Of course I mean too many gray squirrels. Way too many. Maybe one would be okay! Then it would be more pet than pest!
But half a dozen or more is a recipe for disaster. That's what we have in my suburban garden. More than I need and a mess! They've cleaned out the suet feeder, emptied the bird feeders and dug up plants in the garden. Even offering them their own food doesn't keep them away from the feeders for long! They have voracious appetites all winter long! (
Step Right This Way Folks! Seeing Is Believing!) Never stop searching for food and seek out scrumptious bulbs. My good friends
Barbara/Mr Mcgregor's Daughter and
Frances/Fairegarden know my pain.
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| Resting after a tough day raiding the feeders |
Oh joy! The Eastern gray squirrels breed twice a year. If you've wondered why they seem especially destructive in your winter garden, it's because they are breeding right now! The first litter is born sometime in February to March and the second in June to July. There are normally two to six young in each litter, but this number can be as high as 8. The gestation period is about 44 days. The young are weaned at 7 weeks and leave the nest after 10 weeks.
Eastern gray squirrels can start breeding as early as 5 and a half months old, but usually breed for the first time at the age of one. These squirrels can live to be 20 years old in captivity, but in the wild usually only live up to 12.5 years. (source:
wikipedia)
I think I have a few old timers in my garden; it's pretty safe back there!
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| Sciurus carolinensis with a french roll! |
Mr I says that the National Wildlife Federation should take my
certification away! I say the squirrels are lucky I
garden for wildlife and have a terrible rock throwing aim.
xxoogail
Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at
Clay and Limestone."
