Mon 15 Sep 2014
A Closer Look at Sugarcane Rodents and How to Prevent Them
Posted by sugarland
When it comes to crops and pests, we usually think of the six-legged variety. Most pesticides (both chemical and organic) are made with insects and plant-killing bacteria in mind. However, these aren’t the only pests that affect crops in Acadiana and the rest of Louisiana.
With southern Louisiana’s warm, humid climate, rodents and some reptiles can live outside all year round. Rats, mice, and snakes are especially attracted to areas like sugarcane fields because these crops will often be habitats to a number of insects and smaller reptiles that make up their food sources.
mouse
In this southern region of Louisiana, it’s not uncommon to see fields of sugarcane bordering residential neighborhoods. If you live in the Acadiana region, your home is likely not too far away from a habitat that’s rich with creatures that you don’t want to get too close to.
Unfortunately, those rodents and other vermin don’t respect boundaries as well as you might like. While you wouldn’t climb a fence and go traipsing through a sugarcane field, these pests won’t hesitate to migrate onto your property and even into your home if you provide an environment that’s attractive to them. In the fall and winter, especially, some of these rodents might be seeking shelter from the cooler temperatures.
Keeping sugarcane rodents and snakes (some of which are highly venomous) away from your home and family requires making your home and yard untenable for them. Let’s discuss a few ways that you can prevent unwanted sugarcane rodents from setting up camp.
Mow the Lawn Frequently
Mice, rats, and snakes all prefer dark, moist places with lots of food sources. An overgrown lawn is a haven for mosquitoes, gnats, roaches, ants, frogs, toads, lizards, and all kinds of other insects and small animals that serve as food to snakes, rats, and mice.
Something as simple as mowing your lawn frequently and keeping it from becoming overgrown can do a lot in the fight against sugarcane vermin. In fact, there are a few other simple things you can do, without introducing any chemicals into your yard, to significantly reduce the appearance of these rodents and other sugarcane vermin in your yard (and, by default, in your home).
Get Rid of Attractions
Again, the more attractive your yard is to these pests, the more likely they’ll be to encroach on your space. If they never venture into your yard, they won’t find their way into your home, either. To do this, try to eliminate or at least severely limit their food sources. Mice and rats are attracted to pet food, garbage, and birdseed. So, if you feed your pets outside, pick their food bowls up at night. Remove bird feeders or find a way to hang them, such that they are inaccessible to rodents. Replace old garbage cans with new ones with lids that seal tightly.
If you have bushes and shrubbery in your yard, you can discourage rodents and other pests with pebble borders. Make sure you also trim the hedges and trees around your home so that they don’t come in contact with your walls, and inspect your foundation for entryways that snakes can use to get into your home to nest.
Call the Professionals
Finally, if you want to ensure that your yard and home are completely safe against rodent and/or snake infestation from neighboring sugarcane fields, call a professional pest control expert. They’ll be able to give you advice on pest repellents to spray around the perimeter of your yard and what to do if you already have an infestation. If you have snakes, mice, and/or rats invading your yard and home, it’s time to call the professionals at Sugarland Exterminating to access the problem. For more information on our rodent control options, contact us today, (337) 233-3800.
Sources:
http://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/environment/pests/prevention/snake.html