Knowledgebase

bitten branches #876039

Asked July 05, 2024, 4:39 PM EDT

A few times in the past 2 months, there have been several small fresh-cut branches lying on our driveway beneath the birch tree in the morning. There was no windy or rainy weather overnight. If you look at the attached pictures, you'll see how each of the branches is bitten/chewed (??) off in a simple, repeatable pattern. Is this some rodent? Why would they bite off a few branches like this, only for the branches to fall down? What rodent?

Kent County Maryland

Expert Response

This is likely the work of squirrels. They need to periodically gnaw things to help wear-down their ever-growing teeth (a trait shared by all rodents). Plus, some branches (maybe those they are not dropping) might be used to repair or build a new drey, which is the nest-like clump of leaves, twigs in the canopy which become prominent during winter.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 08, 2024, 11:12 AM EDT
Thank you, Miri!

On Mon, Jul 8, 2024 at 11:12 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied July 08, 2024, 11:23 AM EDT
You're welcome!
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 08, 2024, 2:11 PM EDT

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