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Attempting to squish a scorpion by hand or foot isn’t a good idea, as many can flatten themselves and survive a simple strike—plus, they’ll be provoked and very likely to sting. Instead, it's best to use a sharp or heavy object to pierce or crush the exoskeleton with force. Always wear protective clothing, including thick gloves, pants, and closed-toe shoes, to avoid being stung. Use long tweezers, scissors, or a knife to pierce the exoskeleton or crush it with a heavy object, making sure to twist or press down firmly to ensure the scorpion is truly dead.

Gophers do not hibernate, meaning you could, at least theoretically, have a gopher problem in your yard any time of year. During the colder parts of the year when soil isn't as easy to work with, gophers may not dig as many holes or be as active and instead will burrow deeper into the earth to go below the frost line to stay warm.

You can expect to see more gopher activity during the spring and fall when warmer temperatures make digging easy, and there is an abundance of new (or recently harvested) plant life available for them to graze on. They come out during the day and sleep at night.

There are quite a few opinions regarding using coffee grinds to keep deer out of your garden, with many people convinced of this method. It makes sense that it could work considering deer have a strong sense of smell and likely do not like the smell of coffee grounds. However, there’s no hard evidence supporting the notion that coffee grounds keep deer away, but it may be worth trying.

Skunks like to forage for grubs in the soil, like worms and insects, but they are also tempted by trash and pet food bowls, so keeping these items out of sight may help keep skunks away. Skunks also like to set up a den in dark places, such as a crawl space or outbuilding.