For this article we will look at the misunderstood muskrat; what risks they pose and some strategies to discourage them from taking up residence. This information should be useful for HOA’s, private pond owners, or pond designers.
Stormwater ponds are inviting features for wildlife including the muskrat. The adult muskrat is usually from 18” to 24” in length including their tail. This rodent is dark tan to reddish brown in color. With their webbed back feet and a laterally flattened rudder like tail, they are well adapted to life in the water. 

The muskrat’s mouth also has some interesting adaptations. The teeth sharpen against each other and are well suited for gnawing and cutting vegetation like cattails. The mouth is valvular, so they close their lips behind their teeth and gnaw submerged vegetation without taking in water. They can stay underwater for as long as 20 minutes.   
Muskrats are most active at night, but you can see signs of them during the day. They will often burrow holes under the water surface. The holes will connect to bank dens and chambers. They also use vegetation to build huts.

While these activities are good for creating wildlife habitat and for clearing vegetation, they can cause problems in man-made ponds. Damage caused by muskrats is primarily due to their burrowing habits. One problem resulting from their burrowing includes the creation of soft areas in the bank that can collapse. They can also compromise dam walls leading to dewatering of the pond.
Prevention can be the best method to limit damage caused by muskrats. The dam should be built at a 3 to 1 slope with the outer face of the dam having a 2 to 1 slope. The dam should have a top width of at least 10 feet. Walking the bank of the pond or basin, look for the burrows and other signs of them. Riprap applied along the bank and extending underwater can help discourage burrowing. Removing their food source, cattails, can deprive them of a favorite food source and encourage them to move on. If all else fails, you can hire a wildlife management company to trap and remove them. Traps will need to be checked daily making this option expensive. Prevention is likely the most cost-effective management strategy for muskrats.

Article written by Travis Luncan, Urban Technician

References
Montana’s Official State Website, Montana Field Guide. Common Muskrat- Ondatra zibethicus https://fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AMAFF15010 

Did you know that Ohio has a diverse population of dragonflies and damselflies? According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio has approximately 164 recorded species. Their brilliant colors and striking markings make them very fun to watch. The immature stages of all species are aquatic, and these animals are found in lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams throughout Ohio.  Although many dragonflies and damselflies are prevalent, 13 species in Ohio are listed as endangered. These amazing creatures are indicators of excellent water quality and serve as barometers of the health of our waterways.

The family Odonata, which includes both the dragonfly and damselfly, has an amazing life cycle. According to Ohio Department of Natural Resources, “adults live a few weeks to a few months. The adults exist to reproduce and serve as great predators of insects such as mosquitoes and flies.”

“Mating dragonflies are referred to as being in tandem, and they couple together using specialized clamp-like structures. When transferring sperm, the pair assumes a ring-like position called the wheel position; somewhat suggestive of a valentine heart. Soon after mating, the adult female places her eggs into an appropriate substrate in a process called ovipositing. Depending upon the species, eggs might be deposited into water, saturated soil, on aquatic plants, or even drilled into plants or wet wood. From the eggs hatch larvae, which are sometimes called nymphs. These larvae are highly predatory, and are completely aquatic. In some species, larvae may take four years to reach the point of transformation into adults – far longer than the adult will live. When the larva is ready to transform to an adult, it crawls from the water and climbs onto adjacent plants. In an amazing metamorphosis, an adult dragonfly bursts from the shell of the larva.”

It is easy to tell the two apart. Damselflies have slender wings held over their back when at rest while the dragonfly has broader wings held outstretched at rest. Both species can be seen throughout the summer months near unpolluted water bodies such as rivers, streams, lakes, marshes, swamps, bogs, fens, or even temporary rain-pools.

Dragonflies and damselflies are among the only species that can fly in any direction (forward, backwards, and any other direction). These predators can change directions at lightning speeds to hunt for food – making them one of the most skillful aerial creatures.
Warren County Soil and Water recognizes the importance of the Odonata species, that’s why we have adopted Dagmar the dragonfly as our new education mascot! Dagmar can be seen at local events throughout the County in the Summer of 2021!

