Why Squirrels Are A Yard Pest
If youve never had a squirrel problem, you probably wonder what the big deal is about letting them scurry and scamper through the yard. Unfortunately, these small animals have certain habits that cause more havoc than realized.
Squirrel Behavior
There are three species of squirrel, and all of them are considered a pest. They have a terrible habit of chewing through things best left alone, such as telephone and electrical cables, siding, and other structures.
Oftentimes, they make their way inside your attic for a warm and safe nesting place. These critters also cause chaos in your yard by digging in the garden, making a mess of trash cans, and eating all of the sunflower seeds and other birdseed in your backyard feeders, leaving little to nothing for the birds.
While damage from one squirrel goes relatively unnoticed, a family of squirrels, or a scurry, is very destructive.
Hot Peppers For Fruit Trees
A chili pepper fruit tree spray can keep hungry bugs and mammals from your orchard. It is considered a deterrent rather than a pesticide because it keeps the critters away from the trees and doesnt kill them. While many people love hot sauce, few animals do.
The naturally occurring substance that makes the peppers taste hot is called capsaicin, and this is an irritant to most pests. When a rabbit, squirrel, or mouse comes in contact with foliage or fruit doused in hot pepper spray, they stop eating immediately.
Cayenne Pepper Onion Solution
This squirrel repellent can be made with onions, jalapeno pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika and water. You have to fill three-fourth of a two-quart saucepan with water and bring it to boil. Now, add two chopped yellow onions and one chopped jalapeno pepper and let the water boil again. Mix one tablespoon each of paprika and cayenne pepper powder and cover the pan with the lid. Allow the mixture to cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, after which you have to turn off the burner.
Once the solution is cool, strain it with a strainer or cheesecloth and fill the solution in a spray bottle. You can spray it over the plants so that the scent will deter squirrels from entering the garden. For added efficiency, you may sprinkle some paprika and cayenne pepper powder over the soil. Make sure to spray the solution every seven days and more often during rains.
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Where Do Squirrels Live
If it seems like squirrels are pretty much everywhere, its because they are, except for Antarctica and Australia. So, it would seem we are bound to run into them at some point!
Dont worry, we will get to how to repel these little buggers in a second!
In the United States, you can find squirrels in almost every state, depending on the species of squirrel. Be sure to research your specific region to see what types of squirrels might be in your area. Personally, I have mostly gray squirrels, which means they make their nests in trees and dont hibernate.
Lucky me
Eastern gray squirrels are one of the most common species of squirrels in the United States. The other main types of squirrels include fox squirrels, red squirrels, brown squirrels, and flying squirrels.
Once you know what type of squirrel you are dealing with, we will know the best tactic to repel them.
Squirrel Repellent Using Mothballs
Deterring squirrels is easy, especially if you have mothballs handy. Place mothballs around your garden or flower pots if you want the squirrels to stay out. Be sure to keep these away from pets and children, as they can be very harmful if ingested.
In this squirrel repellent article, youve discovered how to create a DIY squirrel deterrent using ingredients from around the house like a gallon of water, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and dish soap. Getting squirrels away from your bird feeders, garden, and flowers are now more accessible than ever before.
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Can You Plant Cayenne Peppers To Deter Squirrels
Planting cayenne peppers, or any kind of chilli pepper plant, will repel squirrels. However, the smell of the growing chillies is not as strong as the smell of processed cayenne pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Therefore, it is likely that the plants will only deter squirrels from going to that one small area of your garden.
If you are finding that there are particular plants or areas that are being severely disturbed by squirrels, you could plant a cayenne pepper plant near these areas to make squirrels avoid going near those plants.
Is Cayenne Pepper Toxic to Cats?
Cayenne pepper is not known to be toxic to cats. It can, however, be an irritant if it gets in a cats eyes or paws. This is worth considering if you have a pet cat.
Is Cayenne Pepper Safe to Use in the Garden?
Yes, in general, cayenne pepper is safe to use in the garden. It will not cause harm to your plants, other wildlife or the soil.
Homemade Squirrel Repellent Using Hot Sauce
Squirrels have a sensitivity towards spices, therefore using ingredients like hot sauce in deterrent recipes will guarantee they will flee.
- 1 ounce of hot sauce or hot pepper sauce
- 3 drops of dish soap
Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake gently. Spray the mixture in crawl spaces, on garden patches, and anywhere else youd like to deter squirrels. This mixture will not hurt squirrels it will just get them away from the areas you spray.
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Best Way To Repel Squirrels With Squirrel
Squirrels are notorious for being thieves when it comes to bird feeders. Not only do they eat all of the birdseed, but they seem to defeat all odds to claim the feeder as their own. The best way to repel squirrels from a bird feeder is to make it squirrel-proof.
