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Unwanted Guests: Evicting Bats From Human Dwellings, Veda Depaepe, Robert H. Schmidt

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Bats are the second largest order of mammals in the world. Their 925 species are found on all continents except Antarctica. Bats are in serious decline world-wide from shrinking habitat, persecution and pesticides. Historically, bats were recognized for consuming insect pests, but only recently has the critical additional importance of bats in pollination and seed dispersal of semi-tropical and tropical plants been recognized. Bats use artificial structures in place of lost natural habitat, resulting in their destruction out of fear and ignorance. The health risk to humans from bats in buildings is extremely low, but where bat removal is necessary, …

Sixteenth Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: Frontmatter & Contents,

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

VERTEBRATE PEST COUNCIL 1994
EXECUTIVE BOARD
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES
SESSION CHAIRPERSONS
CONFERENCE ASSISTANTS
CONTENTS

The Role Of Predators In The Ecology, Epidemiology, And Surveillance Of Plague In The United States, Kenneth L. Gage, John A. Montenieri, Rex E. Thomas

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Predators play important roles in the ecology, epidemiology, and surveillance of plague in the United States. Most predators are accidental hosts of plague and, with the possible exception of grasshopper mice (Onychomys spp.), are not important sources of infection for feeding fleas. However, predators undoubtedly do play an important role in the natural cycle of plague by transporting infected fleas between different populations of plague-susceptible rodents. Predators are known to be at least accidental hosts for 40 of the 50 flea species that have been found to be naturally infected with plague in the U.S. Carnivores, including domestic cats, …

Do Livestock Guarding Dogs Lose Their Effectiveness Over Time?, Jeffrey S. Green, Roger A. Woodruff, William F. Andelt

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Information about the effectiveness of livestock guarding dogs for reducing coyote predation on sheep was gathered from livestock producers in the Animal Damage Control Livestock Guarding Dog Program and in Colorado. Eighty-two percent of the producers contacted reported that the performance of their dogs remained the same or improved during 1993 compared with previous years. Eighteen percent of the producers reported a decrease in their dog's effectiveness, but most still felt the dogs were a benefit to their livestock operation. Most producers who noted a decrease in effectiveness attributed it to an apparent increase in the number of coyotes and/or …

Developing International Trap Standards — A Progress Report, Neal Jotham, Robert L. Phillips

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, formed a technical committee in 1987 to develop an international standard for humane traps. This effort began with the establishment of international Working Groups charged with preparing standards for killing and restraining traps. Capture efficiency, humaneness, injury thresholds, selectivity, testing, and safety are addressed in the standards. A final draft standard could be voted on by ISO member countries by mid-1995.

Assessment Of Toxic Bait Efficacy In Field Trials By Counts Of Burrow Openings, S. Moran, H. Keidar

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

The Levant vole, Microtus guentheri, is a pest of most of the field crops in Israel. It lives in gallery systems, the openings of which are clearly visible, and is active above ground mainly at night. Its activity was assessed by plugging the burrow openings (holes) and, after three nights, counting the number of reopened holes. The efficacy of control by whole wheat toxic baits was determined by counting the number of reopened holes before and after the treatment in random squares. Three chemicals were tested: sodium fluoroacetate, zinc phosphide and brodifacoum. The bait was applied either by hand, …

Pindone For Rabbit Control: Efficacy, Residues And Cost, Peter C. Nelson, Graham J. Hickling

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Toxins are a major component of rabbit control campaigns in New Zealand, with sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) being the primary toxin in use since the 1950s. However, landowners can use 1080 only under the direct supervision of a licensed operator, and rabbit populations in regularly-poisoned areas have become increasingly resistant to this form of control. A new, cost-effective toxin that does not cause persistent residues in livestock is required by landowners who wish to undertake their own rabbit control. Several recent trials have demonstrated the potential of the anticoagulant pindone (2-pivalyl-l,3-indandione) to meet these requirements. In 1992, the New Zealand Pesticides …

Bird Control In New Zealand Using Alpha-Chloralose And Drc1339, Peter C. Nelson

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Horticulturists and the general public in New Zealand are experiencing increasing problems with a number of introduced bird species. This has meant that many people wish to carry out bird control operations themselves to reduce the problems these birds cause. Most of this control will have to be carried out by the growers themselves as there are very few professional bird control personnel in New Zealand. Alpha-chloralose is the only toxin the general public has access to for controlling birds. It is available in a variety of bait forms with a maximum toxic loading of 2% (weight/weight). Registered personnel can …

