Groundhogs, or woodchucks are nuisance animals that will cause extensive damage to property and plants. A groundhog burrow consists of holes they dig with large piles of soil at the main entrance. Each burrow can contain several different openings that they use. Groundhogs can be lazy or hard working just like humans. A lazy groundhog may only have one burrow entrance, while a lazy one can have several different openings. Burrows can be very large with many different chambers underground. A groundhog will typically excavate 700 or more pounds of soil from each burrow. One groundhog can have several different burrows within its’ territory. The most common places that they locate burrows are under sheds, decks, porches, steps, along foundations, fence lines, and brush bordering fields and yards. Once a groundhog has established a territory on your property it will gladly help itself to any vegetation. Groundhogs are vegetarians that will eat grasses, leaves, flowers, and vegetables from the garden you have worked so hard to plant and maintain. A single groundhog can devastate a vegetable or flower garden very quickly. Many times a groundhog will take a bite out of each vegetable in a garden leaving them to rot on the plant. Believe it or not, they will also climb trees to eat fruit. Most people find this hard to believe, but I have seen them do this with my own eyes!
Groundhog burrows under structures can destabilize the soil beneath them. Sheds, porches, and decks can sink or tilt. Concrete steps may crack or collapse. Home foundations have also been known to shift due to groundhog burrows underneath. The only way to prevent groundhog problems around your property is to trap and remove them. Once the groundhogs are removed other animals such as skunks, opossums, snakes, and rats can move in. Since groundhogs are rodents they have an excellent sense of smell. Other groundhogs can smell that a burrow has been abandoned and will take advantage of the situation. If they don’t have to work to dig their own burrow, why should they? Aaxis Wildlife Control has extensive experience trapping groundhogs. Call us today at (610)-247-0501 for all of your groundhog removal and control needs. Once we end your problem we can construct a barrier around sheds, decks, porches or other structures to prevent new groundhogs from moving in.