Chipmunks become a nuisance when they take up residence in yards, gardens, or around homes or buildings. The frustration lies when they eat seeds, seedlings, flower bulbs, fruit, and vegetables. Their diet also includes grains, nuts, fungi, insects, bird eggs, and hatchlings.
Chipmunks are troublesome when they cause structural damage by burrowing under sidewalks, foundations, walls, stairs, or patios. Burrow systems typically have a nest and 1 or 2 food chambers, along with side tunnels and escape tunnels. A chipmunk’s main tunnel is 20 to 30 feet long.
The eastern chipmunk has a population density of 2 to 4 per acre; however, an area with sufficient food supply may accommodate up to 10 chipmunks per acre. Chipmunks have a home range of up to ½ mile, but they typically stay closer to the entrance to their burrow. They will defend an area within 50 feet of their burrow entrance.
Landscaping features, such as ground cover, trees, and shrubs, should not be planted in continuous fashion connecting wooded areas with the foundations of homes. They provide protection for chipmunks that may attempt to gain access into the home. It is also difficult to detect chipmunk burrows that are adjacent to foundations when wood piles, debris, or plantings of ground cover provide above-ground protection. Place bird feeders at least 15 to 30 feet (5 to 10 m) away from buildings so spilled bird seed does not attract and support chipmunks near them.
If you have chipmunks causing you frustration in your garden or flowerbed, or have concerns they may cause structural damage, give us a call, and we’ll take care of your chipmunk problem for you.
Tri-State Wildlife Management is fully insured, and we stand behind all of our work.
