Squirrels are preparing for the winter ahead. They like to stash away nuts all over their territory, which can be vast in a suburban environment. On average, a single squirrel can stow away about 25 nuts in just an hour. Squirrels are known to hide their nut caches in the dirt, in tree hollows, and even under man-made structures. Some may even use heavy machinery for storage.
Are Squirrel Caches Bad?
Generally, squirrel caches in the wild help with biodiversity, and the continuance of many fruit and nut-bearing trees. However, in urban and suburban settings, these nut staches can be a real nuisance. Squirrels will use chimneys, vents, garages, and sheds to stow their nuts. Even worse, squirrels have been known to use snowblowers, lawnmowers, and even cars as vessels for their horde. In these cases, the nuts can cause damage to the machinery if they aren’t properly cleared out. Because of this, it is important to inspect your landscaping machinery before you start them up. Additionally, you should inspect under the hood and in the exhaust pipe every so often to ensure that squirrels aren’t using your vehicle to hold their nuts.
Lost Caches
On average, squirrels will only recover about 75% of their hidden food stashes. Squirrels usually don’t remember where they hid them and will rely on their keen smell to find their hidden food. However, they may not always find them. Additionally, if their stashes are found by other animals, or moved by humans, that can also affect their recovery rate.
Squirrel Food in the House
If you find nuts and seeds hidden away by animals in your attic, basement, or crawl space, consider hiring a wildlife removal company. A professional removal company can help you stop pest animals like squirrels from breaching your home, and can repair any damages to help prevent animals from intruding in the future.