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Nuisance Wildlife (Mammals)
Latin Name: Dasypus novemcinctus
Common Name: Nine-banded armadillo
Other Names: Long nosed armadillo
Pest Details
Origin:
This animal is native to South America. Millions of years ago when the narrow link formed between Panama and South America it enabled land animals to move northward. It is interesting that it was not until the late 1800’s that the armadillo finally crossed into the United States and it now is expanding its range further. About the same time that it entered Texas on its own it was introduced by humans into Florida. It now occurs as far north as southern Illinois, southern Nebraska, and southern Indiana, and along the east coast to South Carolina and west to New Mexico.
Biology:
Armadillos may be the most peculiar mammals in North America. They belong to a family of many different species, but only with 9 species in the genus Dasypus. The nine-banded armadillo is the only species in North America. They are primarily
Latin Name: Castor canadensis
Common Name: North American beaver
Other Names: Beaver, American beaver, Canadian beaver
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native animal in North America and is found in every U.S. state including Alaska, as well as coast to coast in Canada. It is one of only two species of beavers in North America, the second being the Mountain Beaver that is restricted to the Pacific Northwest and which is much smaller and in a separate family of rodents.
Biology:
This is the only species of true beaver in North America and its populations across the continent were severely depleted by trapping for fur during past centuries. This is the largest rodent in North America and as a rodent it will gnaw on solid surfaces, often causes serious damage to trees that grow adjacent to waterways. Where streams are shallow the beaver will often create dams from felled trees and branches to cause the water to back
Latin Name: Didelphis virginiana
Common Name: Opossums
Other Names: Possum, Virginia opossum
Pest Details
Origin:
The opossum is a native of eastern North America, but was introduced to the west coast and now occurs from Washington to southern California as well as in the entire eastern half of the U.S., south throughout much of Mexico, and north along western Mexico into Arizona.
Biology:
The opossum is the only native marsupial in North America, distinguished by an external pouch that the newborn, tiny, blind babies crawl into following their birth. A litter averages about 7 young and they attach themselves to nipples in the pouch and remain there for the next 8 weeks. In this respect they are related to the kangaroos of Australia. Mating occurs from January to July with 2 litters per year produced. In nature the average life expectancy is less than 3 years due to high mortality while young. These animals are
Latin Name: Thomomys sp.
Common Name: Pocket gopher
Other Names: Smooth-toothed pocket gopher, Western pocket gopher
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native gophers in western North America, with nearly 10 species in the genus.
Biology:
Pocket gophers are so named because of the external pouches on either side of their mouth that they use for carrying food. These are solitary animals that live alone in their extensive burrow system except for periods of mating and rearing of young. Many gophers may live together in an area with burrows that do not interconnect. A single gopher may forage over a range of an acre, but normally less when food supplies are ample. They do not hibernate, but store food in chambers for times when food is not available. They also will forage during the winter, creating meandering tunnels on the surface of the soil when snow covers an area, and these tubes persist into the spring after the
Latin Name: Cynomys sp.
Common Name: Prairie Dogs
Other Names: N/A
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in western North America and have been introduced to some areas east of the Mississippi River as well. The Black-tailed Prairie Dog is one of the most widespread species in this group, occurring from southern Canada to northern Mexico.
Biology:
Five species are included in this genus in North America, and prairie dogs are found throughout much of the western U.S. west of the Mississippi River, in western Canada, and south into northern Mexico. They are considered a problem when their extensive burrowing and mounds of soil disrupt human activities such as livestock grazing, sporting activities, agriculture, and landscaping. However, they also are an important part of their natural ecosystems, providing food to many predators and soil aeration due to their burrowing. They feed primarily on grains but also consume insects
Latin Name: Procyon lotor
Common Name: Raccoons
Other Names: Masked bandit
Pest Details
Origin:
These are native animals in North America.
Biology:
This well known animal is found throughout the U.S. and southern Canada, as well as through Mexico and into Central America. They are more common in eastern wooded habitats than in the west, but still may be locally common around urban areas of the western states. They have adapted well to living around humans and feed on pet foods, fish in backyard ponds, fruits from trees in landscape or agriculture, and many other kinds of nuts, grains, insects, reptiles and amphibians, crayfish, bird eggs, and even small rodents. They will kill and consume poultry and their eggs. They will raid garbage cans and often enter structures to hide or to raise their young. They are prone to infection with rabies and also carry a raccoon roundworm in their feces that may be transmitted
Latin Name: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Common Name: Red squirrel
Latin Family Name: Sciuridae
Other Names: Fox squirrels, gray squirrels, red squirrels, flying squirrels
Pest Details
Origin:
Native animals in North America, comprising several genera of which Sciurus seems to be the most important with respect to their structural nuisance potential. The Eastern Gray Squirrel is very widely found, due to its introduction from its native eastern U.S. into the western states. Fox squirrels also represent a large group of widespread species.
Biology:
Tree squirrels nest above ground, in cavities in tree trunks or in aerial nests they construct. Their diet is primarily nuts, seeds, berries, fruit, and flowers and flower buds. They may also feed on tender bark, and occasionally on insects, bird eggs or young birds, mice or other small animals. Tree squirrels are diurnal, or active in the daytime. They may live
Latin Name: Spilogale sp.
Common Name: Spotted skunk
Other Names: Civet cat, Polecat, Tree skunk, Weasel skunk, and other local names.
Pest Details
Origin:
There are two species of spotted skunks that are native to North America, and together they cover nearly all areas of all mainland states and into British Columbia. The western spotted skunk occurs from B.C. south into Mexico and from the west coast east to just east of the Rocky Mountains. The eastern species if found throughout most of the eastern half of the U.S. from the Great Plains to the east coast.
Biology:
These skunks are much less prevalent around urban areas than the striped skunk, preferring wooded habitats and natural dens in the soil. Young are born in late spring to early summer, usually about 4 to 5 young per litter, and are weaned at about the age of 8 weeks. Musk glands located near the anus produce the foul smelling oil that the skunk sprays when threatened.
Latin Name: Mephitis mephitis
Common Name: Striped skunk
Other Names: Big skunk, Large skunk, Polecat
Pest Details
Origin:
This is a native skunk in North America and ranges from all of southern Canada through every U.S. mainland state and south into northern Mexico.
Biology:
This is the only species of striped skunk in North America. It is nocturnal and feeds on a wide variety of materials including small mammals, carrion, some plant materials, but primarily insects. Damage to turf is common as the skunk digs for buried grubs and other insects in the thatch. It attacks bee hives and feeds on worker bees that come out to investigate. Around homes it feeds on pet foods that are left out at night as well as on fruits or vegetables in gardens. Like other skunk species it defends itself with a powerful spray of foul smelling oils ejected from glands around its anus. This spray is capable of causing severe nausea,
Latin Name: Microtus Spp.
Common Name: Voles
Latin Family Name: Muridae
Other Names: Vole, field mouse, meadow vole
Pest Details
Origin:
At least 84 species in this genus, with Microtus pennsylvanicus most prevalent east of the Rocky Mountains and north into central Alaska, and M. californicus most common in the western states. These are native animals.
Biology:
Favored foods are fresh foliage and flowers in the warm months, seeds and grains in cold months, or even the bark of young plants and trees in the winter. Voles may be very destructive to grain and vegetable crops. Nesting is done is burrows in shallow soil or in thick grass and vegetation, and distinct runways are created above ground as the mice travel and forage. Breeding can be done year round, with the highest activity from March until November, and mating takes place immediately following the birth of a litter. There is an average of around 6 young