Outdoor Vertebrate Flashcards
scat
an animals fecal matter
Steps to control vertebrates
- identify 2. pest’s life cycle and habits 3. assess population and distribution 4. determine your goals 5. find possible control methods 6. evaluate benefits and risks of each method 7. Choose a strategy that is effective, but has minimal harm to people and environment.
biological control
use of natural enemies
cultural control
changing human habits (sanitation) to create an uninviting or unfavorable environment.
mechanical control
Amendment 14 bans leg hold or kill traps in CO. Barriers may provide long term solutions.
frightening
visual and/or auditory stimuli to produce fear and thus discourage animals from remaining in the area.
funnel traps
sparrows can escape from funnel traps, though they are effective for evicting bats out of attics
foothold traps
not legal in CO without a permit
avicide
kills birds
oral repellents
taste bad
tactile repellents
feel bad
olfactory repellents
smells bad
USFWS
US Fish and Wildlife Service - manage migratory birds and threatened or endangered species.
migratory bird treaty act
protects all birds except feral pigeons, house sparrows, and starlings.
Fumigants
most effective when used in moist soils in early spring
gas cartridges
give off carbon monoxide and smoke when ignited. not bombs and will not explode if properly handled.
moisture-activated fumigants
tablets inserted into animal burrows - activated by atmospheric or soil moisture. give off phosphine gas.
Tracking powders
usually same active ingredients as food baits (blocks, grains, etc.). More hazardous.
emetic agent
cause non rodent animals to vomit. Since rodents, don’t vomit, this may protect non-target animals and cause them to vomit.
area repellents
applied next to trees and usually repel by smell alone. used during the growing season. includes ammonia soaps of higher fatty acids, human hair, soap, and blood meal.
contact repellents
applied directly to the plant or the area and repel by creating an unpleasant taste. includes putrescent egg solids, capsaicin (extract of hot peppers) and thiram.
acute rodenticides
lethal after single dose. partial dose, one that does not kill the animal, may produce bait shyness.
chronic rodenticides
contain anti-coagulants
sub-acute rodenticides
can act as single-dose if enough is consumed at once, or multiple dose if consumed over several days.
bromethalin
potent nerve poison - kills within 2-4 days..
Calciferol (Vitamin D3)
sub-acute. once lethal dose has been consumed, feeding stops and calcium is released into the blood stream.
Strychnine
death within a few hours. labeled as RUP
Zinc phosphide
smells like garlic. black powder. reacts with stomach acids and causes poisonous phosphine gas to be released.
first generation rodenticides
warfarin. introduced 1949. rodents must feed several times over 4-10 days.
second generation rodenticides
vitamin K1 antidote. introduced early 1970’s
avicides
control bird pests. include repellents, toxicants, and fighting agents.
Avitrol
both repellent and toxic bait. produces stress reactions in some birds
starlicide
is applied to baits
baiting for birds
most birds are neophobic to foods - afraid of new kinds.
Endangered species
those that are concerned with rodent control methods: black-footed ferret, burrowing owl, and preble’s meadow jumping mouse.
Hazard
toxicity + exposure
pesticide spills
control, contain, and clean
prairie dogs
most social member of squirrel family. can carry plague. not protected.
gunnison prairie dog
smallest of CO prairie dogs.
black-tailed prairie dog
black-tipped tail. along front range. active during the day. do not hibernate.
white-tailed prairie dog
short, white or gray tip on the tail.
plains pocket gopher
not abundant in compact soils
northern pocket gopher
deep sandy soils or shallow gravel. most common in mountain rangelands and forests. dark colored.
botta’s pocket gopher
well developed soils in warm valleys in Southern CO.
yellow-faced pocket gopher
found where plains pocket gopher is found. confined to drier sites.
pocket gophers
feed on roots and vegetation. prefer alfalfa. 1-3 litters per year with 5-6 per litter. not protected
