While skunks may eat the larva of destructive insects such as cutworms in your garden, these animals can also be destructive. Skunks are most active at night and may destroy your crops by eating the fruits, leaves, and buds of your crops. Additionally, skunks release a stinky spray that can be difficult to eliminate. If you see skunk feces or smell a foul odor, these are indicators that there's a skunk infestation in your garden. When you see such signs, you should adopt the following skunk control methods to protect your yard against skunk damage.
1. Deterrents and Repellents
You can eliminate skunks from your yard naturally using deterrents and repellents, including:
- Bright lighting. Skunks are highly active during darkness, and their eyes are light-sensitive. Therefore, installing motion sensor lighting can scare away these animals.
- Repellents. Generally, a skunk doesn't like the citrus smell. For this reason, place lemon and orange rinds throughout your yard to control the skunks. Additionally, you can dip cotton in ammonia solution and distribute the cotton throughout your yard. Alternatively, you can use mothballs.
- Predator smells. The urine of canines, coyotes, and other skunk predators can help deter skunks. You can purchase a product that holds the scent of predators from a local skunk control service and apply it around the yard.
These techniques are effective at getting rid of skunks.
2. Starvation
When a skunk comes to your yard, the animal is usually searching for food. Therefore, you should remove all food sources present in your yard. Ensure that you cover your trash or compost tightly to prevent the pests from accessing the garbage. Additionally, eliminate pet food and cover up the bird feeder as well. Also, remember that your crops are a source of food for the pests. Hence, consider installing low fencing to protect the crops.
3. Shelter Destruction
If the pests have made a shelter in your yard, you should destroy it. Typically, skunks form underground holes where they live and reproduce. You should inspect your yard to identify the burrows and fill them up. Also, put underground fencing around your buildings to stop the animals from digging under these sheds.
4. Trap Setting
You can also set traps around your garden, preferably at the entry points of the skunk burrows. Once the traps catch the pests, you can release them to their natural home. You can have your skunk control service set up these traps strategically for the best results.
Controlling skunks in your yard entails the elimination of food, the utilization of skunk repellents and deterrents, burrow destruction, and setting traps. Consider these skunk control methods if you want to eliminate skunks.
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