80 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 353 



out the woodlands, or the squirrels may continue on the same tree or limb for a 

 long period and the tree may eventually die as a result. 



Total Injury Not Serious. In general, squirrels are not a serious problem in the 

 propagation of shade trees. The relatively few nuts and seeds taken are neg- 

 ligible, and the buds eaten do not materially retard the growth of most trees. 

 Squirrels may become a pest, however, by consuming large quantities of seeds, 

 buds, and fruits of choice ornamental shade trees, and they may become a nui- 

 sance by littering the lawn with twig clippings. Serious damage to twigs or bark 

 is most likely to occur during extremely severe winters, when valuable trees may 

 be badly injured. 



Control. Few persons wish to kill these interesting animals. No general 

 campaign should be waged against them, for damage is probably local and done 

 by only a few squirrels. In severe winters, it might be well to feed them. A 

 mixture of corn, hard-shelled nuts, and sunflower seeds is recommended. 



If it becomes necessary to control squirrels, they can easily be trapped in a box 

 or wire cage trap and transferred to other localities. They can also be trapped in 

 a No. "0" or No. "1" steel trap baited with nutmeats. The traps should be set 

 at the base of trees where the squirrels have been observed to feed, or at other 

 places along their route of travel. Local trapping regulations must be considered. 

 Shooting is also a practical method if State and local ordinances permit. Gray 

 squirrels are protected by law in Massachusetts except during a month's open 

 season. 



Britton, W. E. Injury to trees by squirrels. Proc. Ninth Natl. Shade Tree Conf., New York, 



1933. 

 Deuber, C. G. Defoliation activities of gray squirrels in American elm trees. Scientific Monthly 



38:60-63. January 1934. 

 Hatt, Robert T. The red squirrel, its lif j history and habits. Roosevelt Wild Life Annals, Vol. 



II, No. 1, 1929. 

 Hosley, N. W. Red squirrel damage to coniferous plantatians and its relation to changing food 



habits. Ecology 9:43. 1928. 

 Klugh, A. B. Ecology of the red squirrel. Jour. Mammal. 8:1-32. 1927. 

 Silver, James. Rodent enemies of fruit and shade trees. Jour. Mammal. 5:165-173. 1924. 



