Wildlife Removal Company

The Dangers of Groundhog Infestations: What Homeowners Need to Know

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, may appear to be harmless and cute animals, but when they move into your yard or property, they can create serious problems for homeowners. These burrowing creatures are highly capable of causing significant damage to landscaping, property, and even the structure of your home. In this article, we’ll explore the dangers groundhogs pose to homeowners and why it’s important to address an infestation promptly.

1. Damage to Landscaping and Garden

One of the most noticeable signs of a groundhog infestation is the damage they do to your garden and landscaping. Groundhogs are herbivores and are particularly fond of eating plants, vegetables, and flowers. If you have a garden, these animals can quickly decimate your crops, leaving your plants stripped of foliage. Their preferences often include:

• Vegetables: Lettuce, peas, beans, carrots, and other garden vegetables.
• Flowers and Shrubs: Groundhogs love to nibble on ornamental plants, leading to aesthetic damage in your yard.
• Fruit Trees: Groundhogs may also be attracted to the base of fruit trees, potentially damaging young trees or stunting their growth.

Beyond eating your plants, groundhogs can also destroy landscaping by burrowing underneath shrubs, flower beds, and ornamental trees. Their digging can disrupt root systems, leading to weakened or dying plants.

2. Damage to Property

Groundhogs are burrowers by nature, and they are incredibly skilled at digging extensive tunnel systems. While this behavior is part of their natural instinct to create a den and shelter, it can lead to substantial damage to your property.

• Foundation Damage: Groundhog burrows near the foundation of your home or outbuildings can cause significant structural damage. Their tunnels can undermine the ground around your foundation, creating instability or even cracks in the concrete. Over time, this can lead to costly repairs.

• Driveway and Sidewalk Damage: The tunnels and burrows that groundhogs dig can affect driveways, sidewalks, and other hardscapes on your property. As they burrow, they create air pockets that can weaken the structure of paved surfaces, leading to cracks and sinkholes. The weight of vehicles driving over these weakened areas can exacerbate the problem.

• Sewer Line Damage: Groundhogs may burrow into areas that include underground pipes, including sewer lines. Their digging can cause damage to pipes, leading to leaks or even blockages in the system, which can result in expensive repairs.

3. Potential for Animal Damage and Pest Infestations

Groundhogs often make their dens in the ground or under structures such as decks, sheds, or even porches. These spaces can become breeding grounds for other pests and wildlife that can worsen the problem:

• Increased Risk of Rodents and Insects: Groundhog burrows can attract other pests, such as rats, mice, insects, and even snakes. These pests may take shelter in the tunnels, creating further infestation issues that can be difficult and costly to address.

• Attracting Predators: Groundhogs are a primary food source for predators like foxes, coyotes, and birds of prey. While these predators might help control the groundhog population, they can also create additional disturbances around your home. The presence of larger animals searching for food can lead to more damage, and potential danger for pets or small children.

4. Health Risks

Although groundhogs are not typically aggressive toward humans, they can pose health risks due to the potential for disease transmission. These include:

• Lyme Disease: Groundhogs are known to carry ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease to both animals and humans. If you or your pets come into contact with ticks from a groundhog infestation, the risk of contracting Lyme disease increases.

• Rabies: Like many wild animals, groundhogs are capable of carrying rabies. Although rabies in groundhogs is rare, if the animal appears sick or behaves erratically, it can be a sign of this dangerous disease. It’s important to avoid direct contact with any wild animal showing signs of illness.

• Parasites: Groundhogs can carry a variety of other parasites, including fleas, mites, and lice, which they may introduce into your home. These parasites can cause discomfort and health risks to both you and your pets.

5. The Stress of a Groundhog Infestation

Groundhogs may not only cause physical damage but also add to your mental and emotional stress. The constant worry about property damage, the potential for structural issues, and the nuisance of dealing with a burrowing animal can be overwhelming. Groundhogs are persistent, and their burrowing can become more extensive and damaging over time. The longer the problem is left unaddressed, the more costly it becomes to repair the damage.

6. Why You Should Call a Professional

While some homeowners may attempt to remove groundhogs using traps or repellents, these methods often fail to address the root cause of the infestation. Groundhogs are persistent, and their burrowing instincts can make them difficult to remove without professional help.

A professional wildlife removal expert can:

• Identify the Source of the Infestation: Understanding where the groundhogs are entering your property and locating their dens is key to effective removal.

• Humane Trapping and Removal: Experts can set humane traps to safely capture and relocate the groundhogs to appropriate areas, ensuring compliance with local laws.

• Seal Entry Points: A skilled technician can seal off any entry points to prevent future groundhog infestations.

• Damage Repair: Once the groundhogs are removed, professionals can repair any damage to your property, including foundation cracks, tunnels, and any weakened structures caused by burrowing.

• Prevent Future Infestations: They can implement long-term prevention measures to keep your property secure, such as reinforcing barriers and removing attractants.

Conclusion

While groundhogs may seem like harmless animals, they can cause significant damage to your property and pose health risks to your family. Their burrowing habits can lead to structural damage, attract other pests, and create costly repairs. If you notice signs of a groundhog infestation around your home, it’s important to act quickly. Contacting a professional wildlife removal service can help prevent further damage and ensure the safe and humane removal of these destructive pests. Don’t let groundhogs take over your home—address the problem early to protect your property and peace of mind.