Virginia.gov

Nuisance & Problematic Species

Wildlife watching is one of the fastest-growing activities in the United States. However, most people, when they think of wildlife watching, like to have a little distance between themselves and the wildlife. Sometimes the wildlife becomes a problem, either by hammering on the side of the house, digging a den under the front porch, or eating all of your brand new landscaping plants. This is when wildlife becomes a nuisance.

Species Defined as “Nuisance” Wildlife

Under the Code of Virginia (4 VAC 15-20-160) ten species are defined as nuisance species. These include:

Mammals

Birds

  • European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
  • English (house) sparrow (Passer domesticus)
  • Pigeon (Rock Dove) (Columba livia)

Under state law, these species can be killed at any time and in any manner that is legal under state and local laws. A hunting or trapping license is required, unless exempt. It is NOT legal to trap wildlife live and move it to another location.

The bullets below describe the easiest and simplest measures people can take to solve common nuisance problems. Additional links are available at the bottom for more extensive solutions to these common problems.

Bats

Bats are great neighbors to have around the house. One little brown bat has been documented eating upwards of 600 mosquitoes in one hour! Imagine what several individuals flying around in your yard could do! Sometimes the bats don't stay outside and this is when they become a problem.

If a bat is found indoors with people, the Virginia Department of Health recommends capturing the bat and having it tested for rabies. While less than ½ of 1% of all bats actually carry rabies, this is a time for caution. Heavy leather work gloves should be worn if you must handle the bat in any way.

If you find you have bats in your attic or under the eaves, here are some solutions that may help. If you have an area with a large buildup of bat guano (droppings) and you must be in the contaminated space, immediately put on gloves and something to cover your nose and mouth. Bat droppings can harbor histoplasmosis fungi spores and should be cleaned up by a professional. Easy solutions for removing bats include:

  • Wait until dusk and watch the outside of your house until about a half-hour after sunset, see if you can detect where the bats are leaving from as they go out to forage. Once you are sure all of the bats have left, cover the hole with wire mesh (screen door mesh is sufficient). CAUTION: From May through August, bats may have young still present in the inhabited space. Be sure no young have been left behind before you plug the hole.
  • If possible, put up a bat house on your property to encourage roosting away from your house.

Beaver

The main complaint about beaver is their ability to destroy ornamental trees, usually in the yards of stream or lakeside houses. The only way to discourage a beaver is by wrapping trees in chicken wire or other heavy metal sheeting or wire. The tree must be wrapped to a height of 4 feet to be effective against a full grown beaver.

If this does not solve the problem, you can contact your local game warden for a permit to have the beaver trapped and euthanized. Moving beavers to other areas is not permitted under Virginia code. Moving them usually only relocates the problem to another area where the same problems then occur.

Deer

Deer in an urban areaDeer are generally considered a nuisance when they are eating gardens or expensive landscaping plants. The best way to solve this problem is to plant things deer don't like to eat. This usually includes plants like juniper, hawthorne, or other prickly/thorny plants. The next best way to prevent them is to exclude them from coming at all.

  • Build a 5-8 foot fence around your garden. This is the single best method.
  • Have a dog roam your yard. Deer will usually not visit properties with dogs.
  • Loud noises or hazing sometimes works, but they can become accustomed to these activities.

After trying these, you can also attempt to use chemicals which taste bad or smell bad (to the deer anyway).

  • There are a variety of products that can be used to make the plants unpalatable. Most of these have a pepper or sulfur-base. You can make your own out of cayenne pepper, rotten eggs, or moth balls. Some of the commercially available products are supposed to last through a couple of rain events, but most will wash off with the first rain.
  • Products to scare the deer away generally contain coyote urine, sulfur, or human scents. You can try to make your own with human hair, soap, or perfume/cologne. There are also fertilizers that are made from bio-solids that have shown some success, but they have a very bad odor, even to humans.

Raccoons, Skunks, and Opossums

The major problems associated with these three species involve their ability to invade houses or trashcans. All three of these species are very adaptable to urban areas, are nocturnal (meaning they come out mostly at night) and are very curious about human dwellings and refuse. The most common problem is when these animals find their way under porches/decks or into houses or out-buildings. The best way to prevent them from becoming a problem is to not give them a reason to come.

  • Keep trash inside until the morning of trash pick-up or place trash in an animal proof container, such as a metal trashcan with latches on the lids.
  • Do not leave pet food (cat or dog) outside overnight.
  • Close up all openings under and into your buildings. These animals look for places to den - don't give them that opportunity.
  • Encourage neighbors to do the same. If anyone in the neighborhood is feeding these animals it can cause trouble for everyone.

A few more active methods for discouraging this group include the following.

  • Soak a rag in ammonia and place the rag in or on the trash can(s) or building(s) that are the problem areas. The smell will discourage future visits. Remember, you will need to repeat this after a rainstorm or two.
  • Moth balls placed in trashcans or around buildings will achieve the same results.
  • Reflective tape, lights, or noise sometimes works, but they will eventually grow accustomed to these methods, so this is only a temporary solution.

