Coexisting with nature in urban settings

Suburbanites forget they colonized land that was once the exclusive domain of insects and wildlife. Some have a genocidal attitude about living creatures entering or passing through outdoor spaces.

Coyote at Palletta/McNichol Mansion Photo credit: Doreen Nicoll

Suburbanites tend to forget they have colonized land that was once the exclusive domain of micro-organisms, insects, wildlife, plants and trees.

Those same suburbanites often take a genocidal stance when it comes to living creatures they don’t want entering, or even passing through, their private outdoor space.

Let’s take a look at how this attitude of superiority and exclusion is imperiling our ability to feed ourselves and contributing to extinctions.

Solitary bees are important pollinators

Ask someone to name a type of bee and most people will invariably answer honey bees.

Although honey bees provide an important source of natural sugar, these non-native pollinators were brought to Canada in the 1600’s from Europe. Honey bees have adapted so well to their new environment that they often out compete native species for food.

Another species of bee that many people can identify is the Bumblebee which also lives in colonies and produces honey. Their hives lay underground often in abandoned rodent holes.

Yet, few people know that Canada is also home to over 800 species of wild bees -- 400 of which can be found in Ontario. In fact, the average urban backyard can have over 50 species of bees in it -- most of which are solitary bees.

Solitary bees are found in gardens, parks and urban areas. They live alone, don’t produce honey and have no queen.

Solitary bees are a major pollinator of the fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers Ontarians enjoy. However, habitat loss, climate change and pesticide use – particularly neonticotinoid pesticides which are toxic to bees and inhibit reproduction -- are putting solitary bees at risk. 

Mason bees, leaf-cutter bees and cellophane bees are solitary bees that rely on pollinator-friendly wildflowers that bloom from spring until well into the fall providing the fuel bees will need to make it through their winter hibernation.

Solitary bees build their nests in ground tunnels, or small holes in dead trees, pieces of wood, or hollow stems. So, leave garden debris, including dried leaves and twigs, in the garden until the spring when daytime temperatures consistently reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit/10 degrees Celsius.

Avoid mulching your garden and around trees because those cocoa bean hulls and wood chips keep ground-nesting insects like wild bees and butterflies from accessing the ground.

And, if you don’t live in Burlington, ON where bee houses are prohibited, then consider adding one or two to your native garden to make easier for bees to safely overwinter.

For more on native bees check out the Halton Region Masters Gardeners site.

Skunks are a homeowners’ friend

Skunks are actually a homeowners’ friend. Skunks are omnivores who love eating insects, grubs, mice, moles and even baby rats making for a healthier yard – although there may be a few divots from mining for grubs.

In urban settings skunks will also forage for fruits and nuts, eggs, carrion, and garbage.

Skunks like to burrow so in the suburbs that means that they can be found sleeping most days under decks, sheds, gazebos, porches, or in culverts – not in naturalized gardens which offer much less protection from the elements and predators.

If you do find that a skunk has built its den under one of your structures, it’s important to know that you should never try to evict a skunk between May and July because that’s when baby skunks, or kits, are born. Young skunks aren’t ready to launch until they are between six and eight weeks old.

Winter is also a terrible time to force a skunk from its den because it’s difficult to find food or shelter and most skunks will die.

The ideal time to discourage a skunk from living under a structure is late summer to early fall. But remember, it is illegal in Ontario to trap and relocate animals according to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and misuse of a live trap causing suffering could lead to animal cruelty charges.

Wildlife-proofing is really the only long-term, preventative and humane solution. That means using light and noise as deterrents and then blocking the den entrance once you are sure the skunk – and any young – are out.  

It’s also important to remove whatever was attracting the skunk to your property and block the entrance to the den including below ground level otherwise another skunk will simply move in and take up residence.

Keep in mind that skunks really don’t like confrontations and will give you several clues and many chances to move away before they spray.

When a skunk feels threatened it will stamp its foot. If that doesn’t scare off the perceived threat then it will stamp both front feet alternating one and the other and they may throw in a growl. That will escalate to a raised tail. And, if the perceived, or real, predator still doesn’t move away the skunk will launch into a full-blown hand-stand, also known as the skunk dance, that not only makes it look much larger and more menacing, but also lets the skunk aim its sulphur-based spray at the attackers eyes.

So, here’s a helpful hint folks – when you see a skunk stamping one or both feet, take that as a sign to get your dog and yourself out of the way. If, on the other hand, you are able to tell your buddies the next day that you saw the skunk actually do a handstand and you and your pet still didn’t run for it – well, then, hell mend ye!

