Wildlife Nuisance and Damage
As human populations expand, people and wildlife are more likely to come into contact with the potential for nuisance and damage problems. On this page, you will find resources and tips for reducing human-wildlife conflicts.
Wildlife Nuisance and Damage
Wildlife management involves protecting, enhancing, and nurturing wildlife populations and the habitat needed for their well-being. However, there are times when certain species require management of a different kind, in order to reduce conflicts with people or with other wildlife species.
Wildlife can cause a variety of problems. Pests, such as cockroaches and rodents, can cause asthma and allergies. Rabies is a viral disease that can be carried and spread by a variety of animals.
The first step in effective wildlife nuisance control is to understand what species is causing the problem. Early observation equals easier control. Some of the most common wildlife nuisance species include:
- Deer: Deer can cause damage to fruit plantings year-round, but most damage occurs when natural food is limited in the winter.
- Moles: Often confused with voles and shrews, moles play a beneficial role in the management of soil and the control of undesirable grubs and insects. However, some homeowners object to the molehills and shallow tunnels they create.
- Voles: Voles have been known to cause extensive damage to orchards, ornamentals, and tree plantings.
- Mice: Mice can be a problem when they get into your home, but they can also be a problem in a greenhouse. They are known to uncover and feed on seeds and very small seedlings.
- Rabbits: Rabbits can feed on plants in your orchard, or damage woody plants by gnawing bark or clipping off branches, stems, and buds.
- Woodchuck: Also known as the groundhog, this widely distributed mammal often causes extensive damage to crops such as alfalfa, soybeans, beans, squash, tomatoes, and peas.
- Chipmunks: Chipmunks typically inhabit woodlands but they can cause structural damage by burrowing under patios, stairs, foundations, or retention walls.
- Bats: Bats and humans come into conflict when a lone bat flies into a building or when a maternity colony roosts in a building.
- Tree squirrels: When tree squirrels find their way into buildings they can damage walls, insulation, and electrical wires. Squirrels have also been known to raid bird feeders.
- Woodpeckers: Woodpeckers primarily peck into trees looking for food. However, wooden houses in forested suburbs or in rural, wooded countryside are also apt to suffer damage. Woodpeckers have been found making holes in cedar siding.
- Skunks: Skunks become a problem when they come into contact with pets or set up their dens close to human dwellings. Being sprayed by a skunk is not very pleasant.
- Snakes: They rarely cause actual damage, but are often considered a nuisance when found in or around buildings.
- Hawks: These birds of prey can become a problem when hanging around bird feeders waiting to hunt smaller birds that visit.
Wildlife Control
In Pennsylvania, landowners have a right to control nuisance wildlife. A small amount of damage can be tolerated, but when the damage is significant wildlife control becomes necessary. There are, however, guidelines that must be followed. These are enforced by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Various methods can be used to control particular species. Options include habitat modification, frightening, repellents, toxicants, fumigants, kill trapping and live capture, or shooting. The most effective approach is an integrated pest management strategy.
Effective management of deer begins by anticipating the extent of damage by regularly monitoring deer signs and responding with control methods such as repellents or fencing. Deer populations can also be managed through regulated hunting. In public areas, deer can be controlled with "deer-resistant" plants.
Voles can become a problem in orchards when girdling seedlings and trees and damaging roots. Control methods include the use of guards, hardware cloth, or mesh screening. Exposing voles to predators by maintaining a lawn or brush height of less than three inches is also very effective.
When stinging insects such as paper wasps and yellowjackets start nesting it’s best to treat the nest before it gets too big. You can use a ready-to-use insecticide with pyrethrin or a pyrethroid active ingredient.
Large numbers of birds can become a problem when they cause damage and unsanitary working conditions. They can consume and contaminate food and water and potentially transmit diseases to livestock and poultry when nesting around farm buildings.
Urban crows become a problem when their roosts can number to hundreds of thousands of birds. Introduce an effective crow management plan to move them away to an area where they will pose less of a problem.