Snakes

Most snakes are harmless and, much like bats, provide a valuable service around your home in the way of rodent control. In fact, the presence of snakes around your property or in your house may indicate a rodent problem. There are only three species of venomous snakes in Virginia. The copperhead (found statewide) is the most common; and while it is usually not found inside homes, it may be common in gardens and woodlots. Timber rattlesnakes are common only in the mountainous regions of western Virginia and a small area of extreme southeastern Virginia where they are known as canebrake rattlesnakes. Water moccasins are found to the south and east of Petersburg and are common only in wet areas.

  • Eliminate habitat near your home. Remove all rock and brush piles and keep all grassy areas mowed short near the house. This will eliminate all attraction for mice and all cover for snakes.
  • If a snake is known to have entered the structure, examine the foundation of the house thoroughly. Seal all areas around pipes, vents, or other places that may provide small openings both for rodents and snakes. Also, check the roof for overhanging vegetation. Snakes are good climbers and can also enter through the attic where trees or shrubs provide access.
  • If a snake is found in the house, identify the snake (A "Snakes of Virginia" guide is available from the Department). Once it is known to be non-venomous, carefully place a bucket or wastebasket over the snake. Then slip a board carefully under the bucket or basket and carry the snake outside and release it. Remember, if you have not sealed the holes in the foundation, the snake may return.
  • Have your house checked for rodent problems. If you can eliminate the food source, the snakes will go elsewhere.

Squirrels

If you are up for a challenge, then this is the group for you. With the right motivation (say, sunflower seeds in a feeder) squirrels will learn to work around just about any known obstacle placed in their path. Empty birdfeeders are only one problem created by squirrels. Another is when they take up residence in your attic or chimney. Flying squirrels are most notable for inviting themselves in. Here are a couple of problems and associated solutions.

Squirrels at Feeders

  • Place feeders at least 15 feet from anything they can jump from and then place a metal exclusion device on the post to the feeder. These are available at most bird and hardware stores.
  • If no space exists this far from another structure, try suspending your feeder from a wire strung between two trees or posts. On both sides of the feeder, strung on the wire, place PVC pipe or plastic two-liter bottles so that they rotate freely around the wire coming from the trees or posts. This prevents, at least for a while, the squirrels from walking along the wire to the feeder.
  • Several "squirrel-proof" feeders are sold in birding specialty stores. Some are more effective than others. Talk to your local dealer for suggestions.
  • Many people have had success filling their feeders with safflower seeds. Squirrels tend not to like safflower seed and will avoid it at feeders. Buyer Beware: safflower seed is significantly more expensive than sunflower seed.
  • Try spraying your feed with chili or cayenne pepper. Birds have no sense of taste, but as a mammal, squirrels do. There are also several commercial feeds sold that come pre-treated.

Squirrels in the Attic

  • The most common culprits here are flying squirrels. These small rodents are nocturnal, so once you have identified the entry point, plug the hole with wire mesh or metal sheeting. Make sure no young have been left behind inside before plugging the hole.
  • Placing a radio with talk or loud music in the attic may encourage the squirrels to leave. Once again, once you have identified the entry point, plug the hole once you are sure they have left.

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers are usually a nuisance when they are banging on a gutter or house siding. In the spring, especially, these birds can be quite the drummers as they ring out their invitation for a mate or warn other males that they have staked out a territory. Whenever a woodpecker becomes a problem, the first thing every homeowner should do is have their house inspected for insect infestations. Sometimes woodpeckers are pecking through your wood siding to feed on grubs, termites, carpenter ants or carpenter bee larvae. Take the warning seriously! If you are sure there is no insect infestation, then it's a strong bet that the male woodpecker is just showing off!

There are four species of woodpeckers that are the usual culprits here. The downy, red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers are the smallest of the four and can cause damage, but not nearly to the extent that Virginia's largest woodpecker, the pileated woodpecker, can. At just over 16 inches tall, this bird can cause extensive damage to wood-sided houses. The solutions below are useful for all woodpecker species. Please remember, all woodpecker species are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Act and it is against the law to harm the birds in anyway. Scare tactics are legal within the limits of local ordinances.

  • Attach one end of several 3-foot pieces of metallic ribbon (or metal pie pans suspended by string) around the eaves of the house where the woodpecker is banging. Leave the lower end of the ribbon to flap in the wind. The reflective ribbon scares the bird away.
  • Place a fake owl or rubber snake strategically near the edge of the roof where the woodpecker is pecking. You must move the owl/snake periodically, however, or the woodpeckers will become accustomed to its presence and ignore it.
  • Scaring the bird with a loud noise or water hose can be effective. Residents will have to be persistent using this method. If time allows, continue this behavior each time pecking begins and eventually the woodpecker will give up for the season.

Additional Information

  • United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services
  • Utah State University Berryman Institute
  • University of Nebraska, Cooperative Extension Animal Damage Manuals on the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension
  • Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • When Wildlife Overstays its Welcome, Wild in the Woods, July, 2003 Virginia Wildlife (PDF)