Trees are meant to grow sturdy and tall, to provide food and shade for humans and animals. Because trees basically do a lot for us humans, animals, and everything else around them, it is only right to give them the right care and maintenance they deserve. For example, it is a good idea to find an arborist near your area for regular trimming and pruning of your backyard trees.

However, trees can be prone to damages, too. For example, some trees may be uprooted and fallen down by strong weather disturbances like tornadoes and hurricanes. In such cases, you would need to hire emergency tree storm services especially if the tree causes damage to your property. On the other hand, a lot of trees especially those in forests are prone to animal damage.

For one thing, trees are natural shelters for wild animals such as birds, squirrels, and other critters. However, these also serve as their major food source. For example, woodpeckers peck tree barks to find and eat insects. Wild bears also tend to scratch trees as a way to mark their territory.

Common animals that can damage trees

Trees play an important role in our eco-system. If you have trees in your backyard, make sure to hire tree services for proper trimming and pruning. But if only trees can talk and protect itself against harm due to harsh weather, animals, and even us humans. In the case of fallen trees due to damage, you should call tree removal companies especially if it causes damage to property.

Meanwhile, there are also some animals known to cause damage to trees (without them realizing it, of course). Among them include the following.

• Rabbits – usually fond of eating woody plants, stems, and barks
• Deer – normally eats wood crops, barks, and branches
• Moles – known for causing damage on crops by making underground tunnel systems, causing damage on tree roots because they love eating them as well
• Raccoons and opossums – love fruit trees and grubs and tends to claw on tree trunks, causing damage to the tree
• Bats – they usually feast on insects, but their excrement carries harmful parasites that can damage trees
• Squirrel – these animals also tend to gnaw on tree barks

Keeping animals away from your fruit trees

It is nice to have trees, especially those that bear fruit, in your backyard. In the wild, fruit-bearing trees can be a blessing for wild animals. However, it is not the case if these animals attempt to break through your property and to your fruit trees. However, there are ways to get rid of these pesky animals without resorting to chemicals.

• Hire tree cutting services to trim branches so that squirrels won’t be able to reach your tree. These small animals are able to access trees from rooftops.
• Set humane traps at the base of your trees. Add nuts or any kind of food that can attract the wild animal into the trap. Once captured, make sure to use gloves and release the animal in a park or any other animal-friendly environment.
• Put protective netting on bushes and fruit trees. Get rid of animal feeders from the area as these can tempt wild animals to come near your trees.
• Spray/pour pepper juice on the base of the trees to discourage deer and rabbits from going near your tree. To make pepper juice, mix 3 pcs. Jalapeno peppers, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid. Shake well, put a tablespoon of the mixture in a bucket of water and pour around the tree’s base.

Should you use pesticides to prevent animals from invading your trees?

If in case the abovementioned tips are ineffective in shooing the animals away from your tree, you may have to use pesticides. However, it is still possible that pesticides or rodenticides may not be effective in the long run. In the worst cases, your pest control procedure may even backfire by using pesticides.

In fact, there are cases of reinvasion happens a few weeks after applying pesticides. Worse, using pesticides may also cause damage to the trees. Also, some states may also prohibit using pesticides, rodenticides, or any kind of poison on wild animals.

Final word

It is important to take care of and protect your trees against wild animals and other kinds of damage. If you have trees in your backyard, it is recommended to call tree services for proper care and maintenance. Contact arborist services in Maryland today!