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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 2017)
8 in other words may18 2017 Diggin’ in the Dirt: A Mouse in the House By Chip Bubl Oregon State University Extension Service - Columbia County Homesteading in Vernonia Homesteading in Vernonia will be held at the Vernonia Public Library on Wednesday, May 24 at 6:30 pm. The class will describe the variety of plants, animals, waterfowl, game birds, and fish that can be grown and/or harvested with- in Columbia County. There will also be a follow-up discussion on raising meat on your property within the city limits or outside of them. The presenter is Chip Bubl, OSU Extension agent. The pro- gram is free and open to the public. A mouse (or more) in the house There are two different mice that share our houses in Columbia County. The native deer mouse (Peromyscus ma- niculatus) is by far the most com- mon species. In the more urbanized parts of the county, the European house mouse (Mus musculus) may be a significant species, but rarely the most abundant. They are easy to tell apart. The deer mouse has white feet, a white underbelly, and white under its softly hairy tail. The European house mouse has no pure white coloration and it has smaller ears, a chunkier, more compact body, and a shorter, hairless tail in comparison to the deer mouse. The upper color of the deer mouse can be gray (when immature) and red/brown to dark brown when mature. Both of these species are very different from the field mice (voles) that inhabit our pastures and landscapes (and aren’t interested in houses at all). The deer mouse is very com- mon in our forests and areas with mixed shrubs, trees, and grass. They are om- nivorous, dining on insects, fungi, plants, seeds, and whatever else they can find with their sensitive noses. In turn, they are a meal for bobcats, house cats, sometimes dogs, coyotes, fox, weasels, skunks, owls, and snakes. FORM LB-1 They are incredibly agile climb- ers and can get in through very small holes in structures. In the absence of human struc- tures, deer mice nest in tree cavities and stumps, under rocks and logs, and in other protected spaces. The nests look like mouse nests and the droppings are similar to European house mice as well. Moss is a preferred nest material but in- sulation is fine as well. They are very social and generally are active at night. They don’t really hibernate, especially in heated houses, but they can slow way down in extremes of heat or cold. Deer mice breed rather promis- cuously and a female can give birth to a litter with several males’ genetics. They generally breed two or more times a year with litters of 1 to 9. The young are inde- pendent after three weeks and can breed at six weeks. The perception is that deer mice are more common this year in houses and other structures. Rodent popula- tions, in general, fluctuate in response to feed quality and quantity and sometimes disease. It is thought that Douglas fir and big leaf maple seeds could impact breed- ing since they are both preferred food sources. I think it was a good year for maple seeds but not sure about fir cones. In addition, the cold winter may have driven more to look for heated shelter. Either way, it isn’t good to have them as house guests. They can damage wiring, causing serious fires. This isn’t all that uncommon with mice, rats, and squirrels. Deer mice are also the only vec- tor in Oregon for the hanta virus. This NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING A public meeting of the Columbia County 4H & Extension Service District will be held on June 7th, 2017 at 5:30 pm at Columbia County Courthouse, St. Helens , Oregon. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017 as approved by the Columbi County 4H and Extension Service District Budget Committee. A summary of the budget is presented below. A copy of the budget may be inspected or obtained at OSU Extension Office, 505 N. Columbia River Highway, St. Helens, OR, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. This budget is for an annual budget period. This budget was prepared on a basis of accounting that is the same as the preceding year. Contact: Chip Bubl virus has to be inhaled to cause the dis- ease. The respiratory disease is very serious since 40% of the people diag- nosed, perish. Fortunately, hanta virus incidence in Oregon is low and most of it has been diagnosed east of the Cas- cades. There has been about one case a year for the past 20 years in Oregon. Recently, there was an unusual cluster of the disease near Seattle. Human expo- sure to the disease comes from cleaning up mouse debris with a vacuum and/or a broom. The broom or vacuum aerosolize the virus making it easy to inhale. While a standard surgical mask is better protec- tion than nothing, it isn’t perfect. The CDC suggests spraying mouse infested quarters with a 10% bleach solution and letting it sit for 10-20 minutes and then wet-mop the space. Deer mice (and European house mice) are easily trapped. They invested (in their evolutionary path) heavily on reproduction rather than brains. They will visit traps baited with pea- nut butter and seeing one trapped mouse doesn’t deter the others from coming to sniff and lick. In