Controlling The Pests In Kingston

While those in rural areas are  concerned with whether the

new Government will scrap the fox hunting ban,  many people  in

Kingston are more concerned with the foxes and other wild creatures that

are closer to home.

Conversations

with friends, neighbours and online has revealed that lots of people

dislike some of the wildlife that are on our doorstep. 

It is a dirty secret that many people won't talk about until they found that you see them as a pest also. The wildlife

that people in Kingston complain about is the urban red fox and grey

squirrel.

The foxes are disliked by those who find their

gardens  used as a playground at night.  They are known for making

gardening tools, gloves and shoes disappear which is annoying if you

leave your muddy items on the doorstep.  If you are lucky you may receive back your missing item a few days later with a strong scent of fox and teeth marks in it.

Foxes also disturb people's sleep with

their loud cries, are blamed for ripping bin bags, digging up lawns and

also defecating on them. The last of which is the most distressing to

those with young children.

There as my neighbours and I find the

squirrels cause the most destruction.  They have been caught digging up plants,  biting the

heads of flowers, crawling into our sheds to cause destruction (with some

dying in the process), eating from bird feeders and ripping open bin bags.  On one occasion a neighbour of mine had to chase a

grey squirrel out of his kitchen that had climbed in through small open window. 

Though this wasn't as dangerous as the family of squirrels a friend

found living in his loft space where they were happily chewing the

electric cables.

While I've taken advice from people to decrease

squirrel damage which includes sprinkling chili powder on plants,

planting bulbs under chicken wire and tending to plant highly scented

plants I've still not found a way to prevent fox damage. So if you

know of a way to deter foxes from gardens please tell me.

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