chipmunk are part of a healthy ecosystem , although they sometimes damage garden plant .
Rob Cardillo
With their striped body and fascinating prank , chipmunk are doubtlessly adorable , and they ’re always fun to watch as they fill their plump cheeks with acorns , berries , and seeds . However , if chipmunks have beendamaging your plantsor lawn , you’re able to forbid chipmunk job and safely remove chipmunk from your property with these helpful tips .
Credit:Rob Cardillo
Chipmunks: Friend or Foe?
Compared to other “ garden pests , ” chipmunks generally do n’t do much wrong , and often a destiny of the damage thatisattributed to chipmunk activity is actually triggered by other animals likevoles , moles , and rats . Learning to experience with a few chipmunk can come down a lot of horticulture headaches . Plus , chipmunks can actually gain gardens and other landscapes in certain ways .
The presence of chipmunk is an indicator of a sizeable ecosystem , and chipmunk provide an important food rootage for larger animals like hawks , bird of Minerva , and bobcats . On top of that , chipmunks aid to oxygenize soils when burrowing , and their habit of burying seed and nuts helps to seed unnumerable plants and tree diagram . If you allow chipmunks to mystify around , you may discover lots to love about them .
Signs of Chipmunk Activity
Chipmunks are mostly fighting during the day , so you may see chipmunks dart around your yard and popping in and out of bird affluent . But if you are n’t quite sure if you ’re dealing with chipmunk or another cuss , keep a lookout for these cardinal signs that chipmunk are underway :
Rodent damage that take place overnight is more probable to have been have by rats than chipmunk .
How to Prevent and Get Rid of Chipmunks
Removing chipmunk can take a lot of work , and it ’s not always effective , even under the best fate . alternatively , it ’s usually easier to focus on keep large populations of chipmunk by reduce food source and using instinctive deterrents that make garden less take in to furred visitors .
Remove Food Sources
The most common reason why chipmunk populations surge is due to an overabundance of food . So if you want to further chipmunk to move elsewhere or prevent chipmunks from creeping into your grand , the first step is to reduce useable food sources .
For the meter being , put away razz feeder , unassailable bird seed and best-loved food in pestis - proof containers , and rake up windfallen fruit and spill bird germ . If you still want to apply your raspberry affluent , consider flip to seeded player that are less attractive to chipmunks , such as thistle or safflower seeds .
Secure Access Points
chipmunk can jibe into very small spaces , and they can sometimes hug into attics and other spots where they ’re not wanted . Covering up light memory access points in fence and the walls of your home , garage , orpotting shedwith grates or hardware fabric can make it much heavily for chipmunk to wriggle their agency in . Just make certain that no animals are lingering inside these concealment spot before you cover them up .
Do a Good Garden Clean Up
Like other animals , chipmunks feel more at base in raving mad areas , and they ’re more probable to adhere around lawns with tall grass , overgrown bush , open compost heaps , and Grant Wood or rock quite a little . cut downtall grassesand rationalize plants back will make chipmunks find more open and may give them a reason to move somewhere else . While you ’re at it , you may want to put in a compost bin and keep it underwrite when it ’s not in role .
Grow Repellant Plants
tulip and crocus are irresistible to chipmunk , but some plant are much less appealing to these dry pint - sized critters . For instance , chipmunks generally give daffodil a broad berth , and they do n’t like the odor of alliums , sage , marigolds , or lavender . comrade planting with these herb and prime may make gardens a bit more pest - trial impression and discourage chipmunk from nibbling on nearby plant .
Add Hardware Cloth and Bulb Cages
Losing green groceries and flower medulla to rodent harm is always frustrating , but you may shelter plants from chipmunks with a bit of 1/4 - column inch hardware fabric . Simply use hardware material to line the base of raised beds , gently bury the hardware cloth beneath the grease line to shield plant roots , or habituate hardware cloth to cover newly set seeds . If you ’re arise bulb and dahlia genus Tuber , think inseminate them inside premade bulb cage or make your own DIY cages by broadly roll your bulbs in chicken telegram or hardware cloth .
Install Chipmunk Baffles
chipmunk are more potential to flow around gardens withbird feeders , but if you love determine songbirds , you may not be quick to put away your feeders just yet . If this is the case , consider invest in a rodent - proof bird feeder and wax your feeder on a metal pole with a squirrel baffle board to keep chipmunk from climbing up . Chipmunks are also first-class jumper , so you ’ll get even better answer if you install feeders away from Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and overhanging ramification .
Try Natural Repellants
nurseryman can find a farsighted list of repellent products to use against chipmunks , but some of these product work better than others . Generally speaking , you ’ll get the best solvent out of natural repellants if you use several repellants at the same sentence and fuse them with the exclusion method heel above . You may also desire to occasionally alternate products to keep chipmunks from getting used to finical spray , powders , decoy , and other check .
Some gardeners have success using ultrasonic repellants or owl decoys for chipmunk control . Other gardeners have better luck with blood meal or Mentha piperita oil , predator urine , garlic oil , or cayenne pepper sprayer . If you choose to practice spray products , retrieve to hold them on a regular basis throughout the time of year and peculiarly after ponderous rain .
Use a Live Trap
Controlling chipmunks with baulk and prevention is always a better option than trap . Not only is trapping relatively ineffective , but new chipmunks will move right into your garden after you remove the first lot of chipmunk . Trapping is also illegal in some areas and chipmunks often do n’t survive relocation .
If you ’re driven to polish off chipmunks from your prop , it ’s full to call a professional pest command company to do the oeuvre for you . If you decide to relocate chipmunks on your own , always watch local rule and regulation and do n’t use poisoned baits , which can harm non - target animals like owl and pets . Select an appropriately sized alive yap , rank the ambuscade in an surface area where chipmunks are active , add peanut butter as bait , check the trap often to check chipmunks do n’t stay cage in for foresighted , handle traps with sturdy gloves , and release chipmunks at least 5 Roman mile from human habitation .
Credit:Rob Cardillo
