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Squirrels Damaging Your Trees This Year?

While many homeowners consider squirrels adorable woodland creatures who are entertaining to watch and cause little damage to trees, think again. Believe it or not, squirrels eat tree bark and that can be damaging to the trees on your property.

Squirrels are notorious for their voracious habit of chewing on things, and tree bark is no different. Oftentimes, the reasons why squirrels eat tree bark is if food and water supplies are scarce or to build a nest for a soon-to-be-expecting female.

But the cambium layer of the tree – often identified as the growing part of the trunk – is a delicacy for squirrels and once tasted is hard to resist. This layer containers sugars which are irresistible to squirrels while providing nutrients the small animal need. So while they may start out only removing the top layer of tree bark for their family home, once they get down to the cambium layer it’s essentially a buffet.

How do squirrels harm trees?

The health of your tree depends on the degree of damage caused by the squirrel. If the removal area is small, new growth will often protect the tree from any real damage. However, if the removal area is large and deep into the cellular layers of the tree, the area is now vulnerable to weather, pests, and diseases. 

Keeping an eye on the tree’s exposed areas is crucial in order to avoid limbs from dying or harmful insects from easily gaining access to the tree’s system.

How to prevent squirrels from eating your tree bark?

There are many ways to help prevent squirrels from eating your tree bark. A natural way to prevent damage is by sprinkling cayenne pepper on the affected area or spraying a mixture of Tabasco sauce and water.

Trapping is another solution, however, once you trap them, new squirrels will quickly replace the old ones. These preventive solutions are temporary fixes and require time and re-application.

They may be adorable but can be highly destructive if they identify your tree as a chewing post. Inspect your trees regularly, especially if you notice any increases in squirrel activity.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation with an expert arborist.

FAQs

  • Squirrels eat tree bark to reach the sugary, nutrient-rich tissue just beneath it, especially when food and water are scarce. They also strip bark to line nests, and their constant chewing helps wear down teeth that never stop growing. Once a squirrel reaches the sweet inner layers, it often returns to the same tree again and again.

  • The trees squirrels damage most often include maples, oaks, beeches, elms, and some pines, particularly younger trees with thin, smooth bark. Maples are a frequent target because their sap is especially sweet. Squirrels also clip twigs and buds from many species. Trees growing near nesting sites or bird feeders tend to see the heaviest activity and damage.

  • Squirrels most often strip bark from trees in late winter through early summer, when sap is flowing and other food sources are limited. This is also when females gather bark to build nests for their young. Damage can occur any time of year, however, especially during droughts or after a poor nut crop reduces their usual food supply.

  • You can tell squirrels are damaging your tree if you see patches of stripped bark on the trunk or branches, often with shredded bark piled below. Exposed wood may look pale or wet with sap. Clipped twigs and buds scattered on the ground are another sign. Increased squirrel activity around a single tree also warrants a closer inspection.

  • Squirrel damage can kill a tree, or a section of it, when bark is stripped all the way around a trunk or branch. This girdling cuts off the flow of sugars and nutrients, and the affected branch or tree slowly declines. Smaller, partial wounds usually heal, but they can leave the tree vulnerable to weather, insects, and disease.

  • To stop squirrels from eating tree bark, start with taste-based repellents like cayenne pepper or a hot sauce and water spray, reapplied after rain. Metal collars around the trunk can block climbing on isolated trees. Trimming branches that let squirrels jump in from roofs or nearby trees also helps. Trapping offers only temporary relief, since new squirrels quickly move in.