Lizards not welcome in Cupertino yard, but is that a mistake?

DEAR JOAN: We use a product that contains “dried blood” to deter moles, deer and squirrels. Would that also deter lizards?

I’ve read that coffee grounds deter lizards, but why buy two products when one might do? We are not coffee drinkers.

— K.M., Cupertino

DEAR K.M.: As far as I know, the scent of blood does not discourage lizards from their residency in your yard. It might actually have the opposite effect, although I doubt it would rile up the Western fence and alligator lizards that are common in our area. Larger lizards seem to be drawn to the odor of blood, but I’m guessing your lizard issues don’t involve komodo dragons.

I’m not sure the product would be that effective against moles, deer and squirrels, but regardless, anything that contains blood products should be used sparingly, as the scent of blood might attract large predators.

Getting back to the lizards, there are certain scents that can repel lizards. Those include onion and garlic, vinegar, hot peppers and coffee grounds. You can make a spray with the vinegar, mixing equal parts vinegar and water, or by mixing hot chili powder with water and a drop of dish soap. Onions, garlic and coffee grounds can be scattered around.

The key is to find where the lizards hang out, and apply your deterrent there.

You also can make your yard less attractive to lizards by removing hiding places such as wood piles and shrubbery, and getting rid of food and water sources.

I’m puzzled, however, by why you would want to frighten lizards away. They are beneficial partners in the garden, eating large quantities of insects, slugs and snails. Both the fence and alligator lizards are primarily carnivores and don’t typically eat or harm plants. For me, they can be just as entertaining to watch as squirrels.

DEAR JOAN: We had gutter guards installed in February this year. They did a nice, neat job.

A few days later we heard a drilling noise from the gutter outside our guest room.

The noise would start up, then stop for a few hours.  We tried to figure how a woodpecker could have been trapped inside the gutter as there are no openings. The gutter people came back to open it up and saw nothing.

We are in our 80s and not good on ladders. The bird has been drilling off and on since February. I heard him yesterday. How could it have survived that long without food or water?

Do you have any ideas ?

— Jean T., Lafayette

DEAR JEAN: Oh heavens yes, stay off the ladder.

You have a mystery there, but I’m pretty sure we can rule out a woodpecker trapped inside the gutter. It wouldn’t have lasted more than a few days, certainly not five months.

However, the noise could be caused by a woodpecker drilling on the gutters or near to one of them. You might also have a crow or scrub-jay perching on your gutters and using the cover as a platform for pounding on a nut it found.

To know for certain, you might need to park yourself in a shady spot near where you keep hearing the noise and see who visits.

The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.