fact, I am convinced that trapping the first mouse is the hardest and that the smell brings the others in rapid suc- cession. Closing off as many openings in the outer “shell” of the house is the best preventive approach. Deer mice don’t gnaw like rats. Look for openings around pipes that go from outside in. Plug the gaps with steel wool. Same for any other cracks you can find. Baits are the last choice only because there are concerns with direct toxicity if domestic animals eat the bait directly. Since mice are known to cache bait, it may have been safe where you put it but not where they moved it. Bait stations help to reduce non-target poi- soning but are not perfect. Finally, poi- soned mice often die in the walls or un- der the house and do stink for a time. But their odor curve isn’t near that of a dead rat. Still, since they are so easy to trap, that management approach combined with house tightening should be your primary control measures. For more information see: http:// ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/ pn74161.html. Photo courtesy of the Center for Disease Control. Food Safety or Food Preservation Questions? OSU Extension Service Has Answers. Are you planning to preserve food from your garden or purchased from a farm this summer? If so, call or visit the OSU Extension Service office before you start canning, freezing, or drying. Costly and potentially harmful mistakes can be made by using outdated canning recipes and instructions. You can find free publications at the Colum- bia County Extension office located at 505 N. Columbia River Highway in St. Helens (across from the Legacy Clinic). If you have questions, phone the office at (503) 397-3462. You can download for free all our food preservation publica- tions at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ fch/food-preservation. An additional great resource is the National Center for home Food Preservation at http://www. uga.edu/nchfp/. Take excess produce to the food bank, senior centers, or community meals programs. Cash donations to buy food are also greatly appreciated. The Extension Service offers its pro- grams and materials equally to all people. Free newsletter The Oregon State University Extension office in Columbia County publishes a monthly newsletter on gardening and farming topics (called Country Living) written/edited by yours truly. All you need to do is ask for it and it will be mailed to you. Call (503) 397-3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively, you can sign up for email notification of when to find the latest edition on the web at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/colum- bia/. Contact information for the Extension office Oregon State University Extension Ser- vice – Columbia County 505 N. Columbia River Highway (across from the Legacy clinic) St. Helens, OR 97051 503 397-3462 Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu Telephone: 503 397-3462 FINANCIAL SUMMARY - RESOURCES TOTAL OF ALL FUNDS Actual Amount 2015-16 429,950 Beginning Fund Balance/Net Working Capital 17,804 Fees, Licenses, Permits, Fines, Assessments & Other Service Charges Federal, State and all Other Grants, Gifts, Allocations and Donations Revenue from Bonds and Other Debt Interfund Transfers / Internal Service Reimbursements 20,000 All Other Resources Except Current Year Property Taxes Current Year Property Taxes Estimated to be Received 247,296 Total Resources 715,050 Adopted Budget This Year 2016-17 504,519 23,000 Approved Budget Next Year 2017-18 529,519 21,000 23,000 20,000 257,000 807,519 272,000 842,519 149,475 119,500 8,000 116,200 114,500 9,000 23,000 20,000 507,544 807,519 582,819 842,519 FINANCIAL SUMMARY - REQUIREMENTS BY OBJECT CLASSIFICATION Personnel Services 133,554 Materials and Services 82,452 Capital Outlay 9,222 Debt Service Interfund Transfers 20,000 Contingencies Special Payments Unappropriated Ending Balance and Reserved for Future Expenditure 469,822 Total Requirements 715,050 FINANCIAL SUMMARY - REQUIREMENTS AND FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES (FTE) BY ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT OR PROGRAM * Name of Organizational Unit or Program FTE for that unit or program FTE Extension Programs Not Allocated to Organizational Unit or Program FTE Total Requirements Total FTE 3 3 3 0 715,050 3 0 807,519 3 0 842,519 3 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN ACTIVITIES and SOURCES OF FINANCING * Transition in classified staff will lower personnel costs in FY 17-18. Permanent Rate Levy (rate limit _________ per $1,000) Local Option Levy Levy For General Obligation Bonds PROPERTY TAX LEVIES Rate or Amount Imposed 2015-16 0.0571 STATEMENT OF INDEBTEDNESS Estimated Debt Outstanding on July 1. Rate or Amount Imposed This Year 2016-17 0.0571 Rate or Amount Approved Next Year 2017-18 0.0571 Estimated Debt Authorized, But Not Incurred on July 1 General Obligation Bonds Other Bonds Other Borrowings Total $0 $0 * If more space is needed to complete any section of this form, insert lines (rows) on this sheet. You may delete blank lines. LONG TERM DEBT Where do you read the Voice? Show us where you have traveled. Submit your photo with a brief description by email to: scott@vernoniasvoice.com
