Cute Pests
Some Advice on Squirrels

OK, so squirrels are eating all the fruit (mostly ruining unripe fruit) from your fruit tree(s) and nothing seems to keep them away, right?  No one you've asked knows what to do either, right?

We can attest to this situation.  My father thought trapping squirrels then releasing the squirrels at remote locations would be the ticket.  After exactly 200 humain trap captures, he quit.  Even after removing 200, at least 4-5 immediately showed up every day to spoil the unripe nuts from his Macadamia nut tree

To the rescue

E-mail from Court Lewis who has VANQUISHED the problem for good !!!

"My canvass of master gardeners and ag extension agents around the state produced one serious suggestion: Hang mothballs in foot-long lengths of knee-high nylon hose in several places around the tree, especially near the heaviest clusters of fruit. Also sprinkle a few around the base of the tree

"I tried it and it has worked perfectly"

Although our street is FULL of squirrels, I have not seen a single one in the tree (Avocado) since I hung out this aromatic repellant. All the fruit that set successfully has remained on the tree, and I now have about 30 glowing green globes about 10 inches long

The key is to start early, while the fruit is still tiny and before the squirrels know it's food. I don't know if it would work in an area where squirrels have already learned to eat avocado. I replenish it every 3-4 weeks, when the mothballs get small"

There is also an angle on the brand of mothballs.   Here's more from Court who also said,

"I meant to mention that I've tried 3 brands of mothballs and, believe it or not, there's a difference. I found that Enoz brand, which Walgreen's carries, has the most potent smell and also lasts the longest"

Recent testimony from Cathy in Florida includes more benefits using moth balls...

"The apple trees I have which have fruit, I tied mothballs to. The others which are younger and have not produced fruit I have not tied the mothballs to. Those trees to which I did not tie mothballs to are loaded with whiteflies and eggs. So I sprayed them with Safesoap. However the interesting thing here is those trees which have the mothballs hanging from them have no, none, nada whiteflies, eggs, bugs of any kind."

If your tree stands outside of jumping distance from other trees, your home or fences, here's a good solution:

Purchase sheet metal or very slippery plastic 12-18 inches wide.  Wrap the metal around the trunk (starting 4+ feet off the ground) and fasten the metal to itself, not to the tree.  Critters who previously climbed your tree starting from the ground will not be able to get past the slippery metal barrier

Here is an idea from Alice in Colorado...

"I just read your squirrel story and I have one too. I had a '79 Olds with a vinyl top. They stripped pieces off for nesting material and my car looked like it was wearing dreadlocks. I bought a '77 Pontiac, with a vinyl top but I was ready for them. I had simmering on my stove petroleum wax with sliced up Serrano chilies. Those are very hot. I slathered the wax on the vinyl the minute I got home. No squirrel has taken a nip. You've got to outwit those critters."