And, if you let your dog into the backyard at the same time each night and your pet comes back smelling of skunk, then, it’s time to take your dog for a walk out front. It’s also time to see whether the skunk is living under your deck, shed, or gazebo or maybe visiting your yard as part of its nightly routine searching of food in which case don’t let your dog out back at that time.

For more helpful information on living with skunks click here.

Opossums are a tick’s worst enemy

Most nights when I sit on my back patio, I get to enjoy what I call the dance of the nocturnals. First the skunk comes under the gate and walks beneath the chair I’m sitting on before leaving via the gate on the opposite side of the yard. Then, the racoon and any babies she may have run along the top of the back fence. Later, the opossum climbs down the tree stump in the back corner and that’s how I know it’s time to go in.

About the size of a house cat, opossums are marsupials which means they’re mammals that birth live young that are carried in a stomach pouch just like a kangaroo.

Opossums are mostly nocturnal and fabulous climbers that like to den on the ground in piles of brush and wood or under decks and other structures.

These omnivores are very beneficial because they cause very little damage while consuming undesirable insects including ticks, snails and slugs as well as mice, rats and snakes. They’re also excellent groundskeepers cleaning up fallen overripe fruit and dead animals.

When frightened opossums tend to flee. If that’s impossible, they’ll bare their teeth and hiss. If they still feel threatened, their final strategy is to just ‘play possum’ – pretend to be dead until the threat passes.

We also owe opossums a debt of gratitude because they are able to withstand upwards of 80 rattlesnake or coral snake bits and that’s the reason we have an antidote to poisonous snake venom.

Cohabitating with coyotes

Urban sprawl has forced coyotes to coexist with humans and domestic animals. This cohabitation can be harmonious if everyone involved follows a few simple guidelines.

Coyote pubs born in early April will be fully grown by fall. However, they’re still really teenagers without the benefit of life experience.

December is typically the month that one and two-year-old coyotes move out on their own finding a life-long mate and establishing a home.

Coyotes are very social yet territorial because survival depends on access to an abundance of small animals like rabbits, rodents and groundhogs. Coyotes will also eat carrion.

If you don’t want the local coyote roaming your property be sure to remove bird feeders because dropped seeds attract nocturnal rodents that coyotes loves to eat.

Store garbage and compost in containers with wildlife-proof lids or in the garage.

Never put food out for coyotes because that will train them to show up to the same spot at the same time every day. If the food suddenly stops that’s when these canines become aggressive and begin approaching people, even nipping their hands, hoping to get fed.

Coyote’s instinctively know to avoid confrontations with humans. It’s only when they have been conditioned through routine feeding that a coyote’s healthy human boundary becomes blurred.

Instead, if you see a hungry looking coyote, leave it alone and eventually they’ll move to an area with more natural food sources.

Mid-February is when coyotes mate and enter the denning season.

When pups arrive in April, they’ll stay in the den for five weeks until they’re weaned onto soft foods.

Negative human-coyote interactions can happen during any of these seasonal milestones if coyote feels their territory, den, or pups are threatened.

The best thing to do is to keep pets on a leash and respect coyote’s personal space especially during the denning season.

If you do come face to face with a coyote, pick up any small children or pets and walk backwards away from the coyote maintaining eye contact. Never turn your back on them.

Humane hazing can be used to help a coyote realize that your yard is not a place they want to stick around. It’s important to be consistent and use this method every time you see a coyote on your property.

You’ll want to appear large while making a loud noise that is unfamiliar to coyote. That could be banging pots and pans, shaking a pop can filled with small rocks or coins, opening and closing an umbrella or snapping a garbage bag open several times creating a weird sound and strange movement unfamiliar to coyote.

Throwing sticks or small rocks towards a coyote will scare them off. But never try to hit the coyote because then it will defend itself.

It’s also important to never haze a coyote that’s sick, injured, with pups or near its den. Instead, leave the area while maintaining eye contact.

If you see a sick or injured coyote, call your local humane society. Humane societies will attend to sick and injured coyotes and may bring them to a licensed rehabilitator for rehabilitation. However, it’s important to know that coyotes are never relocated.

Make your yard safe for birds of prey

One last thought about keeping your suburban property welcoming to the critters who made this land their home before you arrived. If you put out poison to keep mice from getting into your house or rats from roaming your yard, then you may inadvertently poison predators including owls, hawks, falcons and blue jays.

Instead, find out where the mice are getting in and make the necessary repairs to block them out. Remove piles of wood and debris, check bar-b-ques and outdoor kitchens as well as under outdoor structures, decks and compost bins to make it harder for rats and mice to access these spaces.

If rodents are over running your yard try a rat zapper that kills them in a more humane way using a jolt of electricity and protects birds of prey from becoming collateral damage from poisoning.