I need some live ones up by the cabin. Middle of nowhere. I shot the only one I've seen up there after he tunneled into my outhouse. That was a whole new story though.
The bacteria that break down the mulch (leaves, also) use up nitrogen and alkalinity. I feed my trees 12-12-12 several times a year and lime the yard around all my evergreens to keep grass growing. It's no big deal to supplement the ground.