Spring seems like the season of love, but canoodling comes earlier for a handful of furry critters prominent on the south coast of B.C.

Squirrels, raccoons and skunks are all looking for love, which means a bunch of noise, followed by nesting.

Mating season is February through March so all three species are on the hunt for a mate. Squirrels in particular get real chatty, says Trine From, Fraser Valley branch manager for pest control company Orkin Canada.

The females send out a pheromone that brings all the boys to the yard, and itB次元官网网址檒l draw them from kilometres away, From said.

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Then the males compete for the female attention. The chittering can get noisy.

While desire to mate brings them out, the next phase B次元官网网址� nesting B次元官网网址� is where pest control comes in.

B次元官网网址淥nce mating season is over they disperse,B次元官网网址� From said. B次元官网网址淪ame for raccoons, IB次元官网网址檝e even seen them in my yard digging up my entire yard, same with the skunks.B次元官网网址�

TheyB次元官网网址檙e looking for a place to have their young, and once they get in itB次元官网网址檚 noisy, messy and stinky.

None of the species are great tenants, From said.

B次元官网网址淥nce theyB次元官网网址檙e in there and having their babies, we canB次元官网网址檛 get them back out again until the babies are strong enough or have gone,B次元官网网址� she said.

When pressed, sheB次元官网网址檇 say the squirrels are the worst. Any of them will get into an attic, or under a shed, but squirrels can get into tiny spaces or even set up house in a chimney.

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Once inside they make a stink and a mess and residents will hear them fighting and chewing on things.

Pest control canB次元官网网址檛 remove them until the young are grown enough or gone. They can remove the critters if they pose a danger to humans.

Once removed, theyB次元官网网址檙e relocated.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 in our best interest to release them on the property we get them from. In the environment theyB次元官网网址檙e familiar with,B次元官网网址� From said. If itB次元官网网址檚 a raccoon deemed vicious or a skunk that keeps spraying, theyB次元官网网址檒l venture out 10 kilometres to release the animal.

Trapping can involve a one-way door installed where they gained entry, so the critters can leave but canB次元官网网址檛 get back into their makeshift den. There are other live traps used, with skunks getting their own special setup.

B次元官网网址淵ou have to use special traps to capture them, because if you catch them in a regular say raccoon trap then a skunk is going to lift its tail and release those glands,B次元官网网址� From said, noting technicians have been nailed in the past. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e cute but they stink.B次元官网网址�

Residents can try and avoid the situation altogether by B次元官网网址渆xcludingB次元官网网址� wildlife.

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B次元官网网址淎nywhere thereB次元官网网址檚 shelter and itB次元官网网址檚 vaguely warm theyB次元官网网址檙e going to get in there,B次元官网网址� From said, suggesting any hole larger than a dime should be sealed to eliminate mice and more.

The first line of defence is sealing every hole, but not using spray foam.

B次元官网网址淎ny pest that want to get into your home or shed will just chew through that spray foam and use it as nesting material.B次元官网网址�

Similarly, simply sealing a hole under a shed wonB次元官网网址檛 work.

B次元官网网址淚f you have a shed and the raccoons are under there, once you know for sure theyB次元官网网址檙e gone, just sealing the hole they made isnB次元官网网址檛 going to help you,B次元官网网址� the Orkin official explained. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l just dig under.B次元官网网址�

To remedy it, dig down two feet and install wire fencing around the perimeter.

From recommends a similar solution for beavers B次元官网网址� except above ground. Orkin is called frequently for beavers taking down trees and the solution in that case is four feet of half-inch or quarter-inch mesh around the base of the trees.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 something we offer, or if people want (they can) do it themselves,B次元官网网址� she said.

As El Nino winter brings some unseasonably warm weather, From also reminds residents to use screen doors.

Raccoons in particular will just waltz right through an open door.