Have you heard about the squirrel apocalypse? It sounds like something your five-year-old might come up with, granted, yet it’s a very serious issue in Connecticut. And as with any occurrence of wildlife encumbering, and potentially endangering human life, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the basics.
What’s going on with squirrels and Connecticut?
A couple of years ago, the entire area of New England was flooded by squirrels. It was an unprecedented situation that left many wondering what led to the massive increase in squirrel population, and what New Englanders could do to avoid recurrences in the future.
It was not uncommon for drivers to see dozens, even hundreds, of dead squirrels on even a short road trip, and pretty much everyone was talking about it. And while some mistakenly believe the squirrel apocalypse to be over, we know better, and recognize it for what it is – one installment in a larger, ongoing issue.
How did it all begin?
As we all know, squirrels depend on acorns, walnuts, hickory nuts, and other types of tree-produce (also known as hard mast, in the squirrel world), in order to survive. The animals have even devised a clever storage system (what we typically call squirreling away) in order to ensure that they have plenty of hard mast to last them through the winter.
Yet obviously, this can pose serious problems for the trees in question. When enough squirrels get together, they can make child’s play of the hard mast produced by trees, leaving very little for germination (aka the creation of new trees). Obviously, if this goes on for long enough, tree population decreases.
Because of this, trees tend to have “mast years”, which are essentially an overproduction of seeds and fruit, that can easily accommodate feeding the squirrel and chipmunk population, while also leaving enough for germination.
Back in 2016 and 2017, several trees in the New England area had mast years at the same time, which led to an immense spike in the squirrel population in the Connecticut area. But the next year, many trees failed to produce mast, at all, leading many squirrels to branch out into cities, and highways, to look for food. You can visit connecticutwildlife.com to learn more about the squirrel population in the area.
What happens next?
Obviously, a bad crop year is detrimental for everyone, from squirrels, to the larger animals who feed on them, to us humans. So some people began setting up their own squirrel habitats. These were not only useful in feeding the affected squirrels, but they also posed an interesting method for protecting your own property. By creating a special location where the squirrels might be fed, and cared for, you diminish the chances of squirrels flocking to your home, in search of food. If this sounds like something you might be interested in doing, you can learn more about squirrel’s habitat, at squirrelhelpers.com.
Should you trap squirrels?
As we saw, the squirrel population in the Connecticut area, and New England, has skyrocketed in recent years, which has led to many local homeowners to complain about nuisance squirrels on their property, and look for solutions.
The truth is, when you’ve got an unwanted wild animal on your property, the best thing to do is to call a wildlife removal professional service, that can get rid of the animal in a humane, and safe manner.
Alternatively, you can try installing a squirrel repellent device on your own, or adding unappealing scents to your home, so as to keep squirrels away. Squirrel repellents (that are based on either smell, light, or sound) tend to have a long list of pros and cons, though some homeowners have seen some moderate success with using squirrel repellents on their property.
Lastly, you can regularly inspect your property, to look for holes, or cracks, and other darkened, easily-accessible spaces that might seem inviting to a wandering squirrel. Remember that squirrels are constantly looking for sources of food, so try not to leave any out in the open (outside of a squirrel habitat, that is), and fix any potential entry points on your property as soon as possible.
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