm regions it will breed throughout the year as well, but in cooler climates breeding is done in the spring where 2 litters are normal and up to 7 litters per year may occur in the southwest regions. The average number of young is 4 and the young are mobile within minutes of birth. In spring and summer they feed primarily on grasses and low herbaceous plants while in winter their diet
Latin Name: Eutamias Spp.
Common Name: Chipmunks
Latin Family Name: Sciuridae
Other Names: Chippies
Pest Details
Origin:
Several dozen species of these native animals occur in North America, with the genus Eutamias the predominate western group and Tamias the major eastern group.
Biology:
Chipmunks tend to prefer rugged ground covered with rocks and brush, but also live near agricultural lands where they damage planted seeds and young plants. Fruit trees also may suffer damage from their feeding, and they also consume nuts, insects, mushrooms, and bird eggs. Food is carried in cheek pouches and stores are placed in the burrow for consumption later, including during the winter when the animal awakens from its hibernation on regular intervals to feed and then return to sleep. Burrows are normally underground, but some species also create nests in trees, which they use part of the day. Adults are capable of living for up to
Latin Name: Sylvilagus spp.
Common Name: Cottontail rabbits
Other Names: Eastern cottontail, Desert Cottontail, Brush rabbit
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in North America.
Biology:
At least 16 different species in the genus occur in North, Central, and South Americas, with a number native to the U.S. and southern Canada. The Eastern Cottontail may be the most common in the east and the Desert Cottontail and Brush Rabbit two common species in the west. In warm regions they breed throughout the spring and summer with at least 5 broods of 4 young per brood. The young (“bunnies”) are independent and on their own at about 3 weeks after birth. They have the ability to live up to 10 years, but due to heavy predation the normal life expectancy of these rabbits in the wild is only 4 to 6 months, and only half of the bunnies even survive to leave the nest. Their preferred habitat is a mix of brush that provides cover and grassy
Latin Name: Canis latrans
Common Name: Coyotes
Other Names: American jackal, Prairie wolf
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native animal throughout North America.
Biology:
This successful predator is found from Panama in the south to Alaska in the north and throughout all states of the continental U.S. and most of Canada. It adapts well to urban areas and lives, feeds, and breeds around areas of heavy human population. It is a fast runner capable of bursts of speed up to 43 mph and jumps of over 13 feet. It can turn quickly when pursuing prey, and all of this accounts for its success as a predator of animals such as jackrabbits and other fast-running animals. They commonly live in small packs of 6 or more individuals and hunt in packs or pairs. They typically live in ground burrows which they may dig themselves or they may use abandoned burrows of groundhogs or badgers. Females give birth once a year to a litter that averages 6 pups.
Latin Name: Sciurus sp.
Common Name: Gray squirrel
Other Names: Western gray squirrel, Eastern gray squirrel, Fox squirrel
Pest Details
Origin:
These three species are native to North America, but the Eastern gray and Fox squirrel were introduced into the western states where they commonly live in landscaped areas, but not often in natural forests and woodlands. The Eastern gray has also been introduced to Europe where it spread widely and is blamed for displacing the native Red squirrel there.
Biology:
The genus Sciurus includes over 30 different species around the world and 3 primary species in North America. The Western gray prefers to stay within trees in forested areas, coming to the ground only to forage. The Eastern gray is highly adaptable and prefers living around urban areas. The Fox squirrel is the largest species of the tree squirrels in North America. All of these tree squirrels are general feeders
Latin Name: Otospermophilus beecheyi
Common Name: Ground squirrels
Latin Family Name: Sciuridae
Other Names: Beechey ground squirrel, Columbian Ground Squirrel, Rock Squirrel, Spotted Ground Squirrel
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in North America, with varying ranges depending on the species. The Beechey Ground Squirrel occurs along the Pacific Coast and into Baja California, the Columbian Ground Squirrel in the Rocky Mountains and into Oregon, the Rock and Spotted Ground Squirrels in Texas, and the Arctic Ground Squirrel in Alaska and the Arctic Circle.
Biology:
While there are many other ground dwelling squirrels, it is the genus Spermophilus (Otospermophilus) which is the most important with respect to urban problems and damage to other man-made features. These large rodents create extensive ground burrows, often in river or canal banks, weakening the levees and creating potential flooding circumstances.
Latin Name: Marmota monax
Common Name: Groundhogs
Other Names: Woodchuck, Whistle pig, Land beaver
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native of North America and is found widely as far north as Alaska, south to Georgia, throughout eastern Canada and the U.S., throughout the central U.S. and western Canada and just touching Washington in the western U.S. This species is the one featured for “Groundhog Day” events.
Biology:
Unlike some of its marmot relatives the Groundhog prefers to live in grassy, open areas. Adults may grow to 2 feet in length and up to 9 pounds, making them one of the largest of the marmots where they live. Typically in the wild they live only 2-3 years but up to 6 years, their short life span due in part to heavy predation by many other carnivorous mammals and birds of prey. Young groundhogs commonly are eaten by snakes that enter their burrows. Their diet may include insects and snails, but is primarily plant materials
Latin Name: Talpidae
Common Name: Moles
Other Names: Star-nosed mole, Townsend’s mole, Eastern mole, 7 spp in N.A.
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in North America.
Biology:
North America has at least 7 species of these insect feeders, including the odd Star-nosed mole of eastern Canada and Northeastern U.S. and the large Townsend’s mole of the West Coast states and British Columbia. Depending on their range their diets may consist primarily of grubs or earthworms as well as other insects and a small amount of plant material. Their huge front feet with long claws enable them to virtually “swim” through softer soils as they forage for food items, and they can run equally well forward or backward through their tunnels. They live an entirely subterranean existence, leaving their burrows only for mating or when young leave their mothers. A main den is present deep in the ground, often near the roots
Latin Name: Ondatra zibethica
Common Name: Muskrats
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in North America and are found from the Arctic in northern Canada to Alaska and south throughout the U.S. and northern Mexico. They are found in every mainland state except Florida.
Biology:
The muskrat is not a true rat, but is more closely related to meadow mice / voles. It derives its name from the musk glands present at the base of its tail, and these are used during mating activities for marking territories. They will live in nearly any aquatic habitat that provides year round food and water, including irrigation ditches. They burrow into the banks of canals where their burrowing can cause weakening of canal and ditch banks. They also may construct “houses” from vegetation, and these are their primary residence in winter months. They are primarily vegetarians, feeding on any plant materials growing in or near the