At the first sign of a pest problem in your house or garden you should contact your local pest control company and get them to evaluate the issue. They’ll be able to tell you what pest you have and the best approach to eliminating them.

Of course, a good exterminator will also tell you when their services are not required, allowing you to save your money and have peace of mind.

Mention groundhogs and you’ll probably think of the movie, ‘groundhog day’. The tradition states that if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on groundhog day then 6 more weeks of winter are still to come. If he doesn’t there’ll be an early spring.

Unfortunately, while this is a fun and great tradition, the groundhog is generally considered to be a pest. They are experts at tunneling and will move through the soil before creating mounds in your garden and feasting on your plants. In short, they can quickly decimate any garden or even farmland.
That’s why it’s essential that you know how to get rid of groundhogs quickly and efficiently.

While you’re considering that you may find it interesting or beneficial to discover the following 5 facts about groundhogs.

1. They’re Not Related To Hogs

Despite the name, the groundhog is not actually a type of hog. It is the largest member of the squirrel family.

2. Their Incisors Never Stop Growing

They actually have this trait in common with beavers. The incisors grow rapidly and never stop. In order to prevent them from becoming uncomfortable, the groundhog will gnaw or chew on anything they can find. It’s often the case that harder is better.

They will actually chew nearly anything, including the wiring inside your vehicle, rubber hoses, and even cables.

3. They’re Fantastic Diggers

Many different species live underground and are very effective at moving through the ground. However, there are few as efficient as the groundhog.

They need to dig tunnels underground as this is where they live, breed, and even hibernate. A single tunnel can be up to 18 meters long, (the same length as a standard bowling lane), and will be between ½ meter and 1 ½ meter deep.

If they dig under your garden it’s possible that the ground will then collapse as there is not enough underneath it to support the weight of you moving around above.

It’s not just the look of your garden you should be concerned about. The tunnels can be created under or even through foundations, potentially causing structural issues.

4. Fencing Doesn’t Work

If you’re thinking that a fence buried into the ground will keep the groundhogs out you’d be wrong.
Groundhogs are actually excellent climbers. They’ll climb the fence and drop back down inside your garden. There are stories and examples of them climbing chain-link fences to escape floodwaters.
Of course, fitting an electric fence will stop them.

5. Aggressive

These creatures are not the largest and often appear to be tame. However, in reality, they can be very aggressive. There are examples of people being chased by one and having to take refuge in vehicles until the groundhog leaves.

Published: 2020-05-20 20:27:33