Potential Repellents To Reduce Damage By Herbivores, Dale L. Nolte, Dan L. Campbell, J. Russell Mason

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Economic losses caused by herbivores and other species that inflict damage by browsing or gnawing are substantial. Because lethal approaches to damage reduction are not always practical or desirable, there is an increase in interest in the development of alternative, non-lethal technologies. Repellents may provide a feasible alternative. Here, we present recent studies of three repellent types: 1) anthranilate derivatives (e.g., methyl anthranilate), 2) predator scents (e.g., coyote urine), and 3) bittering agents (e.g., denatonium saccharide). Anthranilate derivatives and predator odors both appear to be promising repellents. Avoidance of the former substances is based on irritant volatiles, and anthranilates may …

Feral Cat Control In Britain; Developing A Rabies Contingency Strategy, R.J.C. Page, D.H. Bennett

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Feral cat (Felis catus) control is required for reasons of public health, the welfare of cats themselves, and rabies control should an outbreak occur in Britain. A prerequisite to the control of feral cat colonies would be establishing their location. A method for locating colonies was developed and tested in four urban areas with a mean area of 157 sq km. Each area was surveyed on foot and by car to obtain the number and distribution of feral cat colonies. The method involved making inquiries at premises most likely to be frequented by cats ("high risk areas"). Most (94%) …

Active Ingredients In Aphis's Vertebrate Pesticides - Use And Reregistration Status, Craig A. Ramey, Edward W. Schaffer Jr., Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Steven D. Palmateer

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) re-registration process has had an extensive impact on the Animal Damage Control Program administered by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of USDA. Specifically, the 1988 Amendment to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act required a comprehensive reevaluation of pesticide safety; nearly 500 data submissions have been requested by EPA from APHIS to maintain its federal (Section 3) and state (Section 24(c)) low volume minor use vertebrate pesticide registrations. These registrations are used to control damage to American agricultural resources, mitigate losses to selected wildlife species, and reduce threats to public health …

Laboratory And Field Assessment Of A Carbon Monoxide Producing Fumigant Cartridge For Use In The Control Of Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus), R.J.C. Page

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Fumigation is the most effective method of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) control available in the United Kingdom. Use of current methods, involving formulations that generate hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or phosphine (PH₃) on exposure to moisture, is limited by weather conditions. A carbon monoxide producing cartridge has been developed which can be used independent of weather conditions. The cartridge is similar in size to the smaller carbon monoxide (CO) cartridge used in the United States, but produces up to 70% more CO. High concentrations of CO were measured at the entrances of an unoccupied artificial warren fumigated with …

Predicting The Outcome Of Rodenticide Trials Against Norway Rats Living On Farms, Roger J. Quy, David P. Cowan, Peter Haynes, Ian R. Bmglis, Tom Swinney

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Difenacoum and bromadiolone treatments against Norway rats may fail because: 1) the animals eat little or no bait, 2) reinvasion rapidly offsets any success, or 3) the population contains resistant individuals. By monitoring bait takes and employing independent measures of rat activity such as tracking plates, it is possible to identify, often in the early stages of a treatment, patterns that indicate the contribution of each of these causes to the eventual outcome. If there is no bait take from the majority of bait points visited by rats in the first week then the treatment is unlikely to be successful, …

Red-Winged Blackbird Feeding Preferences And Response To Wild Rice Treated With Portland Cement Or Plaster, Richard A. Dolbeer, Sheri K. Ickes

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

The California wild rice (Zizania aquatica) industry considers red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) their most important pest problem. Farmers often have asked if crop-damaging blackbirds can be killed by mixing dry Portland cement or plaster-of-Paris with grain bait. We conducted a series of tests to determine the effect of cement or plaster mixed with wild rice fed to captive redwings and to determine feeding preferences of redwings for wild rice in relation to other grains. Birds would not eat cement- or plaster-treated rice when untreated rice was available and no mortality occurred when birds were offered only treated rice …

Contracts And Registration Studies, Donald J. Elias, Ray T. Sterner, Peter J. Savarbe

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Public and governmental concerns about the health, safety, and environmental impacts of pesticides have led to increased regulatory requirements to determine the hazards and risks associated with their manufacture, distribution, and use. Vertebrate pesticides are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended. Much of the data required for registration of these pesticides will be generated by commercial testing laboratories under contract to the product registrants or sponsors. In this paper, we address aspects of the contract research process including: 1) an overview of FIFRA requirements, 2) the nature …

What Do Animal Activists Want? (And How Should Wildlife Managers Respond?), Jon K. Hooper Phd.

