Animals have the same basic needs as people — food, water, and shelter. Wildlife enters your home and property in search of resources to satisfy those needs. It is important to know the wildlife that lives around you in order to prevent unwelcome guests. Let’s explore the critter most likely to enter your home if you live in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Louisiana.
TOP 13 ANIMALS IN SOUTH CENTRAL UNITED STATES
1. ARMADILLOS
Armadillos need a warm and moist climate in order to survive because the ground must be soft enough for them to dig for their food – grubs and insects. Armadillos can be found in Texas as well as Louisiana but are less active during the winter months.
2. SNAKES
Snakes are found in all states but are more active in the warmer months. When temperatures drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, snakes are less commonly seen. In Louisiana and Texas, snakes are active during December and January. Snakes in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri are dormant from November through February.
3. BATS
Bats typically enter attics for a place to roost during the maternity season. In Texas, bats will enter homes in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, but we do not find bats in Dallas–Fort Worth homes. There are numerous caves to the East and Southeast of Dallas-Fort Worth that provide suitable habitats for migratory bats. Bats are common in Tulsa as well as Kansas City, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.
4. RATS
Texas and Louisiana have a high population of rats because of the hotter climate. The higher temperatures provide rats more opportunity to reproduce. Rats breed about eight times per year, and rats reach maturity at just 5 weeks! Rats generally are not in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
5. MICE
Mice are not very commonly seen in Texas or Louisiana because of the warmer temperatures. As you move north through Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Wichita, and Topeka, mice are very commonly seen. Mice can fit into openings as small as a dime and are known for chewing because their incisors never stop growing.
6. STINGING INSECTS
Stinging insects are found throughout all South Central states but are more predominant during the spring and summer. Since Louisiana and Texas are warmer for a longer portion of the year, their season will extend a couple of months longer than that of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.
7. MOLES
Moles are found year-round in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Moles will burrow in Houston lawns but are not common. Moles live underground and are hard to control. We must use the cues provided from their mounds and tunnels that we can see on the surface of the ground in order to trap them.
8. POCKET GOPHERS
Pocket gophers are found in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Like moles, gophers utilize a tunnel system underground, but you will not see their tunneling from the surface. Though you cannot see it, their tunneling is cause for concern because underground pipes could be disturbed.
9. SKUNKS
Found throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Louisana, and Texas, a skunk’s spray can terrify homeowners. Skunks are great to have around your property to keep snakes away. Skunks eat snakes and have immunity to snake venom. However, skunks can be a nuisance because they will damage your yard as they dig for food.
10. OPOSSUMS
Found in all states, opossums are a great benefit to our environment. They eat rodents, ticks, and other insects. Typically, opossums only become a nuisance when they enter your attic for shelter or in search of food like a mouse or rat.
11. SQUIRRELS
Though not as predominant as a nuisance as mice or rats, squirrels are found in all South Central states. Squirrels breed twice per year – once in the late winter and once in spring or mid-summer. During these times of the year, more squirrels enter homes in order to protect their young.
12. RACCOONS
Raccoons are common attic invaders in all areas of Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, & Louisana. They are found all year round but are most active from March through September. Raccoons give birth in the Spring, and attics make a great place of shelter for their young.
13. BIRDS
All birds except, starlings, pigeons, and sparrows are protected by the Migratory Bird Act. We observe bird problems in all South Central states, and we provide humane removal solutions. We also offer preventative bird solutions like bird stops and bird netting.