For more questions regarding Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance on water or soil questions, visit http://warrenswcd.com or call, 513-695-1337. 

Additional Resources: 

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources Field Guides - https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/wildlife/documents-publications/backyard-wildlife-documents
• The Ohio State University, Ohio Dragonfly Survey - https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/wildlife/documents-publications/backyard-wildlife-documents

Spring is a time of awakening when the cold of winter starts getting shrugged off to make room for the warmth which accompanies new growth in the natural world. 
For birders, it is exciting because of the return of migratory spring birds!  From songbirds to shorebirds and even some waterfowl, about 200 species of neotropical migratory birds annually make this incredible trip that spans continents. Final destination nesting grounds for these birds vary widely throughout the United States and north into Canada, but all require stopover sites where they may rest and refuel for the next leg of their trip.
If you want to help these birds in their spring preparations, consider bird-friendly landscaping that includes native, early-blooming trees, shrubs and flowers with colors that attract birds. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it is important to plant these 7 important plant groups:.

• Conifers: Evergreens such as pines, spruces, firs, arbor vitae, and junipers provide excellent shelter, nest sites, and food. For example, some northern finches specialize on extracting seeds from conifer cones, and some hummingbirds take insects and sap from the tips of conifer branches when they first return in spring.
• Wild grasses and forbs: Untrimmed wild grasses (as opposed to closely cropped lawn grass) as well as “weeds” provide cover for ground-nesting birds. Their seeds provide abundant food for many birds.
• Nectar producers: Flowers, especially those with tubular red corollas, attract hummingbirds and orioles. Insects attracted to these plants also serve as food for many birds.
• Summer fruits: Cherry, chokecherry, native honeysuckle, raspberry, serviceberry, blackberry, blueberry, native mulberry, and elderberry provide food for many birds during the breeding season.
• Autumn fruits: Dogwoods, mountain ash, cotoneasters, buffalo-berries, and other fall-bearing fruit and berry plants provide food for migratory birds, both to build up fat reserves before migration and to sustain them along their journey. Non-migratory birds also fatten up on these so they can enter the winter season in good physical condition.
• Winter fruits: Plants that hold onto their fruits long after they ripen in the fall provide a winter food source for winter residents and early-returning migrants. Robins, waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks, and mockingbirds are among the birds drawn to fruit trees in winter. Crabapple, snowberry, native bittersweet, sumacs, viburnums, American highbush cranberry, eastern wahoo, Virginia creeper, and winterberry (holly) are all valuable for these birds.
• Nuts and acorns: Oaks, hickories, buckeyes, chestnuts, butternuts, walnuts, beeches, and hazels provide food for titmice, jays, turkeys, some woodpeckers, and other “mast-eaters.” Insects drawn to their spring flowers provide food for spring-migrating birds. These trees also provide nesting habitat for many species.

Last but not least, you should think about offering a water source for your birds. If you already have a natural source that is great, but if you don’t, offering a bird bath will help to provide water for drinking and preening.

For more questions regarding Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance on water or soil questions, visit http://warrenswcd.com or call, 513-695-1337. 

."Endangered Species Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the importance of protecting  endangered species and everyday actions they can take to help protect them. Started in 2006 by the United States Congress, Endangered Species   Day is a celebration of the nation’s wildlife and wild places. Every year on the third Friday in May (and throughout the month), zoos, aquariums, parks,   botanic gardens, wildlife refuges, museums, schools, community centers, conservation groups and other organizations throughout the country hold   tours, special speaker presentations, exhibits, children’s activities and more to celebrate Endangered Species Day." 

​To learn more: visit www.endangered.org

On this Endangered Species Day, take the Plastic and Balloon Pledge to stop using these single use plastic items that harm aquatic ocean life.

Here in Warren County, we have several state listed species of concern and endangered species, including the Indian bat and the Eastern Massasauga, as well as the Blue corporal (Ladona deplanata ) and the  Running Buffalo Clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) .

Click here for a complete list of Warren County listed wildlife species 
​Click here for  a complete list of Warren County listed plant species

Information on Ohio's Endangered Wildlife Species can be found at the Division of Wildlife's website: http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/state-listed-species