There are many commercial squirrel-proof feeders, but there are a few things to try with your existing feeder to make it difficult for squirrels to feast on the seeds.
Try mixing safflower seeds with your bird food. Squirrels hate the bitter taste, while the birds are not bothered. If your feeder is perched on top of a pole, smear olive oil around the base, making the climb more difficult.
Squirrels cannot jump more than seven feet from a tree, five feet from the ground, and avoid dropping more than nine feet off a feeder. Keep these numbers in mind when situating a bird feeder.
Why Are Birds Not Affected By Hot Chili
Capsaicin is mainly concentrated on the surface of pepper seeds. While birds can taste its spiciness, they dont feel the burning sensation as they dont have pain receptors found in mammals that the compound triggers.
So, dont be surprised when you see birds not having any problems eating spicy food.
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Is Irish Spring Soap Squirrel
Squirrels are one of the most difficult garden pests to control. They eat flower bulbs and other foliage, dig up your favorite plants, and generally enjoy wreaking havoc in your yard. Protect your plants by grating some Irish Spring soap around them. Squirrels are repulsed by the scent and will avoid it.
Using Hot Pepper Spray The Basics
How Hot Pepper Spray Works
Hot pepper spray works as a natural deterrent by coating plants in a blistering coating of heat. It is applied as a liquid spray to the foliage of plants in gardens and flowerbeds.
As the hot residue dries, it coats the leaves in a spicy hot layer of heat. And when pests begin to dine on the foliage, it is anything but appealing to their taste buds! In fact, it usually sends them scurrying far away.
For most pests, hot pepper spray is a deterrent and not an insecticide. But there applications where the liquid will not only repel insects, but actually kill them off.
Two of the best examples are spider mites and cabbage worms. When applied to plants affected by these two pests, it can actually stop them in their tracks by killing them off.
How To Use Hot Pepper Spray In Gardens And Flowerbeds
Hot pepper spray can be applied to specific plants or small areas with a simple hand-held spray bottle. For larger applications you can spray with a large tank or backpack sprayer.
The key to using hot pepper spray is to keep the plants consistently covered in the spicy coating. Unfortunately, when it rains or when you water, it will lose its effectiveness.
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In addition, heavy dew each morning can dilute and wash off the coating as well after a few days. That means you will need to re-apply every three to four days to protect plants. And of course, after every time it rains or you water.
When To Spray
How To Apply
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Why Cayenne Pepper Deters Squirrels
The truth is, cayenne pepper is not the main cause why squirrels run away from hot bird seeds. Its mainly because of the compound Capsaicin found in cayenne pepper.
Capsaicin is an ingredient that gives pepper its heat. This means that anything spicy like bell peppers, jalapeños, habaneros, cayenne pepper, and other chili peppers contain capsaicin. And the more capsaicin a pepper has, the hotter it is.
Now, what does this have to do with deterring squirrels?
Well, squirrels are mammals. And in the whole animal kingdom, mammals are the only ones affected by capsaicin. That means were the only ones that can taste spiciness in food.
Thats why when squirrels eat bird seeds with cayenne pepper, they would immediately run away because of the spiciness. Chances are, they wont even try to go back for another taste.
And because mammals are the only ones affected by the compound, birds can safely eat these hot bird seeds without any problems. This is what makes this squirrel deterrent effective.
Homemade Squirrel Repellent Spray Recipes
Squirrels seem adorable creatures but can cause a lot of havoc, both indoor and outdoor. They are not only harmful to your yard and vegetation but can damage house structure by making nests, chewing insulation, wirings, and PVC pipes. The below methods wont harm the squirrels and yet keep them at bay for good.
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Hot Pepper / Garlic Spray Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 gallon of water
- 10 to 12 hot peppers chopped fine or 5 tablespoons of hot pepper flakes
- 10 individual cloves of garlic, chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
Begin by adding the peppers, garlic and water into a large pan and bring up to a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes, occasionally stirring the mixture. If you are using hot pepper flakes, you can heat them for a few minutes dry in a pan to help release the oil before adding to the water mix.
Heating the liquid helps to release and infuse the oils from the hot peppers and the garlic into the water. Let the mixture cool and allow to sit and marinate at room temperature for 24 hours.
Next, strain the peppers and garlic out from the mix and place the liquid into a gallon jug or a container that can be sealed. Add in the teaspoon of olive oil and stir or shake to help disperse the oil through the mixture.
This olive oil helps the mixture stick to the plants when sprayed. You can also use a few drops of mild dish detergent or vegetable oil in place of the olive oil if you prefer.
Applying The Mixture
You are now ready to use your hot pepper / garlic spray! The best way to cover the foliage of plants for protection is with a fine mist from a sprayer.
It is best to apply the solution in the early morning or late evening when the sun is not beating down on the plants. Applying the liquid during the heat of the day can burn foliage with the moisture and suns rays.
