Ground Squirrel Trouble

California ground squirrels are common throughout much of California and may be found living near homes, structures, gardens, and landscapes where they can be a real nuisance. Ground squirrels' damaging habits can include:

  • Eating vegetable seedlings and green grasses
  • Damaging young shrubs, vines, and trees by gnawing on and girdling trunks
  • Eating twigs and leaves
  • Burrowing in lawns and landscapes and around tree roots
  • Gnawing on plastic sprinkler heads and irrigation lines

Effective ground squirrel management methods vary during the year. In winter, manage populations before breeding seasons begins. Visit the UC IPM publication Pest Notes: Ground Squirrel and visit the Ground Squirrel Management for California webpage for excellent seasonal information on timing, efficacy, and other considerations.