Fish-eating birds can cause havoc at aquaculture facilities. Birds such as the American crow and American robin, European starling, common grackle, house finch, and house sparrow can cause damage in small orchards.
- Webinars
A Squeal for Help: Preventing Feral Hog Invasions
Length 1 hour, 15 minutesJoin our webinar on tackling feral hog invasions, designed for foresters, landowners, biologists, and more. Learn prevention, human impact, and effective response strategies. - Articles
Rabies
Background about this viral disease and what animals are likely to carry and spread rabies. - Articles
White-tailed Deer in Home Fruit Plantings
Deer are most active during early morning and evening hours. They can have a home range of several square miles, but this varies with season, habitat, sex, and even individual characteristics. - Articles
German Yellowjackets
The German yellowjacket is an invasive (non-native) species that will aggressively defend its nest and can sting repeatedly. - Articles
Getting Rid of Paper Wasps and Yellow Jackets
As summer heats up, colonies of stinging insects that started as just a little nest under a roof eave have grown into a nest that you might consider removing. - Articles
Controlling Wildlife Damage in Home Gardens
In most cases, growers can tolerate a little damage from wildlife, but sometimes measures should be taken to control wildlife damage. - Articles
Ticked Off About Ticks
In 2022, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran an article that stated Pennsylvania has the most cases of Lyme Disease in the United States. - Articles
Damage from Moles
Our lawn appears to have lots of damage from moles. What do moles feed on and how can we get rid of them? - Articles
Identifying Moles, Voles and Shrews
What is the difference between a mole, a vole and a shrew? - Articles
Ornamentals and Deer: Realities and Landscape Plant Options
There is much frustration toward the prevalence of deer and the damage they cause. - Articles
Sprayed by a Skunk
My dog was sprayed in the face by a skunk. She smells terrible. How can I get rid of the smell? - Articles
Bats in the House in Winter
We found a bat in our house in winter. What type of a bat is it and what should we do? - Articles
Woodpeckers Making Holes in Cedar Siding
We have woodpeckers making holes in our cedar siding. They pound away until they have a nice round hole or several of them. The damage is becoming considerable. - Articles
Timing for Excluding Bats
We have a group of bats living in our attic and would like to bat proof the house, but don't want to seal bats in. What is the best time for excluding bats? - Articles
Squirrels and Bird Feeders
Help, squirrels are getting more food at my bird-feeder than the birds are? I don't want to feed squirrels, what can I do? - Articles
House Finch Conjunctivitis
How to detect conjunctivitis in birds, which birds are affected, effects, and how to prevent the spread of the disease. - Articles
Hawks Hanging Around Bird Feeders
I have a hawk hanging around my feeder. Not only does he catch birds but now the other birds are avoiding my feeder. What should I do? - Articles
Pond Fisheries Management
Discover some simple methods for fisheries management, including strategies to resolve common fish problems. - Articles
Bird Continually Hitting Window
I have a bird that is continually hitting my window. Why is it doing this and what can I do to stop it? - Articles
Landowner's Guide to Wildlife Control and Prevention Laws in Pennsylvania
PA Landowner's rights to control nuisance wildlife. - Articles
Managing Urban Crow Roosts in Pennsylvania and the Northeast
Overview of crow behavior, explaining the annual roosting cycle and what you can expect. - Articles
Moles
Moles play a beneficial role in the management of soil and the control of undesirable grubs and insects, but homeowners may object to molehills and the shallow tunnels moles create. - Articles
Bats
Bat biology, how to handle a single bat flying into a house or a bat colony in a house, bat-proofing techniques, legal status, and public health concerns. - Articles
Cottontail Rabbits
Rabbit biology and control methods, including exclusion, repellents, live trapping, habitat modification, toxicants, and shooting. - Articles
Voles
Learn about vole biology, food habits, damage caused by voles, and damage control methods.