Is That a Beaver or a Groundhog?
Although some people refer to groundhogs as land beavers, the two pests don't have much in common. At a glance, it can be hard to know which animal is on the property. However, homeowners should be able to easily identify a woodchuck vs. a beaver problem after taking a closer look.
Some of the most obvious differences between beavers and woodchucks include:
- Appearance: While they're both large rodents with brown fur and stocky bodies, that's where the similarities in appearance between woodchucks and beavers end. Beavers have flat, rudder-like tails and yellow incisors, while groundhogs have short, bushy tails and white front teeth.
- Nesting Habits: Beaver bodies are perfect for aquatic living. Though they may venture onto lawns, beavers always den close to water or tunnel into riverbanks. Groundhogs can swim, but they're mostly land animals. People often find their burrows in yards.
- Behavior: Woodchucks are solitary animals that don't live with their young for long periods. In contrast, beavers mate for life. They usually live in colonies with their offspring from current and previous litters.
Differences in Damage
Beavers
Beavers fell trees planted in lawns, but they create more destruction with their dams. These structures disrupt the natural flow of water and lead to flooding.
Woodchucks
Woodchucks cause problems by eating garden plants. These pests also dig burrows and tunnel in yards. This behavior can ruin landscaping. In addition, woodchuck holes increase the chance of falling injuries for people, pets, and livestock.
Control for Beaver vs. Woodchuck Infestations
Anyone who approaches a wild animal is at risk of attack. Whether you're dealing with beavers or groundhogs, professional assistance is the smart option for safe and humane control. Contact Critter Control for help removing wildlife pests from yards.
If you have woodchuck or beaver problems, contact a local office.
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Brandon was out to please and make out lives easier with out bat situation. Above and beyond of the call of duty and got the job done. Thank you!
BAT POOP CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION! Bat guano removed from gables. No bats found in attic, so put new screens on all gable vents, as one screen was close to breaking and then bats may have gotten in! Great work in
Tulsa!
Squirrels and chipmunks were in our attic. So we called Critter Control to do an inspection. Their representative climbed all over our very steep roof and found several places where squirrels had entered our attic.
Upon inspection of the attic, evidence of bats was also found. The Critter Control team came on time to completely caulk the entire perimeter of the house and create an exit strategy for the squirrels and bats.
Because
bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, this also required total removal and replacement of our attic insulation and sanitizing the space. Not a small job in a 1,300 sq. ft. attic! While Critter Control’s cost was high, our homeowners insurance covered most of it. Everyone representing Critter Control was professional, courteous and timely. I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might have unwelcome guests living in their attic
On recommendations from a nearby pest control company, I called Critter Control for suspicious
bat droppings.
Madison came out the same day to do an inspection. She was knowledgeable, thorough, and highly professional. She examined the ‘matter’ that had been scattered on my threshold and thought it was foliage. But she then asked to go up to my attic space where the bats could be roosting. She had to walk up 3 flights of stairs with a heavy ladder. She again spent some time searching all the nooks and crannies and found nothing.
She seemed so interested in her craft, it was truly inspiring to see! She reassured me and is writing up a prevention strategy for my appraisal. She charged me NOTHING!! I am so impressed. We need more Madisons in this world!
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We noticed droppings on our brand new deck - we were given their number from our contractor. They came the next day. Brian looked at it and said - yeah, bats!! He then checked every area in our attic and he explained exactly what needed to be done.
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