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Catch of the Week: Raccoon Damage
May 11, 2018
Spring is the time when raccoons do the most damage to lawns, like they did to this commercial location in the Des Moines metro. Due to the abundant amount of moisture from springtime showers, earthworms and grubs are on the move and exposed for raccoons to snatch. While scavenging for food, raccoons tend to wreak havoc throughout the yard, tearing away sheets of sod and digging in the dirt to find the plentiful supply of insects. Fortunately, we found the critter who did this damage and were able to remove it from the site and send it to a wildlife preserve.
What Do Raccoons Eat?
Besides the insects and grubs they find in the lawn, raccoons will eat a variety of food. During the warmer months these critters will eat almost anything they can get their hands on, including frogs, insects and fish. Fall and winter allows raccoons to snack on berries, vegetables, seeds and nuts.
Raccoons typically get a bad reputation for eating trash because they commonly make their way into homeowners’ garbage bins. They rummage through trash cans to find more food we listed above because oftentimes there will be leftovers that were disposed. The garbage isn’t the only place to find a raccoon - they’re often found in attics, chimneys, trees and under porches.
10 Fun Facts About Raccoons
- Even though raccoons look similar to foxes, they are more closely related to bears.
- Raccoons are thought of as very clever animals and are known to have evolving intelligence and methods of thinking, so they learn from previous experiences.
- These critters can run up to 15 miles per hour on the ground and are also extremely fast when climbing trees.
- Occasionally raccoons will fall out of trees since they scurry around so quickly, but they can drop from around 100 feet and still be unharmed.
- Racoons’ special paws on their feet can rotate 180 degrees to assist in climbing up and down trees head first.
- Their communication is extensive with over 50 types of sounds with various meanings. They mostly vocalize with different hissing, growling, chirping, purring and squeaking sounds.
- These critters have very dexterous toes on their front paws that have similar abilities to a human hand, which is why they’re so skilled at opening the lids off trash cans.
- The word ‘raccoon’ originates from a Proto-Algonquin language and translates very accurately to “one who rubs, scrubs and scratches with its hands”.
- Raccoons are nocturnal and prefer to wander around at night.
- The life expectancy of raccoons in the wild is low (2-3 years) due to the increase in roadkill incidents. However, when kept in captivity, they will live up to 20 years.
Call Preferred Pest Control If You See Raccoon Damage
Our trained pest professionals will remove raccoons and provide other wildlife control services in the Des Moines area. If you’re noticing sounds in your attic or strange activities in your yard, let our pest technicians take care of it! Call Preferred Pest Control today at (515) 415-5550 or schedule an appointment online.
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