Why Do Chipmunks Dig in Flower Pots?
Chipmunks are small, adorable members of the squirrel family. These chipper little critters can often be seen scurrying about, with their oversized cheeks full of acorns, nuts or grains.
But if you are a gardener or plant owner, you may also spot them performing a less desirable activity: digging in your flower pots! Have you ever wondered why chipmunks dig in your flowerpots? Here are a few of the reasons:
1. Easy Access to Food
Chipmunks are always on the lookout for a tasty and easy-to-reach snack. If there is soil or mulch in a flower pot, there is a good chance that that soil contains a few tasty morsels in the form of underground seeds, bugs or grubs. Plus, compared to digging out in a garden, digging in easy-to-reach flower pots is a much easier job for chipmunks!
2. Nest Material
Chipmunks also like to use flower pots as a source of building material for their nests. The soil and other organic matter in flower pots is easy to scoop up and use for a cozy nest.
3. Sense of Security
In addition to food and nesting material, chipmunks are also attracted to flower pots because they offer protection from potential predators. Flower pots provide a bit of cover and shelter from any overhead danger, and as ground level holes, they are also discreet entry and exit points.
What to Do If a Chipmunk is Digging in Your Flower Pot
- Move the pot. Try moving your flower pot around or onto a different spot in the yard. Chipmunks will often avoid a spot that they sense has been disturbed.
- Add physical barriers. Put a few rocks around the flower pot or place a wire mesh at the bottom. This will make it difficult for the chipmunk to dig and it will usually move on to an easier spot.
- Scare it away with noise. Chipmunks don’t like loud and sudden noises, so try to make some to startle it away from your flower pot.
- Grow pest-resistant plants. Plant flowers and vegetables that are less attractive to chipmunks. Avoid planting strawberries, tomatoes, peas, melons and zucchini as they are particularly attractive to them.
All in all, chipmunks are cute and fun to have around the garden. Although flowerpots may not be their favorite spot to hang out in, they can still cause some damage to your plants. If you have a problem with chipmunks, follow the tips outlined above and they will likely move on without causing any further trouble.
