Chipmunks
Tamias striatus
Facts About Chipmunks
Found all over North America, chipmunks forage for food between April and October, storing what they find in their cheek pouches to bring back to their nests. Chipmunks like a variety of foods that include leaves, roots, seeds, grain, nuts, fruit, small birds and mammals, insects, and worms. It’s possible for chipmunks to live up to 11 years. They will commonly breed twice, once in April, and again in July.
Damage Caused By Chipmunks
These rodents have a tendency to burrow under porches, stairs, patios, and even into foundations. Doing so may compromise structural integrity and result in weakened or damaged property. They have little regard for the plants you are trying to grow, and will often uproot them as they try to get to bulbs and seeds. If you’ve got bird feeders, chipmunks will just assume that the seeds inside are for them, too, and quickly deplete the supply. If they’re feeling frisky enough, they may do a lot of chirping in the early morning, disturbing those who are asleep. While the chipmunk is a rodent that carries a variety of parasites like fleas, lice, mites, and worms, there is very little risk of contracting any serious illness from contact with them.
Signs of Chipmunk Infestations
These cheeky critters are very adaptable and are common in yards all across the country. You’ll find them not only scampering across your patio or around your porch, but also running through your gardens, in parks, under brush, near garbage, or near buildings.
You’ll hear sharp chirping noises that are meant to signal others of danger. This also happens if they are startled. Holes may appear around the foundation of your home or near your shed that will be about 2 inches across. Like other rodents, chipmunks will leave gnawed food and nutshells laying around as well. Your flower or vegetable gardens may be damaged, as chipmunks love to dig up and eat flower bulbs and seeds.
Types of Chipmunks
Chipmunk Identification
A chipmunk’s brown body can be up to six inches long and is characterized by dark and light stripes across its faces and sides.
Chipmunks In The Walls & The House
Chipmunks aren’t known to damage property, but sometimes they will stray away from the woods and end up in and around your home. They might damage plants you have around your house as they harvest nuts or fruit. They’ve been known to dig up flowering bulbs, or might even burrow under your sidewalks or porches. Any chipmunk found inside is there by accident. They will gladly leave if offered an open door. Simply close all doors into rooms and leave any door to the outside open.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do chipmunk droppings look like?
Chipmunk droppings are very similar to other rodents like rats or squirrels. They are hard, elongated and dark, and resemble beans or rice. They range in size from 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 inch and are slightly larger than mouse feces.
How do you control a chipmunk infestation?
Like many rodents, the chipmunk likes a handout, so never feed them in the first place if you don’t want them coming around again. It will also help to “squirrel-proof” your bird feeders, allowing only the smallest birds, only, to eat the bird seed inside. Keeping the area around your feeders, too, is essential to keeping chipmunks away.
Chipmunks are fast workers and love to scurry, so blocking their travel routes is another great way to get rid of them. Block gutters with hardware cloth so these drainpipes don’t become an expressway for them. Trim any hedges that hang close to the foundation and provide them cover. If you have firewood, rocks, or debris near the foundation of your home relocate it to another area where chipmunks won’t be a problem.
Protecting your crops with fencing and wiring will also deter these rodents from helping themselves. If you’re worried about them getting inside, always remember to close your doors, seal any cracks around your home, and use screens on your doors and windows. It’s also possible to trap these guys with baits and other devices found at your local hardware store.
What are the Benefits of Professional Chipmunk Pest Control?
A pest management professional has the education, equipment and skills necessary to effectively address a chipmunk problem. Finding and treating the chipmunks can be challenging, especially if they are spread throughout your yard. A pest management professional provides their expertise to identify the pest problem and determine the best possible solution to resolve the chipmunk infestation.
