The name opossum come from an Algonquin Indian word that means “white beast”.  Sometimes the O is dropped and they are called “possums”.

Opossums are marsupials.  Females bear tiny, helpless young, barely ½ inches long that instinctively climb into a pouch on the female’s belly.  They spend the next few months there, growing rapidly.  Opossums are the only marsupials occurring in North America.  There are several more in South America, and Australia is full of them.

Opossums resemble oversized rats, with large ears and naked tails.  They grow to about five pounds and about as long as a house cat, but there have been reports of animals weighing up to ten pounds.

Opossums are truly adaptable creatures, able to live almost anywhere and eat almost anything.  They are usually silent, but they can hiss, growl, and moan and on occasion even bark and chirp!  They are mainly nocturnal, but sometimes are seen in daylight. 

Opossums are not really destructive, and the sight of one in the backyard is rarely cause for alarm, but they occasionally become nuisances.  In those cases they are easily caught in live traps.  Almost anything can be used for bait, but cat food and very ripe fruit seem to work best.