Raccoons have a lot of traits and characteristics to admire. After all, they are intelligent, curious, nimble critters with fluffy fur coats and brilliantly striped tails. And their babies are extraordinarily adorable! Although admirable and cute, raccoons have been given a bad reputation for disturbing residential and urban neighborhoods. It is not their fault though; overdevelopment and increasing property clearing has forced several species of wildlife out of their natural habitats, leaving them with only one option: foraging for food and searching for shelter among our properties.
Even though it is not the animal’s fault that they are trespassing and invading our residential and commercial properties, they do cause trouble and destruction. For this reason, people are not happy about having raccoons on their property under any circumstance. But can raccoons be beneficial to us at all? Much like bats controlling mosquito populations and garter snakes controlling rodents? Or are raccoons only a blight to our neighborhoods and properties? Continue reading to learn more and find out!
Raccoons as Pests
Raccoons are considered nuisance wildlife and pests because they are known carriers of infectious diseases that can be dangerous for humans and pets. They also cause structural and landscaping damage that can be costly and tedious to repair. But are raccoons a beneficial asset to us at any angle? Yes perhaps; but do those advantages outweigh their potential to cause danger and damage? Probably not.
Raccoons as Assets
Raccoons do offer one advantage to our yards. They are a fantastic pest control system for gardens and plants. Although raccoons in multiple numbers is a problem that should be addressed right away, one raccoon may be helpful in ridding your landscape of pesky insects, rodents, and more that destroy your fruits and vegetables. Raccoons eat small rodents like mice and rats, as well as, insects, wasp larvae, and more. By planting foods that raccoons do not like, you can have a pest-free garden, undisturbed by wild raccoons. This includes hot peppers, cucumbers, mint, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, Goji berries, and anything in the squash family.
Raccoons on Your Property
If you have a raccoon problem on your property, contact a local wildlife removal and control company to have them safely and humanely removed. If you suspect you might have raccoons in the attic, call a professional service immediately to avoid further damages and costly repairs. A licensed company will retain the proper tools, training, and resources to effectively eliminate a raccoon problem before it gets too out of hand. Some companies even offer minor attic restorations and repairs caused by raccoon damage.