The chipmunks were teasing my cats today as they ran past just outside the feline leash range. Although one chipmunk missed judged the distance and became a play toy herded around by the cats until I ended their fun and allowed the rodent escape.
Chipmunk Toy
My little “friends” were racing through the woods and across my lawn on Sunday when it was a little warmer outside, but there was a trouble maker on my porch too. I imagine the little rodent was checking if I have put my garden and flower pots out so he could dig up my plants and seeds. Chipmunks hibernate throughout the winter and they might want to go back to sleep this week. During hibernation, every few days they get back up, eat from their hoard of food that they gathered in the fall. One tiny chipmunk can gather up to 165 acorns in one day and they do hoard more food than needed. A group of chipmunks is called a scurry and they better scurry if I catch them in my garden!
Chipmunk Awake from Winter Nap
The chipmunks have begun digging my flowers out (when the flowers aren’t in the garage to protect from freezing) and they don’t go very far when I go outside so they can resume they digging once I leave. And while chipmunks can climb trees, they construct extensive tunnel systems for their underground nests. To hide the construction of its burrow, the eastern chipmunk carries dirt to a different location in its cheek pouches and with the number of tunnel entrances on my lawn, they would have had to carry a lot dirt so I don’t know why they have to dig in my flower pots too.
A Waiting Chipmunk
The sound of a low “chuck-chuck-chuck” or a higher pitched “chit-chit-chit-chit” gives away the presence of the “chipping squirrel”, better known as the chipmunk who are small members of the squirrel family. Their pudgy cheeks, large, glossy eyes, stripes, and bushy tails have made them a favorite among animators, and landed them a series of starring roles in Hollywood.
But they aren’t so ‘cute’ when they eat my garden seeds and dig up my plants. They eat seeds, fruits and nuts but they are also burying my sunflower seeds in my flower pots and now I have sprouting sunflowers. They also will eat insects, bird eggs, snails, and small snakes and I have seen one eating a worm.
Eastern Chipmunk
