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Luckily, skunks aren’t challenging to get rid of. You can try to remove them slowly by filling their den entryway loosely with newspaper. Many skunks notice their den is in jeopardy and take off on their own. You can also try making a homemade spray of jalapeno pepper, yellow onion, and cayenne pepper—believe it or not, skunks are sensitive to these smells, so if you spray this around the den or in hard-to-reach places around your property, most skunks will take the hint and leave. 

When it comes to keeping birds from doing their business on your porch rails, you have several DIY options and home remedies you can try: 

• Tie a fishing line from one end of the deck post to the other. Birds won’t be able to see the line across the railing, so they can’t land on it.  

• Hang wind chimes close by, which may scare birds away. 

• Apply a bird gel repellent to the railings, which contains smells that birds generally don’t like. Or, similarly, you can apply citronella or lemon oil around the railings, since birds don’t like strong smells.

Any tree that emits a sap or resin can attract yellow jackets. They are particularly attracted to the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), which emits a sweet sap that both yellow jackets and spotted lanternflies love.

Summer is the best time of year to treat chinch bugs. Check the instructions on the treatment method or consult a pest control pro for timing recommendations. You want to wait for chinch bugs to have a chance at coming out of hibernation and move around, but not too long that they start doing damage. Aim for around mid to late spring for most chinch treatments.