Q: What is the best time of day to trap a groundhog?

• <div><p>You&rsquo;ll find groundhogs are most active during the morning hours and late afternoon, but they want to avoid humans at all costs. If you do set a trap, you can set it out the night before so it&rsquo;s waiting on them the next morning, and try to remove any human scent when setting it out.</p></div>

Question 1

What is the best time of day to trap a groundhog?

Accepted Answer

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You’ll find groundhogs are most active during the morning hours and late afternoon, but they want to avoid humans at all costs. If you do set a trap, you can set it out the night before so it’s waiting on them the next morning, and try to remove any human scent when setting it out.

Question 2

Are snake repellents safe to use?

Accepted Answer

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Some snake repellents are risky to use around people and pets because they use the active ingredient in mothballs, naphthalene. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified naphthalene as a carcinogen that can cause damage to the liver, neurological issues, and cataracts.

The Colorado State University Extension suggests there’s not enough conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of snake repellents to recommend their use.

Question 3

Do pest-repellent plants repel all insects and animals?

Accepted Answer

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No, pest-repellent plants can only reduce the number of pests in your garden—they won’t repel all of them. So, for example, a plant like catnip that repels mosquitoes won’t completely eradicate them from your yard.

Question 4

What eco-friendly pest control solutions do professionals offer?

Accepted Answer

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Yes, many professionals offer eco-friendly pest control solutions. These services often use non-toxic and environmentally safe products and integrate green practices to ensure effective pest management with minimal environmental impact.

Question 5

What makes skunks so smelly?

Accepted Answer

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Skunks spray as a defense mechanism to ward off predators. The active ingredient in their sulfurous, oily musk is n-butyl mercaptan, which evaporates into a powerful and smelly gas. Once the spray hits the skunk’s target, the stench can linger for days, and water and common cleaning kits aren’t enough to wash it away.

If you happen upon a skunk in your yard, try to back away slowly to reduce the chance of them aiming at you. Encouragingly, they don’t use their weapon casually, as it can take up to 10 days for their life-saving weaponry to refill. Paw stamping, hissing, lifting their tail, and arching their back are early signs they feel trapped or under threat and that it’s time to make a careful retreat.