Unearthing the Truth: Your Guide to Battling Pesky Ground Squirrels

Are your prized garden plants disappearing? Do you see suspicious holes in your yard? You might have ground squirrels on your hands! These seemingly innocuous creatures can wreak havoc on your landscape, damage property, and even pose health risks. But don't despair – understanding their habits and employing effective management strategies can help you reclaim your outdoor space.

Ground Squirrels: More Than Just Cute Critters

Often mistaken for their tree-dwelling cousins, ground squirrels are distinct. While tree squirrels ascend trees when startled, ground squirrels always scurry back to their intricate burrow systems. These underground networks serve as their homes for sleeping, raising young, storing food, and escaping danger. They're active during the day, especially on warm, sunny afternoons, and can breed once a year, with litters averaging 7 to 8 young.

The Damage They Inflict:

Don't underestimate the impact of a ground squirrel colony:

• Plant Devastation: They love to munch on both food-bearing and ornamental plants, making quick work of your garden efforts.
• Infrastructure Annoyance: Plastic sprinklers and irrigation lines are fair game for their gnawing teeth.
• Tree Trouble: Young trees can be "girdled" – having a strip of bark completely removed – which can be fatal.
• Landscape Havoc: Their extensive burrowing creates tripping hazards, undermines structures, and makes mowing a nightmare.

Taking Action: Your Ground Squirrel Management Toolkit

The good news is that you have options. Here's how to manage ground squirrels effectively:

1. Clear the Clutter: Ground squirrels use brush piles and debris for cover. Removing these makes your yard less appealing and exposes their burrows.
2. Trapping Strategies:
   • Kill Traps (Box or Conibear): These can be effective, but only use them if there's absolutely no risk to pets or other wildlife. Place them near burrows or runways, baited with favorites like walnuts, almonds, oats, or melon rinds. Trap between February and October for best results.
   • Live-Catch Traps: While an option, relocating wildlife without a permit is generally illegal. If you do catch one, it must be released on your property or humanely euthanized.
3. Fumigation (with caution!):
   • Gas Cartridges: These can be placed in burrows in the spring when soil is moist, which helps contain the gas. Crucially, avoid using them in dry conditions due to fire hazards and never near buildings. Always read and follow product labels diligently.
   • Professional Options: For more severe infestations, licensed pest management professionals may use restricted fumigants like aluminum phosphide or specialized carbon monoxide injection systems.
4. Baiting (Residential Limitations):
   • Currently, there are no toxic baits legally available to residential users specifically for managing ground squirrels. Some first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs) may be used in tamper-resistant bait stations for general rodent control, but always verify the label for target species and safety precautions.

Long-Term Vigilance is Key

If you live near wildlands or areas prone to ground squirrels, ongoing management will be necessary. Regularly check for new burrows and act quickly. It's much easier and less expensive to manage a small number of squirrels than to let a population boom!