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

National animal activist organization leaders were interviewed with the aim of better understanding their ideologies with respect to wildlife issues. Interviewees expressed considerable concern about traditional wildlife management practices and associated consumptive recreation activities. They easily identified a number of needed changes, while had difficulty identifying things they liked about the status quo. The top suggested changes related to using more nonlethal management methods and reducing allegiance with consumptive users. The most common "bottom line" concern expressed by interviewees was the alleviation or elimination of unnecessary pain and suffering in wildlife.

Trapping Ground Squirrels As A Control Method, Ross A. O'Connell

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Trapping of ground squirrels could be conducted following the use of fumigants or rodenticides to further reduce populations. Trapping should be considered as an alternative to the other methods of control in cases where other controls have not worked or would not be prudent to use. Trapping can be conducted during a longer period of the year than the other methods. The type of trap used, whether live trap or one of the kill traps, can be selected as to the environmental concerns of the trapper as all traps can be effective.

Field Evaluation Of Chemical Attractants For Summer Use On M-44s1, Robert L. Phillips, F. Sherman Blom

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Responses of free-roaming coyotes (Canis latrans) to four chemical attractants (W-U lure, artificial beef liver flavor, artificial smoked fish flavor, and Fatty Acid Scent) used on M-44 tops were measured during the summer months in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. Visitation and pull rates varied throughout the study period from area to area and appeared to be associated with weather, food abundance, and coyote densities. Fatty Acid Scent and W-U lure produced the highest visitation and pull rates.

Charting A Future: Process And Promise, Bobby R. Acord, Craig A. Ramey, Robert W. Werge

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

The Animal Damage Control program has been heavily involved in strategic planning since its transfer from USDI to USDA. The first effort was undertaken in 1989 by the program's management team. It was an introspective, critical look at what changes were needed to improve the program's strategic position in the natural resources community. That plan failed to achieve the desired objective due principally to the lack of involvement by ADC employees and others outside the program. In 1991, a more comprehensive effort was begun known as "Futuring." In this process, a representative from each organizational level of the program and …

Bear Relocations To Avoid Bear/Sheep Conflicts, Alan R. Armistead, Ken Mitchell, Guy E. Connolly

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Preventive relocation of black bears (Ursus americanus) was tried as an alternative to lethal removal of bears that attacked sheep in northeastern Oregon. Bears in likely problem areas or in close proximity to sheep bands were captured with culvert traps and moved to other ranges without sheep. Sixteen bears were relocated in 1990 and five in 1991 from areas where five damaging bears had been destroyed in 1989. The five bears relocated in 1991 were radio collared and monitored by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. None of them were involved in livestock depredations subsequent to relocation. Sheep losses …

Stowaway Transport Rates Of House Mice (Mus Domesticus) And Deermice (Peromyscus Maniculatus)*, Ann Eileen Miller Baker

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Stowaway transport rates were obtained from behavioral observations of 14 house mice (Mus domesticus) and 14 deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus) during commercial transport. One house mouse escaped during unloading and flaking of 2,500 kg 2-year old oat hay. Three house mice and two deermice were hand-caught on trucks during unloading of 51,110 kg transported barley straw and grass hay. One house mouse was hand-caught after being buried alive in grain. Two house mice escaped during unloading of a semitruck holding dog food. House mice (one live, six recently-dead) and deermice (two recently-dead) were taken from a feedmill screen over which had …

Field Tests Of A Copper-Based Fungicide As A Bird Repellent Rice Seed Treatment, Michael L. Avery, M.O. Way

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

In east Texas, bird damage to sprouting rice was reduced in two of seven study plots when rice seed was treated with the fungicide Kocide® SD at the maximum label rate (8 fluid oz/100 1b seed). Foraging rates of male red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) in treated plots were lower (P = 0.02) than were those in control plots. We suspect that the copper in Kocide SD produces physiological effects that suppress feeding activity that results in reduced losses in some cases. Because it is registered for use on rice and is relatively inexpensive, Kocide SD may be a useful component …

Blurred Images: And The Future Of Wildlife Damage Management , Jack H. Berryman

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

The paper points out a number of perceptions that blur and damage the image of wildlife damage management and their importance to the future. Some of the reasons for the perceptions are suggested and a number of steps suggested to improve the public image. It concludes on a note of optimism for the future.

