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Biology

•  Lives in dry land
• Is Diurnal
• Does Hibernate

Sign

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel hole
Description: Shows no excavated earth around opening.
Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow
 

ground squirrel burrow
Description: shows 2 to 3 inch wide burrow in close mown grass
Photo Credits: Dallas Virchow

Damage

• eat seeds, garden and fruit crops;
• burrow hazards;

Solutions

Habitat Modification

• Exclude from small areas by installing 18-inch high 1/4 to 1/2-inch mesh hardware cloth (hail screen) buried 6 inches below ground.
• Encourage tall vegetation
• Reduce seedbearing weedy plants.
• Keep soils moist through overhead irrigation during day.
• Prevent digging in seedling gardens by planting cold-tolerant varieties before ground squirrel emergence in early spring.

Repellents

• None registered

Trapping

• Box trapping: Cover 50% of trap length to prevent stress to captured animal.
• Rat sized snap traps. (Place them inside a covered box or bait station with holes 2" wide. The box is to prevent non-target capture and injury.
• Baits include seeds. (Caution: When using seeds be sure to keep out of sight of birds to prevent bird captures).

Shooting

• Not applicable.

Toxicants

• Fumigants: These should be used away from human habitation. Read label for species of burrowing rodent.
  
• Toxicants: Zinc phosphide treated baits are the most common. Be sure to follow label when using toxicants.

Other Control Methods

• Flooding

Diseases-Safety

• Can carry plague.

Legal Issues

Living With Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrels

13 Lined Ground Squirrels--University of Wisconsin Horticultural Website

Publications & Resources

News