Can a snake that size, eat a chipmunk? My DD is a snake collecter, she has 4!!!ewww! I'm gonna start bringing my camera with me out to the yard, I was just watering some new plantings and a humming bird whizzed by to catch some rain drops! These moments that make all this hard work worth it eh?!!!

Well, Mr. Toad, I did a search here on Gardenweb on chipmunks. Here are a few of the titles of the posts: Chipmunk Hell Help Chipmunks eating Roses! The Chipmunks Must Die! Getting Rid of Chipmunks Chipmunk holes all over the yard I Hate Chipmunks I'll leave you to either read these posts or to make a decision based on the titles. Renee Here is a link that might be useful: Search for the word Chipmunk on Gardenweb

Christine, I don't personally condone trapping anything. It's unfortunate that it's even in anyone's vocabulary, unless you are a fur trapper...in which case you're about 150 years too late. Some gardeners can be such hypocrites. "I love nature....as long as it obeys my terms." Learn to adapt to and appreciate the native species around you. Anyways, my preaching aside, I have chipmunks and hostas and they coexist peacefully. The chipmunks do burrow in a few places, but that's what chipmunks do. I would be surprised if they are your hosta munchers though. As for the shrews, they have voracious appetites and many also burrow, but I don't know if hostas are on the menu or not. However, they are not rodents (not even closely related) and are actually relatively intelligent species for their size. I say live and let live. Maybe find out which hostas are getting eaten and which aren't and try to figure out why. Or look at it this way. You have apparently created a great wildlife habitat. Good for you.

Lovely close up shot, looks like ready to leave with food...look at those rounded cheeks.