Total Critter Control : An Essential Guide to Controlling Any Sort of Critter, from the Merely Pesky to the Outright Dangerous

by Don Sedgwick

• ISBN13: 9781585744794
• ISBN10: 1585744794
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2003-08-01
• Publisher: The Lyons Press

Summary

Critters are everywhere. From the lone homestead at the edge of a remote forest to the multiple split-levels of suburban subdivisions, no property lines are safe from animal invasion. As suburbs continue to spread, millions of homeowners face these invasions every day. Most critter encounters are mere nuisances--a deer nibbles the strawberries from the garden, a squirrel lunches on seed from the bird feeder, or a raccoon knocks over the trash can. Yet even these encounters can be dangerous--that deer munching strawberries may be carrying the tick bearing Lyme disease, that squirrel may be nesting in the attic insulation, that raccoon may be rabid. How does a homeowner cope? TOTAL CRITTER CONTROL gathers in one comprehensive volume advice from numerous experts who offer the wisdom of their vast and varied experience. Fully illustrated throughout, it provides detailed information on elimination methods that not only are effective, but also safe, legal, and humane. It shows you how to identify many critter species, where they live, and what they eat; why you should never handle wild animals; and how to use territory to your advantage. With helpful lists of deterrent products and where to find them, as well as how to contact helpful organizations, TOTAL CRITTER CONTROL is a must-have handbook for anyone who wants to learn how to coexist peacefully with critters.

Author Biography

DON SEDGWICK has worked in the publishing world since 1977, including several years as the Canadian publisher of Doubleday Ltd. and Scholastic Inc. He currently teaches publishing to postgraduate students and is the president of a literary agency. His writing has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and books. When he is not coping with raccoons, neighbors' noisy dogs, and the occasional skunk around his home in the city, he has to deal with foraging deer and a plague of spiders at his rural farmhouse.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION	1	(4)
1. THE CREEPY CRAWLERS	5	(32)
Roaches	7	(7)
Ants	14	(3)
Termites	17	(2)
Beetles and Grubs	19	(1)
Slugs	20	(2)
Scorpions	22	(5)
Spiders	27	(2)
Chigger Mites	29	(1)
Scabies Mites	30	(1)
Ticks	31	(6)
2. THE FLYING INSECTS	37	(24)
Flies	37	(3)
Mosquitoes	40	(6)
Blackflies	46	(1)
No-See-Ums	47	(2)
Bees, Wasps, and Yellow Jackets	49	(4)
Flour Moths	53	(1)
Aphids	54	(1)
Grasshoppers	55	(2)
Fleas	57	(4)
3. THE RODENTS AND DIGGERS	61	(34)
Moles	61	(7)
Voles	68	(2)
Pocket Gophers	70	(4)
Woodchucks	74	(3)
Mice	77	(5)
Rats	82	(13)
4. THE BACKYARD FEEDERS	95	(40)
Raccoons	95	(13)
Skunks	108	(8)
Porcupines	116	(3)
Squirrels	119	(9)
Chipmunks	128	(1)
Opossums	129	(1)
Rabbits	130	(5)
5. LARGER MAMMALS	135	(40)
Bears	135	(9)
Deer	144	(17)
Elk (Wapiti)	161	(2)
Moose	163	(4)
Beavers	167	(8)
6. THE HUNTERS	175	(14)
Coyotes	175	(8)
Wolves	183	(3)
Mountain Lions	186	(3)
7. THE WINGED CRITTERS	189	(30)
Pigeons	189	(5)
Starlings	194	(4)
Seagulls	198	(3)
House Sparrows	201	(1)
Herons	202	(2)
Crows	204	(2)
Woodpeckers	206	(4)
Canada Geese	210	(3)
Bats	213	(6)
8. SCALY ANIMALS AND WATER CREATURES	219	(22)
Alligators	219	(9)
Snakes	228	(8)
Sea Lions	236	(2)
Zebra Mussels	238	(3)
9. THE NEIGHBOR'S PETS	241	(20)
Dogs and Cats	241	(16)
Exotic Pets	257	(4)
RESOURCES	261	(10)
INDEX	271