Getting Rid Of Ground Squirrels

Getting rid of ground squirrels can be difficult if you do not understand the specifics of their behavior so let’s learn more!

When we are young, squirrels can seem like just another fuzzy creature scampering around the neighborhood. Some of us may have even enjoyed watching their acrobatics, or their frantic interactions with one another as they defy gravity while scaling the trees in our yards.

As we get older though we come to realize that certain squirrels can be a nuisance, cause damage to our property, and even become harmful carriers of disease and parasites.

The California Ground Squirrel, named so because they are burrowing creatures who den underground, can cause expensive damage to property, irrigation systems, and gardens.

What are Ground Squirrels?

Ground Squirrels are a specific species (Otospermophius beecheyi) of squirrel that live, breed, and horde their food in underground burrows, hence the name “Ground Squirrel”. They are found all over North America and are the most common vertebrate pest in agricultural, urban and residential areas.

Ground Squirrels live in colonies. A Ground Squirrel colony can be as small as 2 individuals with the possibility of growing to 20 or more depending on the amount of food and water available in a given area.

How to identify ground squirrels

At first glance it may seem hard to distinguish Ground Squirrels from Tree Squirrels but we have compiled a simple list of what to look for that will give you a discerning eye.

Ground Squirrels are 14 to 20 inches in length
Ground Squirrels have mottled brown/gray/white fur
Ground Squirrels forage above ground, near their burrows. This means whenever they are scared, instead of running for high ground such as trees or up telephone poles they will head toward their burrows.

For more information on Ground Squirrel identification and how to tell them apart from Tree Squirrels check out our Got Gopher Blog Page.

What does a ground squirrel burrow look like?

Ground squirrel burrows are typically 4 inches in diameter, though older well traveled burrow entrances can grow over time. A Ground Squirrel burrow can reach lengths of up to 30 ft. at a maximum depth of 6 ft. below the surface. Burrows can be identified by several entrances within a 15 sq ft. area. Burrows provide a safe place for Ground Squirrels to mate, store food, rear their young, and hibernate. They often dig their burrows along ditches, against fencelines (pictured to the right), along the edges and within agricultural lands.

Damage Caused By Ground Squirrels

Ground Squirrels are the cause of major damage in California and all over the United States.

Agricultural Damage caused by Ground Squirrels

Ground Squirrels cause the most damage to agricultural properties when they are adjacent to un-cultivated land where their populations are not controlled.

Ground Squirrels, though burrowing creatures, still have all the skills of their tree dwelling counterparts. They can climb trees and eat their fruits and nuts from set to maturity and all throughout harvest as well.
During harvest seasons Ground Squirrels typically begin hording seeds and nuts for winter. This is when the damage to crops will explode because they are collecting food for storage as well as consuming for sustenance.
Ground squirrels will also forage on vegetative crops such as lettuce, alfalfa, cole crops, and berries.
Ground Squirrels will gnaw on everything and anything. From plastic irrigation lines, plastic pieces of sprinkler systems to tree roots, these critters can cause untold destruction to equipment. The gnawing of tree roots will also leave your crops and orchards open to fungal infection and tree death.

Residential and Urban Damage caused by Ground Squirrels

One of the miracles of living in a modern civilization is how well we have controlled the distribution of water. In our cities and neighborhoods, we have access to water for drinking, sewage removal, and watering our gardens and lawns.

We humans are not the only ones who benefit from this modern miracle of engineering.

Ground squirrels love residential and urban areas because of how well irrigated the soil is, making it much easier to burrow than hard packed dry soil in the less irrigated areas of the wild that would normally be their habitats.

This brings them to our cities and homes in droves where they cause all types of damage:

Foraging Damage: Ground Squirrels will damage food-bearing and ornamental plants through feeding and and hording.
Burrowing: Ironically, the burrowing of ground squirrels can cause the soil to erode and dry out, ruining the ability for the soil to provide nutrients to plants and trees.
Mound and Rock Hazards: When burrowing Ground Squirrels tend to push out unwanted stones and soil into mounds on the surface. This burrow refuse causes tripping hazards for pedestrians and animals, make it difficult for the use of landscape machinery as well as being generally unsightly.
Gnawing Damage: Ground Squirrels will gnaw on tree bark (an act known as girdling that can actually kill trees), tree roots, on plastic garden irrigation and sprinkler systems, underground wiring, and plastic siding on sheds, decks, and homes.
Carriers of Disease: The greatest threat that these critters cause towards humans directly is the carrying of deadly diseases, especially when a ground squirrel population grows out of control.

Plague warning: As recent as 2020, a case of Bubonic Plague was found in a Ground Squirrel in Colorado well as killing a young boy in Mongolia. It is never a good idea to handle dead animals without proper PPE. Even with proper PPE, a trained and licensed professional should always be called to deal with wild animal remains. If you find a grouping of dead Ground Squirrels on your property call animal control immediately as well as alerting the nearest wildlife authority.