WHAT IS CHEWING MY TREES?
You walk outside and notice something is wrong. Bark is missing from a tree. Small branches have been clipped off. A young tree has been girdled, or fresh tooth marks appear on the trunk.
What is chewing my trees?
Tree damage can be one of the easiest wildlife problems to misidentify. Several animals can chew, gnaw, strip, or rub against trees, but the location, shape and pattern of the damage can provide important clues.
START WITH THE DAMAGE
Before trying to control the animal, examine the tree carefully.
Look at:
- How high the damage is
- Whether bark was removed completely
- The size and spacing of tooth marks
- Whether small branches were clipped
- Whether the damage goes completely around the trunk
- Whether fresh wood chips are on the ground
- Whether multiple trees are affected
- Whether the trees are young or mature
The height of the damage can be particularly useful.
Damage concentrated close to the ground tells a different story from damage several feet above the ground or damage high in the canopy.
COMMON TREE-CHEWING ANIMALS
BEAVERS
Beavers are among the most obvious tree-chewing wildlife. Their large incisors can leave distinctive angled cuts and gnaw marks. Fresh wood chips around the base of a tree are another important clue.
Look for additional evidence such as:
- Trees cut or partially cut through
- Pointed or chiseled-looking stumps
- Large wood chips
- Gnaw marks around the trunk
- Nearby water
- Beaver trails or slides
If multiple trees are being cut near a pond, stream or wetland, beaver activity deserves close consideration.
RABBITS
Rabbits can cause serious damage to young trees, especially during winter when other food sources are limited.
Look for bark removed from the lower portion of young trunks or small branches. Rabbit damage can sometimes form a relatively clean girdle around a young tree.
Rabbit activity may also be accompanied by:
- Small tracks
- Small pellet-like droppings
- Browsed vegetation
- Damage concentrated close to the ground
SQUIRRELS
Squirrels may chew bark and small branches, particularly when looking for food, nesting material or simply working on objects that satisfy their constant need to gnaw.
Look for:
- Small areas of stripped bark
- Chewed twigs
- Bark fragments beneath trees
- Activity higher in the tree
- Nearby nests or squirrel travel routes
Squirrel damage is often very different from the larger, heavier chewing associated with beavers.
DEER
Deer can damage trees in a completely different way.
Instead of eating bark for food, bucks may rub their antlers against tree trunks, particularly during the fall breeding season.
A deer rub can leave a conspicuous area of stripped or shredded bark. Look for damage at a height consistent with deer activity and nearby tracks or browsing.
Not every stripped tree is being eaten.
Sometimes the animal is rubbing, not feeding.
SMALL RODENTS CAN CAUSE BIG PROBLEMS
Mice, voles and other small rodents can chew around the base of young trees and fruit trees.
This type of damage can be particularly concerning because removing bark around enough of the trunk can interfere with the tree's ability to move water and nutrients.
Look closely at the bottom few inches of the trunk, particularly after winter.
WHAT DO THE TOOTH MARKS LOOK LIKE?
Tooth marks can provide valuable evidence.
Large, widely spaced marks suggest a much different animal than tiny paired gnaw marks on a young fruit tree.
But don't rely on one mark alone.
Look at:
TOOTH MARKS + DAMAGE HEIGHT + TREE SIZE + WOOD CHIPS + TRACKS + DROPPINGS + SURROUNDING HABITAT
The more clues you find, the more confident your identification can become.
IS THE TREE BEING EATEN OR JUST DAMAGED?
This is an important distinction.
Wildlife can damage trees for several reasons:
FEEDING — The animal is consuming bark, buds, leaves, fruit or other plant material.
GNAWING — The animal is chewing the tree or branches for food, dental maintenance or other behavioral reasons.
RUBBING — An animal such as a deer may be damaging bark without actually eating it.
NESTING — Bark and branches may be removed for nesting material.
TRAVEL OR TERRITORY — Some damage occurs because an animal regularly uses an area rather than because the tree itself is its food source.
Understanding why the tree is being damaged can help you determine how to address the problem.
FOLLOW THE CLUES
Don't stop at the damaged tree.
Look around it.
Is there a burrow?
A trail?
A nearby pond?
A brush pile?
A fence opening?
Other damaged trees?
Droppings?
Tracks?
Freshly chewed branches?
The surrounding property can often tell you more than the individual tree.
TAKE PICTURES BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION
If you're unsure what is damaging your trees, photograph the evidence.
Take pictures of:
- The entire tree
- Close-ups of the damaged bark
- Tooth marks
- The ground around the tree
- Any wood chips or branches
- Tracks
- Droppings
- Nearby holes, trails or cover
- Other damaged trees
A close-up shows the damage. A wider photograph shows the context.
Both are important.
IDENTIFY THE ANIMAL BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR CONTROL METHOD
Backyard Baits® is built around a simple principle:
Understand the animal before attempting to control the problem.
Wildlife damage is rarely random. The animal is responding to something in its environment—food, shelter, water, habitat or a travel route.
When you identify what is chewing your trees, you can begin asking the more important questions:
Why is it here? What is attracting it? Where is it coming from? Where is it going? And what is the appropriate control method?
That's where responsible problem-animal control begins. Don't just look at the damaged tree. Study the damage. Look for the clues. Identify the animal. Find the source. Then choose the appropriate solution.
Backyard Baits® - Helping homeowners understand the animal before they attempt to solve the problem.