Henderson, NV

Bees only attack when they feel threatened. If you encounter a bee hive or a swarm of bees, simply walk away.

A swarm is hundreds of worker bees surrounding a queen, looking for a place to build a hive. A swarm may temporarily rest on a tree or building, and will move on in a day or two. A swarm is harmless and will not hurt you if left alone.

A hive is where bees live, store their honey (food) and raise their young. Bees will not hurt you if you leave their hive alone. Avoid loud activity near a hive that might agitate the bees, such as mowing the lawn and using power tools. Never attempt to remove a bee hive yourself. Contact a professional pest control company specializing in bee removal and relocation.

If you are attacked by bees, cover your face with your hands and run as quickly as you can in a straight line away from them. Take shelter inside a building or car. If you are stung, use a blunt object to scrape off stingers to stop venom from entering your body. Do not submerge in water as the bees will wait for you to surface for air. Waving your arms, swatting or screaming will further agitate the bees.

Henderson Fire and Police are not equipped to remove bee hives and swarms. Call 9-1-1 if bees are actively attacking or someone is having a medical reaction to a bee sting.

If you have a bee concern or problem, you can contact Bee Removal Source or Nevada Pest Control Association Bee Hotline at 702-385-5853. Have a pencil or pen at the ready because you will be given a list of local member pest control companies. You will need to contact one of the listed companies for assistance. Make sure you get pricing information as you will be responsible for paying for the services of one of these companies, if you have them come to your residence.

Bats are more likely to spread rabies than any other animal. Every year several rabid bats are identified in Clark County.

The best way to avoid contracting rabies from a bat is not to pick it up. Any bat that is on the ground is probably sick. Do not touch it!

If you or your pet come into contact with a bat, and/or if you find a bat on the ground, and it appears to be alive, keep it in sight and call Animal Control at 702-267-4970, option 4. We will send an Animal Control Officer to pick it up and remove it from your premises.

For more in formation on bats and rabies, please see the Center for Disease Control.

Bobcats are indigenous to southern Nevada. The Bobcat's habitat include forest areas (like Mt. Charleston), semi-desert areas (like Las Vegas valley, Henderson, Boulder City and Clark County), mountains and foothills (much like the newly developed areas to the south of Henderson and Las Vegas), and your backyard.

Bobcats are predators and the rapidly growing people population, although encroaching on the Bobcats' territory, is providing a source of food for the Bobcats that are adapting well to the growth. Not only are small, unattended, household pets easy targets for Bobcats, but trash cans and dumpsters provide a variety of food for a predator that is hungry.

If you see a Bobcat in your yard, do not corner it. Make sure it has an escape route and make a lot of noise (like banging on pots and pans) to scare it away.

Turn your water hose on and spray it at the Bobcat, to chase it away. Keep low lying brush and bushes cleared away, as Bobcats will use this for cover.

If you know there has been a Bobcat sighting in your area, do not leave your small pet unattended in your yard.

Do not feed wildlife, like birds and chipmunks, because they will attract a Bobcat.

Keep all trash in secured trash cans and keep all dumpsters shut.

For further information about Nevada's wildlife, please visit the Nevada Department of Wildlife's website.

As land is developed and construction continues to occur on land that was once their natural habitat, sightings will increase as they adapt for survival and stray into our communities. Coyotes will typically hunt from dusk to dawn and generally avoid human interaction. Be aware that coyotes can scale six feet high fences so don’t fall into a false sense of security. Water features may actually attract wildlife since it creates a water source for them to drink from.

Who is responsible for concerns or complaints regarding coyotes?
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is the agency responsible for wildlife.

When will Animal Control respond for coyotes on my property?

• Only if the coyote is injured and fails to leave your property. The coyote remains after attempts to make loud noises to scare it off.
• If your cat or dog is attacked.
  Keep your pet up to date on their rabies vaccination. Without vaccination, if your pet is attacked and bitten, your pet will be placed into quarantine for an extended period of time and may result in boarding costs.

Can I set fur bearing traps for coyotes?
No, there are restrictions and the traps mentioned can be very dangerous.
Large kennel type traps have been attempted in the past without success.

What should I do if my pet is attacked or a coyote refuses to leave?
Many of us consider our pet’s family, but attempting to physically intervene could cause injury to you as well as your pet. Make loud noises, scream, use a water hose if available and call Henderson Police via 3-1-1 unless a human has been attacked and sustained injury, then call 9-1-1.

Can I use my rifle, gun, pellet gun to protect my pet?
No, the discharge of a firearm within the city limits is against the law with only few exceptions. The discharging of a firearm to save your pet is NOT one of the exceptions. If property is damaged under illegal circumstances, or worse, a person could be held both civilly and criminally liable.

Here are some tips to deal with coyotes and other wild animals:

• Always keep your distance from any wild animal.
• Do not feed wild animals as this encourages dependency and will also cause them to lose their natural fear of humans. The feeding of any wildlife may inadvertently attract other wild animals.
• Do not leave unattended dog food or cat food around the exterior of your home.
• Insure your garbage cans are closed tightly if they contain remnants of food.
• If wild animals are frequenting your property, consider blocking your pet door for a week or two to discourage access. Some wild animals have been known to use pet doors in search of food.
• Avoid allowing your cats and dogs to roam freely as they may not return.
• When walking your pets, use a leash, it can prevent a wild animal from carrying your pet away. Consider carrying a whistle or disposable air horn during walks.
• Be observant when your pet goes outside, if your pet starts barking, consider making loud noises (using a whistle, air horn or rattling change in a can) and check on your pet.
• Work with your neighbors for prevention efforts. Although it may be more difficult due to recent situations involving coyotes, co-existing with our wildlife should be the goal.

With southern Nevada growing in leaps and bounds and urban sprawl creeping into the natural environment, many residents may encounter the occasional indigenous snake. The most common rattlesnakes you are likely to see in this area are the Southwestern Speckled, Side-Winder, Panamint, Western Diamond-Back,Great Basin Rattlesnake, and the Mojave Green.

The Southwestern Speckled rattler is usually found in foothills, low mountains, open desert, and rocky washes. This is the most common rattlesnake for our area. It can grow to two to three feet long with a pattern of indistinct blotches on its back and sides. Its color varies from tan, gray, pink, or reddish tones.

The Side-Winder is one of our smallest rattlesnake species being on average only one to two feet in length. It's tan with a series of darker blotches along its back. It has a horned like scale above each eye. Because of this, it has been occasionally called the horned-rattlesnake.

The Panamint is similar to the Southwestern Speckled mentioned above. It has a more distinct pattern to its blotches along its back. It is found in the extreme western and northwestern areas of Clark County.

Nevada's Western Diamond-Back rattlesnake is found only in extreme southern Clark County and rarely encountered by residents. It is the largest of our native species with a potential length of more than four feet. It looks similar to the Mojave Green (described below) only with a series of distinct diamond-shaped blotches and lacks the green color of the Mojave.

You will most likely never encounter the Great Basin Rattlesnake in Clark County. Its living area is generally in the northern two-thirds of Nevada. It can grow to over three feet in length. Its blotches can vary in color from a yellowish to gray color, with the occasional snake with a greenish tinge.

All of the above rattlesnakes are venomous but by far the rattlesnake with the most toxic venom is the Mojave Green. This rattler is a greenish to olive-green color and has diamond-shaped blotches along its back. This rattlesnake ranges from two to three feet in length and has highly toxic venom that affects the nervous system. This snake is usually found in the open desert terrain and mountains. It is the least common rattlesnake and if found is mainly in the Eldorado Valley and Lake Mead areas.