Wacky Pest Wednesday: Groundhogs
Happy Wednesday, Tri-County Pest Control fans, and welcome to our latest edition of Wacky Pest Wednesday! Today we invite you to join us as we talk about a pest who has their own holiday over the weekend: the groundhog. Enjoy!
On Sunday, Punxsutawney Phil and other groundhogs like him will come out to tell us if we are lucky enough for an early spring or if we have a few more dreary weeks of winter ahead of us. If Phil sees his shadow and runs back inside his home, we have 6 more weeks of winter ahead of us, but if he stays outside, then we can rejoice, as he has predicted an early spring for us to enjoy. We’ve been having groundhog celebrations since 1887, and even though the track-record of the groundhog’s prediction is a little shaky, it’s certainly an enjoyable and fun holiday to see!
Punxsutawney Phil sure can predict good things to come, but a groundhog in your yard could mean that you have a future of holes in your lawn. On the whole, they love to burrow, making the most out of whatever lawn space is available. In addition, they thrive in dark and damp environments, meaning that the empty space underneath your deck or a hole leading into the crawlspace makes for an enticing spot for them to hang out.
Usually, groundhogs aren’t a threat to you or your health, but that does not mean that you need to keep them around your home. To keep them out of your crawlspace or other parts of your home, make sure that there are no gaps or holes which they can crawl through. Things can get a little trickier if they decide to burrow under your lawn, but in any case, should you see a groundhog on your property you should not try to remove it yourself. Given the fact that they are a wild animal, you should call in the professionals to handle it so that the groundhog can be removed safely, humanely, and efficiently.
Did you know that you could use the terms “groundhog” and “woodchuck” interchangeably? They both refer to the same critter. However, we’re still waiting to see just how much wood these woodchucks can chuck…
Have a great day!
