Badger Pest Control
– Scientific Name: Meles Meles

Badgers are creatures of habit, living in a social group (or family) which occupies a territory one of the common pests our team at Town & Country Pest Control come across. This territory may include your garden and depending on where you live could include many neighbouring gardens and other sites, or surrounding fields and woods if you live in the country. Badger pest control and prevention will depend on territories that can vary considerably, with each one providing for all the needs of its resident badgers.

Badger prevention is what is needed more frequently as they come into the edge of urban areas to forage. As urban areas continue to expand, more and more badgers are living close to built-up areas. In gardens they may damage fences, dig up lawns for insect larvae (particularly leatherjackets), turn over dustbins, climb fruit trees or break their lower branches to obtain cherries, apples, pears or plums. Badgers are also very partial to soft fruit crops, particularly strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries, and to certain vegetables. They will mark their territory by digging unpleasant latrines.

Characteristic & Life Cycle

Boldly patterned black and white faces are a characteristic shared by several of the badger species. At around 90 cm (35 ins) in length (including a tail of around 15 cm), and weighing in at around 9 – 11 kg on average (up to 20 kg in parts of Russia!), the European badger is one of the largest of the mustelids. The badgers mostly have rather stocky bodies, supported by short but strong legs. The forelegs are particularly well developed in most of the badger species, and the fore paws of all the species are equipped with long, strong claws; these are their adaptations for digging. February is the peak month of the badger’s main mating season, but badgers may in fact mate at almost any time of the year; the cubs are then born around March – May.

Badger litter sizes range from 1 to 5, with litters of 2 or 3 being most frequent. The system of delayed implantation maximises the badger’s chances of being successfully mated, and ensures that the cubs are born at the best time of year: after being suckled below ground for eight weeks, they start emerging from the sett in April or early May, which gives them all of spring, summer and autumn to feed, grow, and put on sufficient fat reserves to see them through their first winter.

Control & Prevention

At Town & Country Pest Control we are able to help with matters concerning Badger pest prevention and control. There are many laws involving badgers and their setts, so proofing is the best method of badger pest control to deter him. Prevention can be done with fencing or electric fences can be installed or the removal of whatever is attracting the badger to your property.

Getting a Free Quote for Pest Control

Our no obligation pest control prices are given with absolutely no hidden or extra costs – completely free of charge; a member of our team will respond to your call within 24 hours. Our emergency pest control services are provided 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.