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You have worked endless hours tilling, weeding and digging creating a beautiful yard and garden only to wake up one morning and discover something have been using your garden as its midnight buffet. Our first instinct is to turn into Mr.McGregor, that troubled angry gardener from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and stalk the prey with a rake.

The best thing to do however, is to take a step back and figure out what exactly is eating your flowers and vegetables. If you have ruled out birds and deer  most likely you have a small pest problem. Smaller chewing animals are much harder to deter from the garden then large wildlife pest such as deer.

Small animals can chew, push or dig under most conventional fencing making your deer and white picket fence useless in defending your garden. The main offenders’ rabbits, groundhogs, possums, armadillos and raccoons will all wreck havoc in the garden. Lucky for us there are a few solutions to keep those pesky critters from your garden for good.

For smaller gardens, individual beds or plants motion activated repellers and liquid repellents can be used with great success. However, if dealing with an entire yard or larger garden installing a rodent barrier fence is your best solution for dealing with small chewing wildlife.

Rodent barrier fencing generally measures between 2-3 feet in height and can be installed as a standalone fence or in conjuncture with a standard or deer fencing system. Rodent barrier is different from other types of fencing since it has a hexagonal mesh with holes as small as 1” and is constructed of galvanized steel. The galvanized steel makes it almost impossible for rabbits and other chewing animals from breaking though the fencing.

The installation of a rodent barrier fence also contributes to its unique defense system against small wildlife. Traditional fencing sits flush or just above ground level, which allows groundhogs, opossums and other wildlife to scoot under the fencing and into your prized garden. The rodent barrier is designed to flare out and skirt the ground creating an additional obstacle for the animals. The fencing is then staked into the ground creating a dig proof area around the fence line.

Rodent barrier is easy quick and easy to attach to existing fencing using hog rings and zip ties. A 20×20 garden should only take approximately 1.5 hour to completely install making it a great weekday project. With the proper planning and tools you can save your garden this season and keep yourself from becoming the Mr. McGregor of the neighborhood.

Below is a helpful video on how to install Rodent Barrier Fencing

For more information on rodent barrier fencing or any wildlife control issue visit Deerbusters.com or email DrDeer@Deerbusters.com.

by Teresa Odle

It’s the most common illness caused by arthropods (basically, crawling insects), yet some cases of Lyme disease are not diagnosed; only 150,000 total cases have been reported to the CDC since 1982.

Deer Ticks can be found almost anywhere but be especially alert in leaves and tall grass

Bites from infected deer ticks cause Lyme disease through an infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The reason for its common name is that the disease was first recognized in a town in Connecticut called Lyme in 1975. It’s still most common in the Northeast but is slowly spreading west. Cases also have been reported along the West coast.

Diagnosing Lyme disease can be tough because the symptoms can spread throughout the body and mimic other diseases and conditions. But here are a few to watch for, especially if you’ve come in contact with a deer tick:

• Chills and fever.
• Fatigue.
• Joint and muscle pain.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Headache.
• A telltale sign of Lyme disease may be a circular rash that appears one day to one month after the tick bite. It may itch and have red splotches. The center may clear up so that the rash takes on a target-like appearance.

As Lyme disease progresses, it can cause numbness or tingling in arms and legs, a sore throat, severe fatigue, a higher fever and abnormal pulse. If not treated, Lyme disease can disable a person by causing pain and swelling that makes joints virtually immobile and neurological problems like confusion and short-term memory loss. Certain antibiotics can treat the disease if it’s caught early.

The ticks that spread Lyme disease are much smaller than common dog or cattle ticks, so many people may not know they’ve been bitten. Lyme disease usually occurs in the spring or summer, when nymph ticks are feeding, but the symptoms may not appear until later. Avoiding areas where there are ticks, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts that are light colored can help prevent tick bites.

Using tick and insect repellants that contain DEET or permethrin also helps to prevent tick bites. Experts recommend aerosol spray and light use on children; adults and children should avoid use on their hands and faces.

If you do get bitten, remove the tick as soon as possible. Use a pair of tweezers or this handy tick nipper removal tool to be sure to grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they’re attached to your skin. Don’t grab the tick’s body. Pull firmly and steadily. And contrary to popular belief, there is no need to irritate the tick first with a hot match or alcohol to get it to back out.

New Methods for Preventing Lyme Disease

With symptoms ranging from fever, headaches and fatigue to damaging infections of the joints, heart and nervous system, Lyme disease is a significant health concern.

Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi which is transmitted to humans and animals through tick bites. “Although many tick species can transmit Lyme disease, deer ticks are primary carriers in the United States,” says Jason Wiles, wildlife control expert and general manager of DeerBusters.com.

White-tailed deer are the favorite hosts of deer ticks. In the warm summer months, when deer become extremely active, deer ticks thrive. As deer enter backyards in search of food, deer ticks and Lyme disease follow.

According to Wiles, “deer fencing is the most effective means for excluding deer.” Wiles adds that “animal repellents, which deter deer using odors and chemicals, and animal scaring devices, which deter deer using sounds, can be satisfactory alternatives when deer fencing is not feasible.”

According to the National Center for Biological Information, a division of the National Institute of Health, the use of deer fencing has been proven to reduce the risk of Lyme disease by 83-97% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Without deer entering the area surrounding your home, new deer ticks become limited and eventually, existing deer ticks become scarce.

When choosing a method for deer control, factors to consider include environmental impact, cost, value, safety, aesthetics and practicality. “Deer fencing is available in a variety of sizes, styles and prices and can be judged by its strength (or breaking load), warranty, ease of installation and the aesthetics of its design,” explains Wiles. “Virtually invisible deer fencing, for example, can be highly effective without disrupting the look of surrounding property.

According to Wiles, “non-toxic, organic deer repellents can be an excellent alternative to harsh chemical repellents. In addition to the environmental benefits, organic repellents can be safer for children and pets.”

By protecting your living area from deer, you may reduce your risk of Lyme disease by as much as 97%. For additional information on deer control products, visit wildlife control retailer DeerBusters at: http://www.deerbusters.com.