The idyllic and peaceful life of the rural resident or cottage dweller can occasionally be disrupted by an unwanted invader. Sometimes this has an immediate effect, such as the sound of a mouse in the house at 3 AM. At other times it is more long term and insidious such as the invasion of Zebra Mussels in our rivers and lakes. On this page is information about these unwanted intruders and links to Internet sites with much more information than I can provide here. On this page your will find information about:
Mice
A mouse in the house can be a destructive pest. Their first mission is usually to nest and create more mice. They tend to take anything soft as nesting material, house insulation, pillow filling, etc. Normally, mice are simply a mild annoyance but a new problem has entered Ontario, the Hanta Virus. This virus can be deadly to humans, there has already been one reported death in Ontario as a result of a person contracting the hanta virus. The real problem is with the mouse droppings which contain the virus. Cleaning up mouse droppings will put the virus into the air, which is then breathed in by the person doing the cleaning. If enough of the virus is present in the air, the person doing the cleaning can contract the virus.
Now the good news. The virus is carried by the tiny deer mouse and to date, there have been no reported incidents of hanta virus being identified in the Rideau region. However, prevention of possible contact is still the best thing to do. There are a few easy steps that you can do to prevent any possible contamination from mice and mouse droppings:
- If possible, spray any area containing mouse droppings with a bleach solution (1 tablespoon household bleach to 1 quart of soapy water) and mop it up. A note of warning, bleach is quite caustic so test the area first before spraying (ie. don't bleach your carpet).
- If spraying with bleach is not feasible, then use use a vacuum cleaner and ALWAYS wear a good quality dust mask. Make sure the area is well ventilated.
- Don't touch the mouse with your bare hands. Wear gloves or better yet use a trap that doesn't break the skin of the mouse and where you don't have to contact the mouse.
For more information on the Hanta Virus visit the following sites:
Zebra Mussels
The Zebra mussel is a small (0.5 - 3 cm) freshwater mollusc with a striped shell. They were first discovered in North America in Lake St. Clair in 1988 and since that time have quickly spread to many parts of Ontario. They were first noted in the Rideau region in about 1992.
Zebra mussels can quickly form large colonies. A female zebra mussel can produce up to one million eggs a year. They reproduce when the water temperature reaches 12oC (54oF). The larvae (known as veligers) are too small to be seen with the naked eye. They are free swimming for about two to three weeks and can be quickly spread by currents.
Zebra mussels become a significant problem when they attach themselves to intake pipes of such things as municipal water treatment plants and power plants, often reducing intake flow by up to fifty percent. They can also attach to the water intake systems of inboard and outboard engines.
They are filter feeders, consuming large quantities of plankton. The result is less plankton and clearer water. Clearer water can result in more growth of aquatic vegetation (light penetrates deeper into the water) and less plankton may reduce the food available for some young fish. The long term effects of this on fish and other aquatic populations is unknown.
Zebra mussels cannot be stopped, but their rate of spreading can be slowed down. When moving anything from lake to lake that may have been submerged (a boat, baitfish bucket, scuba gear), make sure that it has been thoroughly washed down and allowed to fully dry. Adult zebra mussels can live up to two weeks in moist shaded areas (bilges, live wells, trailer frames).
What to do:
- Inspect your boat, motor, trailer, and boating equipment (anchors, rollers, axles) for any sign of zebra mussels. Remove all animals and plants before leaving the waterbody.
- Drain water from the motor, live wells, bilge and transom wells while on land immediately after leaving the waterbody.
- Wash or dry your boat, tackle, downriggers, trailer and other boating equipment. If possible wash your boat and equipment with hot (+ 104oF / 40oC) water, or use a high pressure (> 250 psi) washer, or allow your boat and equipment to thoroughly dry for at least 5 days before moving them to another body of water.
- Empty your bait bucket on land before leaving any body of water. Please note that it is against the law in Ontario to move live bait from one body of water to another. Zebra mussel larvae are too small to be seen with the naked eye so any container of water could be carrying them.
- Learn how to identify zebra mussels and other exotic species. If you suspect that zebra mussels or other exotic species have moved to a new location call the Invading Species Hotline toll free at: 1-800-563-7711 or email: invading_species@ofah.org.
