Tag Archives: Raccoon grubbing

What is Digging Up My Mulch at Night?

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Mulch is nutrient rich, making it the ideal place for living organisms to thrive, including earthworms, grubs, and larvae. Unfortunately, there are several animals that love to eat these creatures for a mid-night snack. If you have noticed that your freshly-lain mulch is pulverized by morning, then you may very well have an unwanted nocturnal house guest.

Continue reading to learn which species of wildlife are known for this particular foraging behavior, and what you can do to put a stop to your nightly mulch bed pillages.

Raccoons Looking for Food in a Backyard During the Day

Furry, Four-Legged Critters

Chipmunks and squirrels are very adorable, but they are also notorious for digging up mulch and flower beds. What are they looking for? Well, not the juicy grubs and worms mentioned before, but rather, their stashes of nuts and other foraged findings! That’s right; chipmunks and squirrels gather their treasures and then hide them in the ground.

The problem is, they forget where they hide them and dig everything up in site, or, they hide their stuff right in your mulch bed and create a huge mess retrieving them. Either way, it is considered a nuisance. Rabbits, opossum, and mice are three additional types of animals that are known to dig up mulch in search of insects, grubs, and even flower bulbs. Furthermore, dogs are also common culprits.

Nuisance Raccoons

Raccoons are one of the most common culprits behind late-night mulch pillaging. Not only do they have highly dexterous, human-like paws that allow them to easily move around mulch and matter, they also retain excellent memory capacities, which allows them to remember where all the good grub and termite hunting spots are in the neighborhood.

This means that a raccoon problem is typically a persistent one, as they are not likely to stop unless whatever it is that they want is no longer available, or they are incapable of obtaining access. Nuisance raccoons is something that requires professional intervention if you want to put a stop to such activity, safely and humanely.

Safely Repel Raccoons

You can make a homemade repellent to keep nuisance raccoons out of your mulch beds at night. There are many spices and seasonings that wild raccoons do not like. In fact, they hate them so much they will stay far away from any signs of these flavorings we so fondly use. Such spices include cinnamon, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and any other spices that are very strong and will irritate a raccoons senses (vision, sinuses, smell, etc.). Use just one, or mixed together a combination of the spices and sprinkle them around the perimeter of your yard. Also sprinkle the mix and areas where you have spotted raccoons. Be sure your cats and dogs do not have access to these areas because the spices will irritate their senses as well.

Who to Call for Louisville Raccoon Control

Call 502-553-7622 for Louisville raccoon removal and control services you can trust. We are DNR licensed and insured raccoon removal and control experts with over 25 years of experience in the raccoon industry. We have all the latest technologies and equipment to carry out safe and humane raccoon control and cleanup jobs. Request a free estimate, today.

Louisville Raccoon Removal and Control

The Effects of Raccoon Grubbing

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Raccoons are crepuscular foragers, meaning they primarily venture out at dusk to look for food. And as nocturnal animals, they remain active throughout the night and call it quits just before dawn. That is why they are hardly caught-in-action during their mischievous endeavors. Rummaged trash cans, missing garden vegetables, fallen roof shingles, and empty pet dishes are just a few common signs of raccoon activity, but there is another that is far more frustrating for property owners. Raccoon grubbing is another distinguishable habit performed by wild raccoons. It leaves behind a mess that is only fixable with plenty of grass seed and time.

Backyard Grubs

Grubs are nuisance larvae that live in the ground and feed off of grass roots. Not only do grub populations cause grass to wilt and brown, they attract nuisance raccoons. Raccoons love these juicy, protein-rich worms and will go to great lengths to acquire them. This means they will relentlessly pull back chunks of sod and dig through the soil and clay for one delicious bite. And since raccoons have dexterous human-like paws, their nimble fingers can easily rip through lawns and sift through dirt to find a tasty meal. It only takes one or two raccoons to tear up an entire lawn in just one night.

Fixes

There are a few ways to fix this problem. To repair your lawn, you will need good-quality grass seed, fertilizer, and patience. After routine watering and fertilizing, your lawn will eventually get back to normal. As for the raccoons, you should first try to eliminate all of the things on your property that attract them there in the first place, starting with the grubs.

There are several types of grub control products available at any local garden or hardware store. Choose based on your preference, but be sure it is compatible with your landscape. They are relatively inexpensive, ranging in price from $4 to $20, depending on the size and brand. Apply the product to your lawn and hope for the best. If you cannot get the grubs under control, it may be wise to contact a lawn care company for professional grub removal.

Other attractions to eliminate may include bird baths, pet food, bird seed, squirrel feeders, open gardens, garbage, sitting pools of water, and small places to hide. By getting rid of these common raccoon attractions, you can also get rid of raccoons. If you have a raccoon in the attic or other area of your home, you need to call a local wildlife control company for safe and humane raccoon removal. These companies call also offer prevention services and cleanup.

Raccoon Removal Louisville

Call Raccoon Removal Louisville at 502-553-7622 for DNR licensed raccoon control services that are both safe and humane. We never harm or kill raccoons, and neither should you! Instead, enlist the services of our licensed wildlife rescue contractors for non-lethal raccoon exclusion and control. We don’t just get rid of raccoons, we also provide cleanup services and minor attic restorations from raccoon damages. Call 502-553-7622 for raccoon removal and control in Louisville, KY and its surrounding counties.