Many households have at least one household member that is an animal. Whether that animal has feathers, fur or scales, those animals have a place inside your home. It's one thing to allow an animal to become a household pet; however, it's different when an unwanted animal starts residing in your home without your permission. Animals can be sneaky little creatures. The size of a hole will vary depending on the type of animal. Raccoons, for instance, can fit through a four inch hole. If the head gets through, then the body will follow. Squirrels can fit into a hole the size of a quarter and a mouse can fit in a 7mm hole which looks like the size of a ball point pen. Think about it, the hole

Know the law. Protect yourself from steep fines. Contact Elite Wildlife Removal for remediation and legal removal of bats. 804.867.7184 Bats provide benefits to humans that include controlling agricultural pest populations, pollinating plants and distributing seeds. Bats help control mosquito populations, consuming up to 600 in an hour. Occasionally, bats might find their way into your home or nest on your property. Handling of bat species is governed under state law in Virginia, which you should familiarize yourself with if you have a bat problem on your property. Bats of Virginia Of the 15 species of bat in Virginia, three are classified as endangered or threatened under state and federal

While scrolling through Facebook, I saw a post by the Birding News which was dated on February 27th, 2019 that read, "Bald Eagle Trio Paired for Life?". The article was about the story of three bald eagles nesting at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge near Fulton, IL. Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge installed a nest camera and this is what they recorded. In the article two bald eagle dads and one bald eagle mom share the responsibilities for their eggs. It all started in 2012 where two male bald eagles both courted one female bald eagle but all three shared the incubation, feed, and protection of their young. All three remained together until 2017 where the n

It finally has arrived!! The first day of Spring in 2019. Spring is the season where the trees start to re-bloom, flowers start to grow and bloom, the temperatures start to get warmer, and many wildlife animals give birth. But, how is the first day of Spring determined? The first day of spring falls either on March 19th, 20th or 21st of each year which is known as the spring equinox, also called the March or vernal equinox. This event marks the astronomical first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring has been celebrated throughout history as a time of spiritual rebirth following the "dying of the year" in winter. The sun crosses the celestial equator from the south to north. The

Did you know... a raccoon's hand looks like human's. They have five fingers and use their hands to collect food, open shells, door or trash cans. Did you know raccoons are strong and determined animals in which they can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home? Raccoons are strong enough to rip apart the siding of your home, tear apart ducts, chew on wires, and play peek-a-boo with your installation. These nuisance pests look for any easy access into your home where they will make their nest. These are extremely smart and have learned that buildings with garbage cans or dumpsters are great locations to live for their adequate food source. Raccoons start to breed in late January to

We all need to breathe. For any living being there must be air that is inhaled to the lungs and then exhaled out. A normal respiratory rate for a human adult is just 12 breaths per minute while resting. That's 17,280 breaths taken in a 24 hour day just by resting. The respiratory rate will increase depending on the current activity at that time, so the number of breaths taken within a 24 hour day will increase. Our lungs are effected by certain factors that we breathe. The name of some factors include air pollution, cigarette smoke, animal feces and urine, animal dander, pollen, and more. Wildlife animals play a big part in how we can breathe while inside our home. Unfortunately, there are m

I recently came across a post on Facebook showing how old mascara wands are used to remove fly eggs and larva from the fur of wild animals. After reading the article, it got me thinking what other everyday tools we take for granted that can also be used for help wildlife animals. Here are some of the tools that can be used. Mascara Wand Wands are used to remove fly eggs and larva from baby animals. Since the wildlife animals are so small, the wants are the perfect size for their bristles are close together. A nonprofit organization called Appalachian Wildlife Refuge rescues and rehabilitate injured and orphaned wildlife. Here's how to rid of those dried up wands and also help wildlife animal

Birds have so many beautiful colors. Birds watches like to spy upon birds due to those colors. My grandmother had a huge birdhouse in the back of her yard so that she can stand at her back window to watch them. Birds were not the only animal that visited that bird feeder though. Even though birds are awesome creatures to watch, they are among being a pest toward homeowners. There are bad ideas on why not to feed birds near your home. Birds can settle in an area and become dependent on a feeder but if something happens to the feeder the bird will not survive. Another bad idea is that the feeder can attract unwanted animals. Those animals can attract other animals which can start a chain react

As I was on my way to work today, I passed five dead skunks. The vile smell penetrated my car and it reminded me of the 1972 song by Loudon Wainwright III - Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road. Who remembers this song? It is mating season for skunks and they are out and about - as you can tell by their smell. While I cringe passing them on the road, I fear that a skunk will take up residence under my porch or deck since this is usually the time homeowners start to come in contact with these animals. As the temperature starts to warm up from the winter cold, skunks start to roam around to breed in early spring. They have a distinct smell and striped fur that gives away their identity. Female

The days are starting to get warmer. Trees and shrubs are starting to turn green with new growth. Soon, flowers will be breaking soil; therefore, will start to bud. Birds will be chirping and wildlife animals will be venturing away from their winter beds more. This is the time of season where many wildlife animals will start to produce young. Birds Many birds lay eggs in the spring; however, depending on the type of bird, some can begin as early as winter, some late summer and others year round. There are many factors that can affect birds laying such as day length, temperature, or food source. These factors can change the time frame of egg laying as well. Birds will locate an area to build