If you have Zebra mussels in your lake you should protect any boats with outboard motors by tilting the motor up, out of the water, when not in use. A good way to monitor for Zebra mussels in your lake is to place a piece of rope in the water at the end of your dock and check it from time to time for the presence of zebra mussels.
For information about Zebra mussel sightings along the Rideau visit the Zebra Mussel Sightings Page.
For information about how to prevent the spread of Zebra Mussels visit: Exotic Species and the Boater.
For more information on the Zebra Mussel visit:
Gypsy Moth
The Gypsy Moth is a destructive pest which, when in its caterpillar stage, can be extremely destructive to forests. It is prevalent in the Rideau Region and it is particularly destructive to the beautiful oak trees of our area.
The Gypsy moth goes through several stages. The eggs hatch during tree bud breaking (late May). The newly hatched caterpillars are about 0.6 cm (1/4 inch) long and are dark brown to black in colour. These young caterpillars spin silk and drop from branches and leaves to be dispersed by the wind (this process is called "ballooning"). The caterpillars as they land on the neighbouring trees start to feed. They quickly grow, passing through several growth stages. The full grown Gypsy moth caterpillar is about 5 cm (2 inches) long, hairy, with five pairs of blue spots and six pairs of red spots on their upper side (as shown in the picture).
After four to six weeks of feeding the caterpillar goes into a pupal (casing) stage. The dark brown pupal cases hang in clusters, attached to the base of branches, in tree crotches and bark crevices. This stage lasts about 10 days. The adults start to look for mates as soon as they emerge from the pupae (late July). The male moth is about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long, tan in colour, and a strong flyer. The female is larger than the male, white with black marking on the wings, and cannot fly. The female emits a powerful pheromone (sex attractant) which lures the male moth. Eggs are laid shortly after mating.
The eggs are laid in clusters called "egg masses". These masses are buff-coloured (like chamois), from 2 to 4 cm (3/4 to 1 1/2 inches) in length, and contain from 100 to 1,000 eggs distributed through a felt-like mat of hair. These masses are often attached to tree trunks but can also be found on tree branches, rocks, houses, lawn furniture, car tires, and any other object the female moth can climb up on.
Trees preferred by the gypsy moth caterpillar include all oak species, basswood, larch, mountain ash, willow, alder, and aspen. Trees that the adult caterpillar will feed on but are moderately resistant to gypsy moth defoliation include silver and sugar maple, black walnut, eastern hemlock, pine, spruce, black and yellow birch, hickory, elm, silver poplar and butternut. Tree not eaten by the gypsy moth caterpillar include all ash species, eastern red cedar, balsam and fraser fir, yellow poplar, dogwood, mountain and striped maple.
The gypsy moth cannot be eradicated, but it can be controlled. Property owners should check their property in August for the presence of the egg masses. When found, these should be sprayed with a soapy solution (to prevent the breakup of the egg mass) and then scraped off into a container. The eggs can then be burned, immersed in hot water mixed with household ammonia or immersed in a bleach solution. All female moths should be killed. Gypsy moth caterpillars should be killed. In areas of heavy infestation, tie burlap, denim or any other dark material around gypsy moth favoured trees (ie. oak) during caterpillar season. Over wrap the burlap so that it provides a sheltered spot for the caterpillars. Remove and kill any caterpillars that show up on the burlap each day.
For more information on the gypsy moth visit these websites:
Beaver
The beaver is for some a proud symbol of Canada, representing our industrious work ethic and for others an annoying rodent with buck teeth. For the rural resident, the beaver can become a problem when its habit of dam building floods land and roads. In Ontario, control of beavers is up to the landowner.
If a beaver moves into your area the first thing to do is to wait and see. The beaver may not do any real damage. Unless you have a site that is suitable as a permanent beaver residence, the beavers may leave after they have exhausted the easily accessible food supply. If the beaver does decide to take up long term residence and this becomes a problem, then there are some measures that can be taken.
A beaver can be trapped and removed (subject to provincial laws), but if the area is an ideal habitat for beaver, others will eventually move in. Controlling the water level in a beaver pond is an ideal solution. The use of a drain pipe, if properly installed, works well. The secret is to make sure the pipe outlet is far enough downstream of the dam location, that the beaver won't try to dam it up. If the pond is deep enough, the beaver will stay, but valuable portions of your property such as roads will remain unflooded. If the pond level has to be dramatically lowered with the use of the drain pipe, then the beaver will eventually give up and move on.