Resistance To The First And Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides-A New Perspective, A.P. Buckle, C.V. Prescott, K.J. Ward

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

Warfarin resistance was first discovered among Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) populations in Scotland in 1958 and further reports of resistance, both in this species and in others, soon followed from other parts of Europe and the United States. Researchers quickly defined the practical impact of these resistance phenomena and developed robust methods by which to monitor their spread. These tasks were relatively simple because of the high degree of immunity to warfarin conferred by the resistance genes. Later, the second generation anticoagulants were introduced to control rodents resistant to the warfarin-like compounds, but resistance to difenacoum, bromadiolone and brodifacoum is …

An Evaluation Of Anti-Coyote Electric Fences, Robert C. Acorn, Michael J. Dorrance

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 16th (1994)

We interviewed 21 sheep farmers and evaluated their electric fences to identify problems and determine efficacy of electric fences to prevent coyote (Canis latrans) predation. Modified woven wire fences and fences of 9 high-tensile smooth wires alternating charged and grounded were most effective in preventing coyote predation. The most serious problems in fence design and maintenance were a) bottom charged wire too high above ground level, b) wires spaced too far apart, and c) inadequate vegetation control.

Socialization Of Children’S Vicarious Emotional Responding And Prosocial Behavior: Relations With Mothers' Perceptions Of Children's Emotional Reactivity , Richard A. Fabes, Nancy Eisenberg, Mariss Karbon, Jane Bernzweig, Anna Lee Speer, Gustavo Carlo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

We examined mother-child emotion-related interactions and how these interactions related to mothers’ perceptions of children’s emotional reactivity. Mothers of 49 kindergartners and 54 2nd graders told their children 2 stories about distressed others. Children’s emotional, physiological, and prosocial responses were also obtained. Mothers rated children’s tendencies to become emotional when exposed to distressed others. For kindergartners, mothers’ perceptions of children’s emotional reactivity were positively related to her use of positive facial expressions. Mothers’ perceptions of 2nd graders’ emotional reactivity were inversely related to maternal responsiveness. For both age groups, children’s skin conductance was inversely related to helpfulness. These findings suggest …

Nebline, February 1994

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Horticulture

Rural $ense

Human Resources

4-H & Youth

Environmental Focus

Community & Leadership Development

Extension Calendar

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

Nebraska Association for Family and Community Education News

and other extension news and events

Ard News February 1994

Agricultural Research Division: News and Annual Reports

CONTENTS:
COMMENTS FROM THE DEAN
GRANT AND CONTRACT INCOME OBTAINED BY UNITS DURING THE LAST THREE CALENDAR YEARS
HOW ARE THINGS GOING?
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING GRANT PROPOSALS
NEW OR REVISED PROJECTS
AVERAGE APPROPRIATED FUND SUPPORT PER FTE IN NORTH CENTRAL REGION SAESs
TRENDS IN SCIENTIST AND SUPPORT STAFF FTE IN NORTH CENTRAL REGION SAESs
PROPOSALS SUBMITTED FOR FEDERAL GRANTS
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS RECEIVED DECEMBER 1993 AND JANUARY 1994

Drought Monitoring And Advisory Services In South Africa, M. V. Laing

Drought Network News (1994–2001)

The normal total rainfall for the summer rainfall areas in South Africa is 664 mm. Since 1963, the country has recorded 16 seasons below normal and 14 above normal. Since the 1982–83 season, 7 seasons have been below normal and 4 have been above normal. Of these last 11 years, two rainy seasons recorded less than 75% of normal rainfall, which is a coarse estimation of severe drought. These seasons were 1982–83, when an average total of only 408 mm was measured, and 1992–93, when the average total was 484 mm. Although 1991–92 has been called the worst drought this …

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre Newsletter, Volume 2-1, Winter 1994

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Work Underway at the CCWHC
CCWHC Headquarters Secretary
Newcastle disease in cormorants
Rabies update: First case in PEI, Rabies in Bats
New viral disease of lagomorphs in Europe
Investigation of pesticide poisoning
Hantavirus in North America
Mortality in Leach's storm petrels
Common loon mortality
Verminous pneumonia in red foxes
Strychnine poisoning in grackles
Leptospirosis in a raccoon
Great horned owls and porcupines
Tick species near Thunder Bay
Mercury poisoning: loons, eagle
Parvovirus in raccoons
Phorate poisoning in Yukon wildlife
Avian cholera in Manitoba