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squirrel chips

  • 20-07-2012 9:39pm
    #1
    Maudi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭


    hi..i was walking in the wonderful glen of the downs woods this evening with the brother..at one stage whilst stopped and talking under a (i think)beech tree..my aboreal knowledge aint great...we noticed dozens of chips of said tree on the ground and as we stood there lots of bark chips all around 5cm x 1cm land at our feet..we then spotted squirrels way up in the trees..i know they eat nuts etc..do they eat bark?or what are they at?


Comments

  • #2
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Unfortunately Grey Squirrels strip bark to get at the sap.
    Many a tree is killed, or at least the top is above where it is de-barked all way round


  • #3
    Maudi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,516 ✭✭✭Maudi


    Mothman wrote: »
    Unfortunately Grey Squirrels strip bark to get at the sap.
    Many a tree is killed, or at least the top is above where it is de-barked all way round
    so it is sap they is after??thing is we both would say they was red...now sun was low and was shining on them and i know greys can have a red twinge..they were a good size..is this bark stripping unique to greys mothman?


  • #4
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Maudi wrote: »
    so it is sap they is after??thing is we both would say they was red...now sun was low and was shining on them and i know greys can have a red twinge..they were a good size..is this bark stripping unique to greys mothman?
    Don't know,

    Just going on my own experience, but never heard of Reds being a pest like this.

    I also thought that Red Squirrel was confined to coniferous woods, but would be delighted to hear otherwise.

    But Greys are usually notably larger than Reds


  • #5
    quercus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 62 ✭✭quercus


    i had a lovely sycamore tree i have been shaping and growing for the past 10 years, last week i noticed from a distance the trunk looked very white, so i took a closer look.
    the resident grey squirrel has completely stripped the tree from top to bottom of its bark and now the tree is as good as dead:( only fit for firewood now.


  • #6
    fnaulty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6 ✭fnaulty


    July is the time when most bark-stripping by squirrels is done. They have used up all the food from earlier in the year and this years seed crop is still too undeveloped to provide much food. The main targets are sycamore and beech but other species such as horse chestnut, ash and even oak can be affected. Bark-stripping is mainly done by grey squirrels but reds can do it as well but don't tend to do as much damage.


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