This is how raccoons deal with mosquitos

This great little clip shows a mama raccoon in the Hobbit box nailing a mosquito that was plainly getting on her nerves.

There are two things that make this video remarkable:
First, it was pitch dark in the box. We can see, because the camera is using infrared night vision, but the mama raccoon can't. And yet she zeroed in on the mosquito with absolute precision. She could hear it, and she could locate it using hearing alone.

Second, she killed the mosquito in exactly the same way we would, by clapping her hands together. We watch the raccoons and squirrels and opossums using their hands and constantly find ourselves wondering why more species didn't evolve them. They seem awfully, well, handy.

Our fearless mosquito-killing mama raccoon gave birth in the Hobbit box in May 2023 and brought up her two little kits there for about 5 weeks. She was named Mommie Dearest by our livestream watchers because she was an obsessive cleaner of the little ones. They barely had a moment's rest when she was in the box with them. It was a relief when she moved them to a bigger space, under the deck, where they could at least attempt to avoid her when she was at her most neat-freaky.

#texasbackyardwildlife
@TexasBackyardWildlife

[rickalta]

I live on the edge of a flood plain in southern Alabama. I feed them every night. ol' Roy dogfood... The chief rascals name is George. George Cooney.

[wasyertakeawaythaturmadeofcorn]

It's not the getting it that got me. She clapped it...Was not expecting that.

[snappycattimesten]

I support the mom. Mosquitos are too quick for me in the dark.

[debdew]

Too funny!
She really got it!
Was not expecting that!
Thanks for sharing! 💙

[rickalta]

What did you think about the animal names I sent you?😂