Rats and mice sit second and third on the list of the world’s most successful vertebrates, right after humans. These creatures are so adept at breeding that they have followed us anywhere we set up homes, and that includes out at sea. They are adaptable and smart, and they are listed as pests for a veritable host of reasons. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Rats and Mice

* They are creepy. It might not be the best reason in the world to kill something, but most humans are pretty creeped out by rats and mice; rats are much worse - even Indiana Jones couldn’t handle them.

* They’re noisy. Large populations of rats and mice make a lot of unnerving noises, particularly at night. They will keep you from sleep and this only adds to their general creepiness.

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As pests go, there is probably none that receives more unfair publicity than the opossum. These creatures certainly meet a couple of the criteria attributed to pests (one being their ability to reproduce rapidly) but as pests go they are much more mild than most. Let’s take a look at some common areas where pests annoy people, and see which ones the possum fits into.

* Creepy. This is another area where the opossum fits the bill for most people. They look like really big rats, and a lot of people find that look unbearable. It’s important to note that possums are not rats, nor in fact rodents at all. Rather, they are marsupials, the only species of the group naturally found outside of Australia. With that said, the long naked tail, pointy face and teeth, and general body shape of the possum does indeed resemble a rat. Possums are actually much more benign creatures, though.

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From turning into an Infestation

One mistake that a lot of people make when it comes to pest management is focusing on eliminating an animal population entirely. The problem with this approach is that it is just not possible; the nature of pests, both insect and mammal, is that they are adaptable, breed quickly, and often acquire an immunity to the measures that we use to try to control them (toxic measures).

Least toxic pest management means using the natural functions of certain pests against them in order to control their numbers. In this way, the population of any given pest can stay down to controllable numbers.

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As pests go, opossums aren’t particularly bad. They tend to stay out of people’s way, they don’t carry diseases, and they are non-threatening. Still, if you are a fastidious home owner, opossums may cause you a certain amount of grief, as they love to get into garbage and other easy sources of food.

Integrated pest management calls for pest control using an understanding of pest behaviours and using that to knowledge to limit the numbers of a specific pest. This is also known as the least toxic approach, because it rejects the chemical warfare approach that humans have waged against pests for so long with so little effect.

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Like the raccoon, the opossum is a very adaptable animal which has a large and expanding range throughout North America. Many people consider opossums to be varmints at best and pests at worst, although for the most part opossums don’t pose a very serious threat to anything at all. Still, they can be annoying creatures and their breeding means that they can advance their numbers quite quickly.

Integrated pest control has at its base a focus on understanding the particular biology of certain pests. Through a comprehension of their living habits, their eating habits, and their life cycle, pest species can be controlled through the least toxic methods available. In this article, we will take a look at the biology of the opossum.

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The worst mouse infestation I have ever experienced occurred when I was ten years old during the winter. It was so bad the retelling is hard to believe; at night we could see the mice climbing up the backside of the drapes, and there was a constant scratching in the walls of the house.

Mice and rats are probably the most common vertebrate pests humans have to deal with. They are found all over North America. There are two species of rat and one species of most, and an infestation can mean damage to a house, to goods within the house, the potential of disease, a disappearance of food, and general unpleasantness.

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Like raccoons, opossum are medium sized mammal pests that are adaptable and can make life quite a hassle for humans. They are nocturnal and very good at finding secluded spots to nest and sleep, which can make them difficult to control.

Fortunately, opossums are much easier to control than raccoon, in large part because they are not nearly as smart as those wily bandits. In addition, opossums are very vulnerable animals as they are relatively low on the food chain; they possess few natural defences and have a lot of enemies in the wild. This means that least toxic control of opossum pests is a fairly easy proposition. Here are some very effective measures employed by people all over the country (more…)

It’s easy to tell when you have a gopher problem in your lawn or garden; little dirt mounds begin appearing, usually surrounding little holes that moles or gophers call home. Many people are tempted to use poisons or other toxic chemicals to deal with subterranean dwellers that ruin the appearance of their lawns, but this is not necessary; there are plenty of non-toxic ways of dealing with underground vertebrate pests that are more affordable and less harmful to other beings than chemical treatments. (more…)