Grey squirrels (Latin name: Sciurus carolinensis) are a pest in the
vegetable garden. They steal the fruit and vegetables.
squirell
The squirrel in the photo has been feeding on the bird table. But a few
weeks ago it was feasting on the strawberries, with the rest of the
squirrel family.
squirell
Grey Squirrels cause considerable damage to young trees.
Squirrel damage is caused by:
* gnawing the bark of trees. If a complete ring of bark disappears,
the tree will die. This is because the food and water are
transported up and down the tree in the bark – in the phloem and
xylem. If the bark is removed, the tree starves to death because
the transport links are broken.
* damaging the growing tip of the tree. This causes loss of apical
dominance, resulting in the tree becoming multi-stemmed, & loosing
form.
* wounding the surface of the tree, which allows infections to
enter, causing disease and decay
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