The first step to getting rid of a groundhog is to know you have one.
Without seeing the groundhog personally, you need to rely on your own senses by looking around the yard for the telltale signs of this animal.
Some of the most obvious signs of groundhogs are tunnels, dens, and damage to plants in the garden or around the area.
To discover if you have a groundhog, check out the telltale signs below.
埃德（Ed）多年来一直在害虫防治行业工作，帮助1,000名房主在昆虫和啮齿动物管理的世界中浏览。他管理害虫策略现在帮助世界各地的房主！
Table of Contents
What Are Groundhogs?
Groundhogs (sometimes called woodchucks) belong to the classification of marmots: animals that gorge themselves during the spring and summer and then hibernate during the winter.
他们看起来像巨人，肥胖的松鼠！土拨鼠有厚的尾巴和粗糙的皮毛涂层，颜色从棕色到黑色。
是否想跳过所有这些研究，只是为了您的土拨鼠问题而雇用一个体面的灭虫者？
Click here to check outour exterminator search tool where we instantly send you free quotes from trusted (and thoroughly vetted) exterminators in your local area.
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Yes, we know what you’re thinking, and yes, this是与著名的Punxsutawney Phil（也许是世界上最著名的土拨鼠）相同的动物。
Regular groundhogs, however, aren’t as comfortable around humans as Punxsatawney Phil, and not nearly as neatly-groomed. Here’s what you need to look for if you think you see one in your yard: they can be identified by their long, sharp front teeth and are thelargest member of the squirrel family.
Why Do Groundhogs Like Your Yard?
由于可用的食物含量少，房主的常规码很有吸引力。土拨鼠没有个人财产感，因此他们不会三思而后行地吃花园里的植物。
In particular, they like fresh fruits, vegetables, and weeds like dandelions. They areprimarily herbivores但是有时饿时吃昆虫。
另外，如果您有土拨鼠可以庇护的高大草，那么他们将很乐意将该区域用作躲避捕食者的地方，如下视频中所述。
What Does A Groundhog Tunnel Look Like?
Groundhog tunnels实际上看起来很像是用痣制成的：它们宽几英寸，长几英尺，完全被污垢包围。
Some people estimate the circumference of the tunnel entrance can be between 10-12 inches around. These tunnels usually open near a garden and can be hard to see under the regular sections of the yard. Groundhogs are non-confrontational and prefer to spend as little time around humans as possible, so they create the entrances to their tunnels as covertly as possible.
隧道连接吗？
一些土拨鼠隧道确实连接，而另一些则没有连接。
Sometimes, homeowners can find one tunnel which leads from the garden or food source and straight to the den or the main living quarters.
一言以蔽之，土拨鼠是巨大的。
它们的尺寸从8到66英尺，具有多个入口和出口。一些部分分支到厕所里，而主要区域则是睡眠场所。如果土地被摧毁，那么土拨鼠拥有多个书房并不少见。
找到当地的灭虫者
土拨鼠的长相是什么样的？
一言以蔽之，土拨鼠是巨大的。它们的尺寸从8到66英尺，具有多个入口和出口。一些部分分支到厕所里，而主要区域则是睡眠场所。
如果土地被摧毁，那么土拨鼠拥有多个书房并不少见。
单个书房里有多少个土拨鼠？
土拨鼠不是社会生物。男性过着孤独的生活，只在交配季节遇到女性。关于这些动物的一个可爱事实是，雄性将四处走向该地区的当地女性，并在选择女性交配之前自我介绍。
Female woodchucks are a little different. The youngstay with their motherfor 2 months before they leave and make their own homes. They learn the skills they need to survive in about 4 weeks and are gradually weaned from milk onto soft foods such as dandelions.
What Does Groundhog Damage Look Like?
Groundhog damage非常独特。您可能会看到隧道开口处散落在整个院子中，并从花园水果和蔬菜中叮咬。此外，这些动物将吃掉蒲公英，胡萝卜和花朵的顶部。
损害的其他重要迹象包括下沉地基和诸如工具棚之类的院子建筑物。这些动物将在建筑物下或需要去创造最短食物的任何地方雕刻隧道。它们在清晨和傍晚时分出来，能够伤害其他动物甚至宠物。
人们通常可以随着我们进入土拨鼠洞ll and might hurt themselves. It’s not unheard of to accidentally step in a groundhog hole and twist your ankle or even break your leg!
What To Do When You Find Signs Of A Groundhog?
一旦您知道院子里有一个土拨鼠，就可以抓住它以稍后释放或自己消除。
You have a few options available: call a pest control company, use a trap, or gas the groundhog tunnels to kill any of the animals in the area.
For inexperienced people, calling a professional is probably your best bet. If you want to trap or gas the groundhog, you need to check the local laws in your area because somestatesmake it illegal to trap or kill large animals like woodchucks and raccoons.
诱捕与盖斯
The decision to trap or gas comes down to whether or not you are willing to kill the groundhog. Most traps cost upwards of $50 and look like metal cages which can be opened and closed by a spring-loaded door. These traps have handles so that the user can bring the trapped animal to a wildlife reserve for release.
燃气炸弹较便宜，但更难使用。与陷阱的成本相比，它们相对便宜，需要将其降低到活跃的土拨鼠隧道中。他们通过释放有毒气体来工作，并将杀死隧道中的任何动物。
是否想跳过所有这些研究，只是为了您的土拨鼠问题而雇用一个体面的灭虫者？
Click here to check outour exterminator search tool where we instantly send you free quotes from trusted (and thoroughly vetted) exterminators in your local area.
(Process takes about 30 seconds)
关于识别土拨鼠的最后一个收获
Once you know you have a groundhog, you can identify where it lives and then make a decision about how to handle the situation.
如果您对诱捕或陷阱感到不舒服，请确保致电专业人士，谁可以与您合作，为您提供一些选择。
