Fence in trees, gardens or flower beds that are suffering damage. Dig underground + eat insects = eat grubs Grubs are a great source of fat. The spines on their back are referred to as quills. I know that porcupines are kind of like over-exposed celebrities. In addition to that, hedgehogs also eat allot of insects, slugs, and grubs. Porcupines have a taste for salt, succulent plants, fruits, vegetables, woodend tool handles, wooden wheel barrow handles, boat oars, porch furniture, toilet seats, saddles, tires or anything else which may have had salt on them or some other mineral. PORCUPINES WILL EAT ANYTHING MADE WITH WOOD ^. The animals are difficult to remove, as repellants do not have much effect. Porcupines use the quills as a defense. These porcupines tend to have quite stocky and heavy builds. Many lawn issues that resemble grub damage can be caused by something else, including disease, drought stress, hairy chinch bugs, sod webworms, shade, compaction, and more. Some animals aren't content with just eating food, however. I’m serious. Lenny the Bearded Dragon has done his … Moles often arrive unannounced and make a terrible mess of your backyard. What do Porcupines Eat? Pets are often victims of porcupine quills. So, trying to control the grubs will not help in this regard. Our friend, the porcupine is a vegetarian who prefers roots, tubers and sometimes a little bark or wild fruit. Grubs are not the only thing crawling in the dirt, and eating them exposes your dog to the risk of getting parasites that tend to dwell in the dirt, like roundworms. Some quills can get up to a foot (30 centimeters) long, like those on the Africa's crested porcupine, according to National Geographic. They continue to devour all of the grass roots they can reach, growing big and plump, until mid-fall, when they move deeper in the soil for protection against cold winter temperatures. Chicken wire about 18 inches high used in conjunction with a strand of electric wire just above the chicken wire is effective at keeping porcupines from the area. Their spines are either flattened or cylindrical in shape and form in clusters on their body as opposed to new world porcupines whose quills are separated rather than bunched together. Before the main question can be answered accurately, it’s a good opportunity to get to know exactly what makes a porcupine and what role they play in their ecosystems. Once you can see the dirt, you should have a clear view of any grubs. The grubs come back up to the surface in early May and eat a little longer. Another sign of grubs is damage from skunks and raccoons digging up lawns in search of grubs to eat… Grubs and yard voles are two annoying pests that can result in varying degrees of damage to your plants, garden and lawn. Their diet high in potassium has led them to gnaw on the wood of outhouses in camping grounds because (as disgusting as it is) the urine soaked wood is particularly appealing and give them the sodium they need, making them somewhat a menace to campground owners. In early to mid-June, the grubs build an in-ground "cocoon" and transform into beetles that emerge from the soil and start the process over again. Place a cage trap at least 32 by 10 by 12 inches in areas you have seen the porcupines. Kokemuller is an authorized substitute teacher and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa. Insects are a tasty and highly nutritious source of food, and with our diverse range of delicious products there is something here to help introduce anyone to the joys of insect-eating. Porcupines are herbivores, so they do not eat bugs. The size of the spikes can depend on the porcupine’s species with one of the largest belonging to the African Crested Porcupine as stated by National Geographic. Besides their strong teeth and claws, porcupines have the added danger of bodies covered in barbed quills that easily release when in contact with flesh. If that doesn't work, they may charge backwards into the predator. Photo by Education Specialist/Flickr through a Creative Commons license. They are found in southern Europe, South East Asia, throughout India and Africa. Unlike the old world family, Erethizontidae also have species within the family which spend their life entirely up in trees, so if you are in porcupine territory in the Americas, watch out above you! Unfortunately, these animals will eat the grubs whether they are dead or alive. What Do Porcupines Eat? © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Porcupines are non-game animals, according to the California Fish and Game Code, so if night hunting is legal in your area a .22 caliber gun is effective for use in eradicating porcupines. Grubs and Yard Voles. For much of the year, they’re benign neighbors. Jill Kokemuller has been writing since 2010, with work published in the "Daily Gate City." All porcupines have a few traits in common. Porcupines are nocturnal and have poor vision but a very good sense of smell. Porcupines do give me headaches. Grub to go: A guide to Midland & area restaurants ... “Fishers are carnivores and will kill and eat porcupines,” Rogers said. Contact your local wildlife control center for removal of the porcupine once it is trapped. Please assume all of the links on AnimalMentor.com are affiliate based links from which our website gains a small commission from sales of particular products. Porcupines are herbivores, so their diet consists entirely of plants. Similar to their cousins, they are stocky and rounded in build but they differ for their complete upper lips and rooted molars. Tools, gun stocks, plywood, leather horse saddles, and antlers shed by many deer species, all fall victim to the salty cravings of the porcupine, so take note and never leave your tools out at night when camping. This could be mistaken for many other animals but as expert trackers will know, the urine of a porcupine has a very particular, sweet pine odor specific to them. It is however not easy to get the squirrels eating grubs. The new world porcupines have a habit of eating pine needles, fruits, nuts, flowers, grasses, an aquatic plantations. Their sodium craving has them gnawing away at such a high variety of unexpected food sources due to salts emitted by humans and animals as they sweat or that just naturally occur in the composition of wooden materials. Porcupines – A Brief Overview. If this has happened in your lawn, there is good news. 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