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Hot Pepper Bug Repellent
Chili pepper fruit tree spray repels animals that might chew or eat your trees and fruits, including squirrels, mice, raccoons, deer, rabbits, voles, birds, and even dogs and cats. What about insects though?
Yes, it also works as a bug repellent. A spray made from hot chili peppers repels bugs that suck the fluids of fruit tree leaves. These include common pests like spider mites, aphids, lace bugs, and leafhoppers.
Remember, though, the pepper spray repels bugs, but it wont kill off an infestation already in place. If your tree is already under insect attack, you may want to smother the current bugs with horticultural oil sprays first, then use hot pepper bug repellent to prevent new bugs from arriving.
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Tips For Repelling Squirrels
- Make a solution of epsom salt with a gallon of water for spraying over the plants in the garden.
- Use some naphthalene balls to deter squirrels from entering your garden. All you have to do is to scatter some moth balls in your garden . But make sure to keep away small kids and pets.
- Squirrel evictor strobe lights can be used to get rid of these critters. You may also try the electronic squirrel repellent devices.
- Bird feeders also attract these critters. So, it is very much important to use squirrel-proof bird feeders that are available in different models.
- Another method is to mix some red pepper powder with the bird food. Try to feed the birds with food that squirrels do not like. Safflower seeds is a good option.
- You can also repel them from your garden in a more friendly way. This can be achieved by feeding squirrels with sufficient food like sunflower seeds, peanuts, fresh or dried fruits and corn.
The above said are some of the commonly used methods for repelling squirrels. It is always better to resort to homemade squirrel repellents and other natural products, rather than using the commercial ones, which may cause harm to these critters as well as the environment.
What Is The Best Way To Repel Squirrels
Well, my homemade squirrel repellent obviously, but I’ll list some alternatives.
Dogs and Cats – Not that they will be able to chase off every single squirrel in the yard, but the more your animals run around in the backyard the less you’ll see squirrel activity. You can even go as far as to take some pet hair and place it around your vegetables and plants to keep the squirrels away.
Alternative Foods – You can always try to feed the squirrels in another part of your yard and hope it keeps them from wanting to eat your good stuff in the other part of the yard. Have you seen those cute little squirrel picnic benches?
Netting – Surround your plants with netting, similar to what you would do to keep birds from eating berries.
Chicken Wire – Create a tent of chicken wire around smaller plants or enclose the whole garden area in chicken wire.
Cover The Ground – Putting gravel in the beds may deter them as they won’t enjoy walking on it.
Tin Foil – Put a layer of tin foil around the base of plants and in flower pots. The reflection from the tin foil scares off squirrels and they won’t like stepping on the foil. This remedy can get a bit expensive if you use it for the entire garden though.
– Buy fake cat silhouettes or fox decoys to stake out in the garden to scare them off.
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Does Cayenne Pepper Keep Squirrels Away From Bird Seeds
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Contents
Squirrels, although undeniably cute, can cause significant damage to your backyard. They gnaw on almost anything, and its double the nuisance when they visit bird feeders and eat seeds that arent for them. For this reason, many bird watchers are searching for ways to keep squirrels away from bird feeders. And one of the many things they ask is: does cayenne pepper keep squirrels away from bird seeds?
Quick answer is: Yes, cayenne pepper keeps squirrels away!
Just mix the cayenne pepper into your birdseed mix, and squirrels will surely run away the first time they taste it. Why? Well, thats exactly what were going to discuss in this article. Well tackle:
- Why does cayenne pepper deter squirrels
- How to make spicy birds seeds with cayenne pepper
- What else to put in bird seeds that will keep squirrels away
- Hot pepper as squirrel-repellent spray
So, if youre ready to know more about how you can effectively repel squirrels with cayenne pepper, read on
How Do I Keep Squirrels Out Of My Garden
Although squirrels are natural diggers, you may prevent them from digging and safeguard your seedlings by mulching the dirt around your plants. Protect your plants by covering them. To protect your plants from damage, consider utilizing a physical barrier such as plastic netting, fence, or chicken wire.
The hot pepper spray for squirrels is a recipe that uses hot peppers to keep squirrels away.
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Heres How To Stop Squirrels From Eating Bird Food With Hot Pepper
Squirrels hate the scent of hot peppers, and the best way to repel squirrels from around your bird feeders is to repel them using a good dose of pepper flakes. The smell of peppers convinces the furry fiends to find a more hospitable place to feast.
- Cayenne pepper powder
After each rainfall, sprinkle a decent layer of pepper flakes around the bottom of your bird feeders. Hot peppers are also useful for keeping squirrels out of your garden.
Shake some pepper powder onto your plants leaves to keep squirrels from digging in your yard and disturbing garden beds.
