Foxes
The most effective way of getting rid of foxes is prevention:
- keep poultry and pets securely housed
- tidy up rubbish and bramble patches (these are used as daytime refuges)
- put all your rubbish in the bin, not by the side or, if this is not possible, put your rubbish out in the morning and not the night before collection
- use commercially available deterrents to stop foxes leaving droppings in your garden
- make sure there are no entrances underneath your house/sheds
If you cannot use repellents, help may be available from The Fox Project, the local branch of the RSPCA.
Squirrels
Squirrels, like all animals, can be unpredictable if you approach them when they are trapped or defending a nest.
If a squirrel gains access to your loft you should wait until you are sure it has left to look for food before you attempt to block up any holes in your eaves.
If you wish to discourage squirrels from entering your garden you should remove any food they have access to and they will soon start looking elsewhere.
Certain chemical products are available at garden centres and DIY stores to repel squirrels.
Bats
In Britain, all bat species and their roosts are legally protected, by both domestic and international legislation.
This means you will be committing a criminal offence if you:
- deliberately capture, injure or kill a bat
- intentionally or recklessly disturb a bat in its roost or deliberately disturb a group of bats
- damage or destroy a bat roosting place (even if bats are not occupying the roost at the time)
- possess or advertise/sell/exchange a bat (dead or alive) or any part of a bat
- intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a bat roost
The Bat Conservation Trust can provide information on how to report a bat crime.
Badgers
Badgers and their setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or take badgers or to interfere with a badger sett.The majority of problems posed by badgers can be resolved non-lethally, normally by the partial or complete closure of the sett of the badger(s) causing the problem under licence.
Information on licenses and how to apply for them can be found at Natural England. For further information on badgers contact the Badger Trust.
Honey Bees
Honeybees are small and vary in colour from golden brown to almost black.
To identify if you have honey bees at your property, and get help with removing a swarm, please visit the British Beekeepers Association.