Tree Vs Ground Squirrels: What's The Difference? (& Why It Matters For Your Garden)

Squirrels look super cute running about in the yard. While not a lot of gardeners would mind occasionally feeding a squirrel for fun, things stop being fun when these rodents turn from cute, furry friends to pests getting out of control. After all, the same squirrel can be a huge threat to your fruits and veggies. You may also find it difficult to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders.

While united in their troublemaking, not all squirrels are the same. Tree squirrels are commonplace in both rural and urban areas. They can cause serious damage to your crops and trees. Ground squirrels are found more near open, grassy regions. Apart from damaging your crops, ground squirrels can also spoil your yard with their digging and burrowing.

In order to control squirrels effectively, it's crucial for homeowners to first identify the type of squirrel wreaking havoc in their yard so they can employ the right management techniques for them. One of the easiest ways to distinguish one squirrel type from the other is to see how they react when they are startled. Tree squirrels run toward trees whereas ground squirrels try escaping toward their burrows on the ground. When it comes to physical features, you can distinguish tree squirrels with their longer, bushy tails. And unlike their ground buddies, tree squirrels don't have any striped markings on them.

Tree squirrels can be a menace for the trees in your garden. Not only can they quickly nibble away at fruits you had been eagerly waiting for, but they can also damage the trees themselves. Tree squirrels are inclined to suck at the sap coming out of the inner bark of trees. If this continues for long, squirrels can hamper the transport of food and nutrients inside the trees. This can cause the wilting of buds or even the death of the tree. Additionally, tree squirrels pose just as much of a threat to your ground crops, and they may litter the ground with holes.

Damage control for tree squirrels can include various measures. To begin, these squirrels often enter yards and buildings via telephone lines or power lines. If you have a tree close to a telephone line, it could be helping tree squirrels get into your yard. Consider chopping down part of the tree to block their access. Furthermore, if you have several fruit trees in your yard, you can cover more sensitive ones with plastic netting. While not quite a fool-proof method, squirrels can find it cumbersome to get through plastic and would rather attack other food sources.

You can also try other harmless methods to get rid of squirrels, such as using rags soaked with apple cider vinegar to deter them. Squirrels detest the strong odor of vinegar. You can place these rags on tree branches or near their entry points to homes and yards, like attic vents and eaves. 

Ground squirrels can cause a lot of headaches for homeowners just with their burrowing habits. While their burrowing damages lawns and yards, it can also cause damage to buildings. Like tree squirrels, ground squirrels can injure the bark of trees by gnawing at them. However, they can also dig burrows underneath trees, damage their roots, and increase their chances of fungal infection. Their burrowing can even cause trees to fall over. 

Ground squirrels can also gnaw at irrigation lines, which can lead to costly repairs for farm owners, and they can feed on your vegetable seedlings and damage ornamental plants or shrubs. They are most active during late summer and early fall. During these seasons, ground squirrels not only consume food but also store them inside burrows.

While you need to watch out for certain flowers, such as daisies and tulips, among the things that attract squirrels, the best way to prevent ground squirrels from infesting your yard is to keep it clear of all debris and brush piles. This removes their method of retreat and makes them easy to detect. You can also minimize their food sources in your yard. Use lids on trash cans, which could be attracting squirrels with the smell of food. Also, keep any bird feeders where they are hard to access for the squirrels.