Hello World! Welcome Friends! Whether you call it lockdown, quarantine, or self-isolation, the coronavirus pandemic’s reactions have been the same around the world. Not all governments have imposed regulated lockdown measures, but people all across the planet have had the same idea: If I stay at home, I can save lives, including my own. So, as a result, cars have remained parked. Roads are relatively empty except for the occasional vehicle driving to the grocery store or delivering groceries and goods to households. Many manufacturers have stopped their activities to keep their employees safe. So, within a few weeks, the levels of air pollution have dropped dramatically. That is good news for everyone! In case you didn’t know how devastating air pollution can be, the WORLD Health Organization estimates that it kills 3 million people each year at a global level. In the U.S., NO₂ levels – nitrogen dioxide, a chemical compound responsible for air pollution and created through the burning of fossil fuels – have dropped by 30% in major metropolitan areas. It’s something to get excited about! Call it what you wish, but the lockdown is helping to make the Earth green again.
However, the slowdown of urban activities is not just clearing up the air. It’s also helping wildlife reclaim our unused and abandoned spaces. Everywhere, a variety of wild creatures of all sizes and species, are taking back control while we stay at home. It’s exciting to watch. But it doesn’t come without risks. It can be challenging to hit the right balance to protect your home and your family without affecting the bugs and animals. However, you need to react and control the wildlife takeover before it puts everyone and everything at risk. Remember, control it, don’t eliminate it! We still want to keep our beautiful wildlife alive all around the world. We just don’t want to fight off raccoons at the breakfast table in the morning.
Pests are getting more adventurous
Pests tend to rely on human activities to find food and shelter. Unfortunately, when everyone is stuck at home, the routine changes dramatically. Families have been trying to reduce trips to the grocery stores. As a result, we’re more careful about our leftovers. We try to make food last longer. We’ve found ways of repurposing things we would have usually thrown away. The result is unavoidable: Pests that feed on our garbage are left with no other solution than getting closer to houses. They need to find food, which is becoming spare in urban areas. You mind spot raccoons exploring your front yard and rats trying to get into your garage. Terrifying sight! Professional rat and raccoon removal companies have seen an increase in emergency calls under self-isolation. What can you do to contain their attacks? You don’t want to leave food outside your home that could attract more pests. However, you can get in touch with your community to find out if there are safe strategies to redirect pests into rural areas.
Bugs, butterflies, bees stay IN the garden
Isn’t it lovely to observe all those bugs flying freely in your garden? A lot of households have spent some time managing their gardens. As self-isolation goes, gardening is the ideal hobby. It gets you outdoors without putting you at risk. In other words, you might find that your garden is in full bloom this year and that all the new plants and flowers you bought to keep yourself occupied are a welcome addition for the wildlife. And ta-da! You’ve got a wildlife paradise in your garden! It’s fantastic, but it also means that you need to look for doors and windows that can keep those bugs outside your home. A bi-fold door leading to the garden, for instance, can keep fresh air circulating inside your home even if you open it by only a few inches. It makes it more difficult for bugs to enter your home while enabling you to enjoy your garden.
You’re seeing more birds
If you’ve only seen pigeons and sparrows in your backyard, the quiet streets have probably encouraged other birds to be more adventurous. If you enjoy bird watching, your lockdown garden can become your new HQ. You won’t even need binoculars! Birds are a lovely addition to your garden. But they can damage your beloved plants and garden furniture. Bird’s poop, for instance, is highly toxic. You may not think of it usually, but when your garden becomes a sanctuary for birds, their number will have dramatic consequences. Instead, it’s a good idea to strategically feed your backyard birds in self-contained areas in the garden. This will ensure birds remain around the feeder rather than soiling the entire garden.
Allergy-sufferers are suffering
If air pollution has been an issue for you in the past, you are in luck. This year, low air pollution levels are likely to improve your respiratory comfort. Unfortunately, anybody who struggles with allergies that can be triggered by pollen, grass, and other plant-related materials will experience high distress this year. In an effort to keep employees and the public safe, many urban areas in town have left untrimmed or only partially trimmed, which means that the presence of pollen and grass is more substantial than usual. Additionally, you have to remember that there are very few cars on the road. On the one hand, good news, the air doesn’t transport as much fumes and pollutants as usual. Therefore, it can carry pollen across much longer distances undisturbed. The same thing is happening in residential gardens, where families are welcoming more bees, bugs, and birds that transport pollen.
Wild animals are going wild
Wild animals are also exploring cities. In South Africa, a pride of lions was photographed napping on a paved road. In Wales, mountain goats have been coming down into town and grazing on residential gardens and hedges. In India, monkeys are becoming aggressive because they can’t find anybody to feed them in town. It might be funny at first to look through the window and watch wild animals walk across the street freely. However, you have to think about long-term consequences. What will happen to these creatures once people start driving extensively again? Will they still be able to rely on their common sense for safety?
Your unused car becomes a giant nest
Have you parked the car in front of your house? While it might be safe from burglars, it could still get damaged. As wildlife is coming in numbers to town, birds, bugs, and small animals are looking for shelter. Your car is the perfect home for them. It offers protection from predators. They can climb underneath and nest into one of the hidden spots underneath the body or the engine. Unfortunately, this means that they can cause expensive damage as they nibble their ways through the wires, cables, and tubes inside your vehicle. Additionally, even if they choose not to nest inside, they can still damage the body paint on top of your car. Don’t be fooled! The paint is the last protective layer that stops your car from rusting. You don’t want to let rust develop on your vehicle.
You need to be careful with garden pruning
Now’s the best time to look after your garden. With plenty of time at home, you can turn your backyard into plant heaven. You should, however, take the time to explore your garden before you start planning landscaping projects. Indeed, a lot of creatures, bugs, birds, and small mammals, would have seized the opportunity to nest in your garden. Do you get more nests appearing during the pandemic? It’s hard to tell. More often than not, homeowners are unaware of hidden nests in the garden. However, landscaping projects are typically planned through an expert company that can check for wildlife. But with plenty of spare time at home, you may want to create your garden decor, which could put at risk animals that typically find shelter in your garden.
Who’s going to fix urban infrastructures?
Wild goats, mountain lions, monkeys, seagulls, otters, etc. It doesn’t matter where in the world you live in. Wild animals are seizing the opportunity to reclaim towns. They can do it undisturbed because most human activities have been paused temporarily. Therefore, they can build their nests in buildings that are left unattended and settle down in the heart of our urban infrastructure. As cute as it can be to leave them to roam freely, these animals are also damaging cities. Imagine the expensive chaos when traffic lights can’t be turned on, subway stations are blocked by nests, and roads are unusable.
Parents should be careful
Last but not least, it can be tempting for parents to take plenty of cute photos with children along with wildlife animals. However, while the wildlife has come into town during the lockdown, it doesn’t mean animals are used to human presence. On the contrary, they moved into town because people stayed indoors. Getting close to animals is unsafe as they could respond aggressively to your presence.
Wildlife has been benefiting from our self-isolation measures. On the one hand, it’s excellent news. We want to support the environment and make the planet more welcoming to all creatures. On the other hand, people need to be aware of the potential dangers around wildlife. From pests approaching houses in the search for food to birds nesting in your car, you need to keep your eyes open and react quickly to avoid costly damage.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Breathing New Life into your Home
An Interview with a Contractor
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Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
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