What are these strange creatures that are feeding on my trees? I did not know we had porcupines in Kendall County.
Well, they live among us in a very secretive manner, and it is critical for landowners to understand the multilayered feat of managing land, especially in the Hill Country. Land Management is a full-time commitment, and proper regular maintenance requires owners to know every inch of their property. This includes the many invited and uninvited visitors you will find from time to time – like porcupines.
The North American porcupine (erethizon dorsatum) has many family members. Still, the primary difference in the North American variety is shorter quills, compact heads and small- to medium-size ranges. These strict herbivores are nocturnal when they locate delicious food items, mainly trees!
Much like the beaver, the porcupine desires the cambium layer of a living tree where the tree’s vascularity is situated. Porcupines are expert tree climbers that can eat the entire vertical height of the tree until the limb load no longer can support their weight. Feeding or “girdling” the complete circumference of a tree can lead to the tree’s death.
Tree maintenance is essential, so survey your property and look for the trees that have been fed upon. You can spot a feeding tree from the gnawed patchesof the bark and an abundance of elongated pellets below the tree.
Plastic tree guards work well since the porcupine cannot get a grip on the smooth, hard plastic. Chicken wire works well to prevent feeding, but firsthand experience tells us that the porcupine can climb past the chicken wire and resume feeding operations.
If you come across trees that have been fed upon, you can easily track a porcupine to the most giant and dense tree in the immediate area; most often, they will sleep soundly with a full belly.
The occasional porcupine at the Cibolo Nature Center or Herff Farm enjoys the Gum Bumelia (Bumelia lanuginosa) and Monterry Oak (Quercus turbinata), so we always check those trees often during spring and summer.
Porcupines within the urban interface also can cause some concerns for our dogs, but here are some tips to help avoid a costly trip to the veterinarian. Porcupines are nocturnal, so your dog could cross their path in the depth of night or early morning. A porcupine on the ground easily is steered with a broom or stick. They do not like to be bothered, so being annoying (without hurting them) will make them move to happier feeding areas.
Porcupines can cause some economic loss in the form of expensive tree loss and veterinarian bills. Be vigilant when looking at your property. Look for gnawing and or an unusual accumulation of leaves at irregular times of the year.
Porcupines are quiet by nature but will always travel to higher ground when in doubt – contact your local wildlife removal experts for help. Remember that proper land management is being familiar with every corner of your property. Make sure you have a land management plan and attend to the land regularly.
Cibolo Happenings
August 10
• Art in Conservation: Drawing from Nature,10 a.m.-noon. Join international artist Jeannette MacDougall and Rebecca Burritt. The Art of Drawing is simply a form of mark-making. With the practice of the basic skills of blind contour, proportion, value and detail, we learn to draw what we see through our interpretation. We develop a new awareness and appreciation of the natural beauty in the world around us. This class is hosted inside or outside the Herff House and is offered every Wednesday. Learn more at www.cibolo.org.
August 12
• Night Hikes for Adults– Explore the Cibolo at Night, 7:30-9 p.m. Join the Cibolo staff as they walk the trails learning about all the nocturnal animals that call the Cibolo home. This is a longer hike suitable for adults 18 and over. Attendees should bring comfortable shoes, a flashlight and a water bottle. Registeratwww.cibolo.org.
August 13
• Farmers Market at Herff Farm,9 a.m.-1 p.m., Join us at the Farmers Market at Herff Farm and enjoy locally produced products and goods from small businesses and farms in the Texas Hill Country. Herff Farm offers trails and programming for children and adults. More information is available at www. cibolo.org.
• Art in Conservation: Watercolor,10 a.m.-noon. Join international artist Jeannette MacDougall and Rebecca Burritt in watercolor class where you learn to paint with the practice of the basic techniques; glazing, wet-in-wet, dry brush, and more. This class is hosted inside or outside the Herff House and is offered every Saturday. Learn more at www.cibolo.org.
• Moondance Outdoor Concert Series – Ruben V.Enjoy music at the nature center, 7-10 p.m. Attendees can bring their chairs, coolers and friends to enjoy dancing under the full moon. Ticket pricing is available for members, nonmembers, students and children. Learn more at www.cibolo.org.August 20
• Flying Wild Workshop,9 a.m.-p.m. Educators will learn how to conduct flying wild lessons and participate in hands-on activities from the activity guide, which teaches basic bird biology, identification, ecology, conservation and service-learning activities. Snacks and coffee are provided, but please bring lunch to get everything covered in this workshop. This class qualifies as a 6-hour continuing education credit. This class is held in the Cibolo Nature Center’s Auditorium.Register on Cibolo.org.
• Storytime at Herff Farm,10-11 a.m. Join Miss Constance of the Patrick Heath Public Library for a fun adventure at the amphitheater at Herff Farm. This is a great free activity for families enjoying the farmers market.
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