Rodents may be one of the most terrifying pests as they can spread various diseases and destroy your property. But as much as rodents are a nuisance, there is a rodent that does more good for you than harm.
That rodent is the woodchuck.
Woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, are a type of ground squirrel who live in many parts of Canada and the US. The woodchuck lives under rocks and logs inside dens they create for themselves.
Woodchucks eat fruit and vegetables such as clover, grasses, and garden plants. These rodents also eat insects, snakes, and frogs. Even though woodchucks eat these types of animals, they are mostly herbivores.
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Woodchucks burrow deep into the ground to hide from predators. They make their homes in burrows created by other animals or even dig their own burrows if no one else has claimed it. This is why they are considered great dam builders, for they help increase the flow of water through their burrows.
They also do well in grasslands and agricultural fields because they eat many types of crops. However, corn seems to be their favorite food.
Many people find woodchucks crawling on their roofs or digging under rocks along their walkway. The burrows woodchucks create can be a problem for homeowners’ foundations and their lawns, but these rodents still do more good than harm by keeping the rodent population low.
Woodchucks alert you of any approaching predators with their whistle-like noise they make by wiggling their noses. You will then see them running and hiding to protect themselves and their families.
They can be a little too loud for some people’s taste, but the same noise is meant to ward you away from their babies and protect them from any predators.
If you have a woodchuck infestation, there are ways of how to get rid of them. You can use traps or an underground fence that they won’t be able to climb. However, woodchucks are rarely a threat to your home and can even help you by keeping the rodent population from growing out of control.
Woodchucks may be small, but they help Earth a great deal by creating habitats that increase the flow of water along rivers and streams, they keep mice populations low, and they are able to dig holes that help aerate the soil.
In conclusion, we should be happy we have these rodents and their holes that help us, not try to kill them just because they may be crawling around our yards.