Removing a beaver dam is not a good idea. The beaver will only reconstruct the dam. In addition, you should be aware of the flood potential removing the dam may cause. Your downstream neighbors may not appreciate having several thousand gallons of water rushing through their property all at once. In addition, if the dam has been in place for more than three years, you may be violating the Canada Fisheries Act, the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act and the Public Lands Act if you remove it. Consult your local MNR office for information.
For more information on how to control Beaver please view the Options for Controlling Beaver on Private Land webpage.
Plants
Two invading plant species in the Rideau area include Purple Loosestrife and Eurasian Watermilfoil.
PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE is a plant that originated in Europe. It is very extremely invasive and has no natural enemies in North America which could control it. It propagates by division and seed, a single plant can produce up to 2 million seeds a year. It prefers wetland conditions with full sun exposure.
The main problem is the invasive nature of the loosestife. It pushes out native species which many of our small mammals and amphibians depend upon. Most birds cannot digest the small hard seeds.
Loosestife is difficult to control. With small infestations the homeowner should pull up the loosestrife whole (prior to seed production) and bag the plants for disposal in a landfill or burn the plants. Types of control methods used for other weeds such as winter/spring/summer burns often encourage the spread of loosestrife by creating new habitat into which they can spread. The use of heavy machinery to plough under loosestrife and mowing of loosestrife areas will only promote the growth of loosestrife. Herbicides are generally costly and usually end up killing local vegetation, allowing the loosestrife to more easily take over. The most promising control methods are the importation of beetles from Europe that feed exclusively on loosestrife. Several species of these beetles are being tested in various areas of Ontario. If successful, purple loosestrife will not be eradicated but rather brought into balance with native vegetation.
EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL is another invasive species. It has been present in the Rideau area since about 1970. The eurasian variety of watermilfoil is a tough-stemmed, stringy weed, with 12 to 21 small feathery leaflet pairs every 3 cm or so. When the growing plant nears the surface, shoots branch profusely, forming a dense canopy. These thick canopies (mats) can choke out a waterway, clog boat propellers and generally make the use of a lake difficult. One of the reasons it can spread so quickly is that it can reproduce through stem fragmentation and underground runners.
Control of eurasian watermilfoil is difficult. Since its main form of reproduction is through stem fragmentation, chopping it up only leads to further spreading. Some herbicides have proven effective depending on the environment the milfoil is located in. A new herbicide, triclopyr, shows great promise in controlling eurasian milfoil. Harvesting (cutting and removing the plant material) is effective in controlling eurasian watermilfoil but not eradicating it. In B.C., a device called a "rotovator" which removed the milfoil's root system will generally keep the milfoil at bay for two or three years. Biological control methods have so far been unsuccessful, but research into the use of a freshwater weevil now appears to be quite promising.
The waterfront owner with a eurasian watermilfoil problem should contact their local water authority for information on exactly what to do. You may be able to tap into regional, government funded control programs.
For more information visit these websites:
Other Pests
The rural resident may also at times run into problems with animals such as raccoons, squirrels, porcupines, foxes, deer, and skunks. For the most part, these are simply annoying encounters with no lasting damage. Some animals such as foxes, skunks and raccoons pose a health risk since these animals can carry rabies (for more information visit the Rabies in Ontario webpage). There are a few things a homeowner can do to prevent problems before they start.
- Leave wild animals wild - The worst thing you can do for a wild animal is to treat it like a domestic animal or pet. The first rule is don't feed the wildlife. A raccoon that finds a free meal will stick around for more. If it gets used to being fed, and can't find a meal that you've left for it, it will break into your garbage and perhaps your house. Deer, attracted to your place by food left out for them, will start to forage on other sources of food such as those cedars and pine you are trying to get established on your property.
- Make your property unattractive to nuisance wildlife - Make sure that your house is sealed so that it doesn't provide a good shelter for nuisance animals. Skunks have been known to take up residence in the crawl space under a home. Make sure your composter is well sealed. Use a good quality plastic model that animals cannot break into. Seal the base with chicken wire if you have to. Don't leave garbage lying around. If you put out garbage use a sealed animal proof container.
Comments: send me email: kwatson@kos.net
URL: www.rideau-info.com/local/local_pests.html
© 1997-2008 Ken Watson
