At some time or other everyone on the island has had an encounter of this kind - bugs, bats, and rodents, flying nasties, snakes and the ever-there, ever-eating deer. In most cases they are just a part of life and we share our homes and property with them with a degree of tolerance. Imagine a family coming to their summer vacation home to find many unwelcome guests have already set up home there. Red ants, rodents, garter snakes, wasps, bats and the deer can seriously damage the property and even be a reason to plunk a 'House for Sale' sign on the lawn. What's happened to this family's summer place is that the enemy has invaded and they are in charge. It's up to us to win back what's rightfully ours. It's a war, and it's going to get rough. The real trick is to remove or exterminate pests in such a way as to preserve the natural balance of life. A snake in the garden can keep the mouse population down, but a poisoned mouse probably wouldn't die right away. It might just hole up in the walls of your home, or find a sheltered space outside. If the snake were to eat the mouse it too could become poisoned and die. With less natural predators there will be even more mice and insects on your property. It's apparent that dealing with pest infestations are best handled in a non-chemical way. Keep the balance.

The first task to winning this war is to rid your home and property of any food source, habitat and stagnant water. These three things are needed for any of these varmints to exist. Check out the wood pile and any building materials left outside the home. Either put them on a cement slab, or make a structure that keeps them well off ground level. An effective way to discourage ants from parading into your home is to spray or paint sticky barriers on traffic areas. Sprinkle red chilli pepper or dried peppermint leaves on their pathways to encourage them to move on. If you are unfortunate enough to have an anthill, mix a concoction of citrus peelings and water in your blender. Don't drink it - pour it on the nest! In real desperation pour boiling water over the anthill and into any cracks they may have claimed. Having said this, I feel terrible.

Here on Gabriola, I know of two rather large ant hills. Nature amazes me with ingenuity and the need to survive. I checked out a book on ant hills, from our library. And if you haven't yet done so, learn about these industrious creatures we share our earth with.

Wasps and Yellow Jackets. Who needs them? Their main source of food is rotting food, especially fruit. Pick up the fallen fruit from trees and keep all food covered including household garbage and the compost bin. You may find a large wasp nest on your property. In this case seek and destroy is your best option, knowing that this is a dangerous invasion. Check online or find a knowledgeable source about removing these safely.

Birds and bats are the natural predators of flying insects. Encourage them to patrol your property by providing a fresh water source. Plant bird enticing bushes such as Buddleia (butterfly bush) which flowers all summer long, and build a bat condo and hang it high in a sheltered place. Bats are protected under the BC Provincial Wildlife Act, and the chance of being 'attacked' by a rabid bat in B.C. is extremely rare.

Rodents. Mice and rats can move in and breed if conditions are right. This one's a no-brainer. Clean it up, get a cat, talk nicely to the snake, and trap, but do not poison. Use fine screening to seal off areas under the house or porch, as well as all outbuildings.

The deer are probably our most resistant pests because they have no natural enemy on the island, and they know it. We have exhausted every form of deterrent known to us, and still they are everywhere and growing in numbers.

You've probably heard stories of them hot wiring a car in the driveway and taking it for a joy ride down the tunnel. We can safely assume we've lost the battle on that one. As for dealing with the other pests on the island we know how all life is intertwined and interdependent. Use thoughtful control in handling each kind of pest problem, and to be aware of how our actions affect the natural ebb and flow of life on the island.