Squirrels may look cute, but they can wreak havoc on your garden, digging up plants, chewing on structures, and stealing bird food. If you’re tired of these furry intruders causing damage, it’s time to take action. Effective control involves a mix of deterrents, natural repellents, and strategic garden planning. In this guide, we’ll share practical tips for squirrel control without harming them, ensuring your garden remains a thriving and healthy space. Let’s dive into the best solutions!
Tips for Squirrel Control: Preventive Measures to Protect Garden
To protect your garden’s beauty against any pest attack, it is important to take measures to avoid ongoing prevention. Highlighted below are a few necessary tips for squirrel control to stop them from damaging your yard.
Seal Entry Points to Prevent Infestation
Inspect the entire outdoor area of your house and figure out which tiny holes or gaps are welcoming these pests into your garden. Small openings in vents, roofs, as well as chimneys can be their main entry points. Furthermore, seal all those gaps and holes with hardware cloth or metal mesh. Ensure attic vents are properly secure and install chimney caps to stop access. Blocking their entry points is the first step to effective squirrel control Bradford.
Remove Food Sources to Discourage Squirrels
Eliminate all those accessible food sources that are attracting them. Secure garbage bins with tight lids and avoid leaving pet food open outside overnight. Clean up fallen nuts and fruits in your garden. For the bird feeders, use squirrel-proof designs. You can also place them at a distance from trees to reduce attraction.
Trim Trees and Remove Nesting Sites
They mostly use overhanging tree branches to access your home. Trim tree branches a maximum of five feet away from the roof area. Remove piles of debris, leaves, or wood that could serve as their nesting sites. Keep the garden well-maintained and clean to reduce the chances of their infestation.
Install Squirrel-Proof Barriers Around Gardens
Give your garden complete protection by fencing around plants or installing wire mesh. The use of metal collars around tree trunks can also help. It stops them from climbing. Similarly, raised garden beds with netting is among effective tips for squirrel control. These barriers hence make it difficult for squirrels to access and damage your plants, keeping your garden safe.
Common Signs of Squirrel Activity in Your Garden
Noticing small of them roaming around in the garden can be fascinating, but it can be of great annoyance when they start damaging the yard area. Still can’t figure out if squirrels are in your garden or not? A few common signs of their activity in the garden are:
Visual Indicators
Finding small holes around garden corners is a major sign of their activity. These wild pests use these holes to store food. They also damage plants, crack branches, chew leaves, as well as bite fruits. If you notice bite marks on bulbs or if they are pulled out of the soil, it is likely due to activity.
Squirrel Droppings
Their droppings are extremely tiny in shape and size, like a coffee bean. But it can vary depending on their diet. Seeing them in great quantity usually means they are your frequent visitors.
Noises and Sightings
Listening to scratching and chattering sounds is another major sign of their presence. Noises are quite common in rooftop or tree areas. Seeing them often, especially during peak activity times in the morning and late afternoon, indicates they are present in your garden.
Negative Impacts: What Damage They Can Give To Yard?
Noticing their huge population in garden places causes structural and physical damage to a greater extent. Let’s discuss the damages or negative impacts in detail below:
Physical Damage
Ignoring such problems in your yard contributes to huge physical damage. They dig up and eat bulbs, using those holes for food storage purposes. Plus, they also ruin your garden vegetables and flower buds or eat away all the fruits you have grown. Additionally, they also chew on branches and bark, creating health issues for plants.
Diseases and Parasites
They can be carriers of different parasites as well as diseases. This negative impact can indirectly affect pets and garden health. They transmit ticks and fleas to pets. While squirrels are not direct carriers of plant diseases, their activity can stress plants. This hence makes them more open to diseases.
Best Time Of year To Control Squirrels
For effective and fast control, early spring or late winter are the best times of year to start the process. In these two seasons, they prefer to establish nesting the most. Fall can be a good time since they search for warm shelter before winter. Refrain from sealing entry points when young squirrels are inside. Performing regular inspections is the best approach to have long-term results. As soon as you notice even a single squirrel roaming in the garden, take action. DIY methods never bring effective results; therefore, hiring professional squirrel removal services in Barrie is the best approach to consider.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
- What is attracting squirrels to my property?
They are very often drawn to food sources like pet food, bird feeders, fruit trees, or accessible shelter places. Removing all such attractants can help you to control their infestation.
- Can they cause damage to my garden?
Yes, they do! They eat fruits and vegetables, dig up plant holes, and damage trees by stripping off the bark.
- What time of year are infestations most common?
Their activity peaks in spring and fall when they search for nesting sites and food.
- Do they carry diseases?
It is quite rare, but they can carry parasites and diseases like leptospirosis and salmonella. All such health concerns pose a risk to humans and pets.
- How long does it take to get rid of an infestation?
It depends on the severity, but professional removal typically takes a few days to a couple of weeks.
Expert Squirrel Removal Services by North Star Pest Control
Is it hard for you to protect your garden from dangerous attacks by squirrels? Why worry when North Star Pest Control is right here to help you? We provide humane, fast, and effective removal services to keep your home garden safe. A thorough inspection and safe trapping are performed by our experienced team for long-term prevention solutions. Don’t let them chew through your wiring and damage your attic. Let’s kick them out together!