One of the most familiar creatures across the US is known for its talents in weather-forecasting. On February 2nd, every year, Americans gather around their TVs, waiting apprehensively for the groundhog to come out of its hole. Scurrying back into its burrow after being spooked by its shadow confirms to onlookers that there will be six more weeks of winter. Without the scary shadow, it will be an early spring. 

Although it isn’t a holiday, this tradition is observed nationwide, especially in places such as Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. That is where one of the country’s celebrity groundhogs resides, Punxsutawney Phil. Some of Phil’s buds include Staten Island Chuck (also known as Charles G. Hogg, a grumpy old fellow), Jimmy the Groundhog from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and Buckeye Chuck from Marion, Ohio. Despite how endearing these cute little critters may seem, they can pose severe threats to homeowners when they show up as pests instead of weather anchors. The old saying, “how much wood could a wood chuck-chuck…” can be credited right to these little beasts.

Types Of Damage Groundhogs Can Inflict

Also known as “whistle pigs” or “marmots,” groundhogs can be the bane of many a homeowner’s existences. They are highly adaptive and thus have made their way into suburban neighborhoods. They are incredible diggers. Similar to rabbits and gophers, groundhogs are known for their extensive, intricate dens. These dens can get up to 30ft in length and stretch down to 2-3ft in depth.

When they’re not tearing up your yard, they are emitting a loud whistle to alert their group members when there is a threat present. The most likely threats would include you, dogs, or coyotes, so you may be hearing this sound quite often. They do not venture far from their dens, so when they bulk up for winter hibernation, don’t expect them to stick to their natural herbivorous diet. They may go rummaging through your trash, or worse, your garden.

Their behavior doesn’t just amount to an inconvenience, though. For homeowners and farmers in rural areas, their digging can cause severe damage to barns and garages, and the entrances to the burrows pose a dangerous walking hazard to pets such as horses. Apart from these factors, groundhogs are a known carrier of rabies, so you should never attempt to remove one from your property yourself. Instead, you need to enlist the help of professionals. 

Call Stratex Pest Control For Your Groundhog Problem

At Stratex Pest, we understand how stressful it can be to have to live with the stressors of groundhogs taking over your yard. This is why we offer our high-quality services to residents of St. Joseph, Cass, Kalamazoo, and Branch Counties. Our locally-owned and operated company provides you with several different options to approaching any pest problem you may have, including no-contract packages. Our service plans are customizable to the specific pest species affecting your home and are executed in the highest-activity seasons of those animals or insects. We offer services from extermination and pest control to wildlife trapping and removal – all of which are discounted for military and law enforcement. If you are at your wit’s end with the groundhogs in your yard, call Stratex Pest today for a free estimate.