Marmota monax. Some people call them woodchucks or whistle pigs, but most of us know them simply as groundhogs. These fat, furry, and robust rodents can be found throughout the Eastern United States, Canada, and Alaska. They are members of the family Sciuridae and belong to a group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Most people know these animals as pests. The extensive damage they do is an aggravation for Ohio residents. When they've decided to make your personal home's landscape their home, you won't need to see your shadow to know that trouble lies ahead.
The Damage Groundhogs Do
The majority of problems these pests cause are related to their digging activity. They can riddle your lawn and garden with multiple large, unsightly holes that can be as much as 12 inches across in size. Furthermore, they connect these holes with an elaborate underground tunnel system that weakens the structural integrity of your lawn, leaving it vulnerable to collapse and sinking in unexpected areas. These tunnels can stretch over 20 feet, often disturbing hundreds of pounds of dirt. They can also damage roads, culverts, foundations, etc.
It is also common for them to get under porches, steps, garages, and sheds. They like to create massive burrows right next to human structures, which can damage the building itself and the foundation. It's not difficult to identify their dens. In addition to the sheer hole size, a telltale clue is finding a raised mound of dirt next to it. This is called a porch, and the animal uses the elevated height to keep a close eye on its surroundings.
Another trait about groundhogs that might surprise you is that they are good climbers and can also get into trees, which they gnaw on and damage. They are primarily herbivores (although they occasionally snack on things like grubs and grasshoppers). They'll eat it if it's green, but it doesn't have to be green on the menu. Groundhogs can make a feast of your flowerbeds, and fruits are a tempting treat, especially berries, apples, cherries, and pears. They are known to cause large crop damage, specifically soybean crops.
They'll eat your pet food and as much as a pound of food in just one sitting. There's a good reason they are called hogs. Groundhogs are also prolific breeders. Although they are solitary animals, a female groundhog can raise up to 6 kits yearly. Males tend to live "in the neighborhood" but not with the mother, and by fall, the family disburses when hibernation time approaches, but not mom. She's likely there to stay and already planning an expansion of her underground empire for the upcoming season. Groundhogs can live up to 10 years, so your woes are far from over when the snow flies unless you take action.
Groundhog Deterrents
Groundhogs have few natural enemies, except for foxes, coyotes, human beings, and dogs—so if you have a dog, giving it free rein of your landscape may help. They are also typically shy and skittish. An electronic repellent such as a motion-activated water sprinkler may also work to keep them away from specific areas. Additionally, they don't like the taste or smell of hot peppers, so pepper spray as a natural repellant can be effective. However, to completely get rid of them and keep them from coming back is a task that can be solved by trapping, and we don't recommend you attempt that without professional assistance. It is difficult and dangerous, and state laws need to be complied with.
Professional Groundhog Removal Works Best
When you need professional help dealing with a groundhog problem, there is Matt's Animal Control. As the leading local wildlife control experts in the Miami Valley and surrounding areas, we can solve the issue swiftly and humanely. Not only that, but we can help with its aftermath. We do clean-up and repairs, can restore insulation, and are skilled at implementing effective exclusion techniques to ward off future problems.
We also install dig fences around sheds, decks, foundations and other areas they may be burrowing under. Contact us today and let us know how we can be of help.