So you have rented a dumpster, and you are worried about the possible pests that will be attracted. And, for a variety of reasons, different pests will come around. Here are the critters you will want to look out for, and how to keep them away.

Cats

These roving murderers are the most likely culprits to get in your dumpster. Sometimes they are chasing birds and other moving animals, which they often kill for sport instead of for food. Other times they are seeking a little something to eat.

Cats also are attracted to any place there might be new water, especially if it is dripping. Keep an eye out for the neighborhood cats around your dumpster.

Shooing cats away multiple times works, because most cats have places with dependable food and water, and will simply choose the path of least resistance.

Raccoons

Unlike house cats, and outdoor cats, raccoons make a living out of dumpster diving. These clever critters can climb, lift, develop plans, and even work together to get into and out of dumpsters and trash cans.

The stakes are life and death for these wild animals. This means that it will take more than mere shooing to keep them away. You will need to employ a variety of strategies to keep them away. Start by making it as hard as possible to climb in to the dumpster. Keep objects from leaning against or being piled near your dumpster.

Possums

Like raccoons, possums have learned to live off the fat of the land afforded them by living near people. And like raccoons, this has made them clever team players who can solve problems and work together to get their next meal.

However, they are skittish. Like house cats, scaring them off a couple of times will probably do the trick.

Bees

Bees are attracted to sweetness. They have learned that they can get this sweetness from aluminum cans that often contain soda. This means that they are attracted to shiny aluminum. Keeping sweets out of your dumpster, and burying (or recycling) the aluminum will help keep the bees away.

Flies and gnats

Flies and gnats are drawn to most foods, but contrary to popular thought, it is not the sweets that draw them. These flying nuisances are more drawn to meat and fat – places where they can get nourishment and where their eggs can turn into larvae. Maggots love fat, and the week between garbage gatherings actually provides them time to complete a life cycle and create a real flying mess.

Photo by Robert Linder on Unsplash