Squirrels stripping maples of buds. I'm beside myself.
DCF-Z6A
4 years ago
Featured Answer
Comments (12)
DCF-Z6A
4 years agoRelated Discussions
squirrel strategies
Comments (70)Buffalo, Assuming you've bought the 24" Tomahawk trap, you've got a good trap, that works very well me. I'm surprised you are seeing squirrels and haven't caught any yet. Let's cover a few other basics to make sure we aren't leaving anything out. Make sure the trap is next to a squirrel run, or a tall tree (preferably one you see squirrels in sometimes). You'll want to clear all tall weeds/flowers/plants away from the trap. Squirrels don't like to enter a trap with weeds around it. I throw down an old rug or a piece of carpet and put the trap on top. It keeps the weeds down and the squirrels don't seem to mind entering the trap when it's on a rug. Once you catch a squirrel, rug will also hold the squirrel scent, which I think helps to entice the next squirrel to enter the trap. If you are having a hard time getting squirrels in your trap, try a more higher visibility bait. Squirrels have keen eyesight and can spot highly visible bait. I've not had that good of luck baiting with peanut butter. Squirrels just never seemed to eat it for me. Acorns, pecans, or an ear of corn have all worked well though. If you have a hedge tree around, throw some hedge apples around the trap. Squirrels love those and they are highly visible. Once they get next to the trap, they will go after the tastier nuts/acorns in the trap. I do catch some birds in my traps. In the spring, Bluejays will eat acorns (but not pecans). Lots of birds will eat corn still on the cob. But birds are easy to release and I've rarely caught a bird with whole unshelled pecans as bait. They are too big for birds to swallow....See MoreSquirrels eat tomato's?
Comments (66)I am laughing my head off because I am having the same battle. My prize Gold Medal tomatoes that I have been anxiously waiting all summer for have been attacked, both the lower ones and the higher ones. I put rigid meshing around them and the bugger chewed thru them too! Personally, I'm thinking raccoon, but who knows. I'm finding cherries, green and ripe all over the ground with the insides sucked out. Other tomatoes they aren't bothering. It seems the tomatoes that are in the ground next to a fence are at the most risk. My container tomato plants have had fewer attacks. It's not fair! I am going to try blood meal for next year, altho permanently eliminating them has crossed my mind! I have now picked most of my tomatoes and brought them in otherwise I won't have one to eat! AAAHHH! Sharon...See MoreJapanese Maple Bark Problem.
Comments (8)Chicken wire loosely crumpled around the trunk is very effective as well. Allows the bark to breathe properly and almost disappears from sight!! Too bad it doesn't keep the deer away as well! The squirrel damage is usually something an otherwise healthy tree can handle pretty well. Unless they manage to strip all the bark off the circumference of the trunk....See MoreHow to deter squirrels
Comments (51)I’ll take the quail Diane…. lol they ain’t bad eating. Skinning squirrels is a job in itself so think twice before you blast one of them….. Anyone who has ever done it knows what I’m talking about…. suncoastflowers, a friend of mine saw a squirrel on a tree about 4 feet up from the ground. He walked towards the tree and the squirrel moved around behind it. Not thinking, my friend reached around the tree and grabbed the squirrel. You should have seen the hold he ended up with in his hand. A squirrel can chew hickory nuts open so their teeth are sharp..... as he found out....See More
wayne
4 years agoDCF-Z6A
4 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agoDCF-Z6A
4 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agoL Clark (zone 4 WY)
4 years agokrnuttle
4 years agoDCF-Z6A
3 years agokrnuttle
3 years agoDCF-Z6A
3 years agoThanks krnuttle - but I literally watched the little bastards doing it every day. The buds developed just fine; the squirrels gnawed off the branches they were on.
Related Stories
HOUZZ CALLShow Us Your Beautiful Spring Views
Share photos of the new buds, leaves and blooms that signal the rebirth of your yards and outdoor views
Full Story
LIFEHow to Outsmart Backyard Critters
Learn to think like a raccoon, skunk or squirrel to keep your home safe and your garden intact
Full Story
LIFEReluctant DIYer’s Diary of a Dresser Makeover
Weekend project: Glossy new black-and-white dresser, hold the sandpaper
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESDesigner Confessions: Torn Between Wood Floors
19 Photos to Help You Choose a Wood Floor Finish
Full Story
MOST POPULARA Fine Mess: How to Have a Clean-Enough Home Over Summer Break
Don't have an 'I'd rather be cleaning' bumper sticker? To keep your home bearably tidy when the kids are around more, try these strategies
Full Story
GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES3 Ways Native Plants Make Gardening So Much Better
You probably know about the lower maintenance. But native plants' other benefits go far beyond a little less watering and weeding
Full Story
TROPICAL STYLEMy Houzz: New York Chic and Laid-Back Hawaiian Style on Maui
A relocating New Yorker designs an island home influenced by her former city life
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES8 New Ways to Garden This Year
A successful garden means knowing the plants, the wildlife and yourself
Full Story
KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS7 Low-Maintenance Countertops for Your Dream Kitchen
Fingerprints, stains, resealing requirements ... who needs ’em? These countertop materials look great with little effort
Full Story
PETSSo You're Thinking About Getting a Dog
Prepare yourself for the realities of training, cost and the impact that lovable pooch might have on your house
Full Story
wayne