weird aborvitae problem - please help!

19 years ago

Hello eveyone,

I am having some strange arborvitae problems and I don't know what's going on. Just a few days ago, I noticed that a few small branches had been cut off of my 30 ft. arborvitae about halfway up around the level of our porch. Then later today, my dog began to go crazy at the front window and I ran IMMEDIATELY to find even more of the arborvitae on the ground. I have narrowed it down to an animal doing these this, but it looks as if the limbs are cut clean through, not snapped off. The section that is being cut is 15 ft. off the ground and about 8 ft. above my front porch. What is ruining my arborvitae and what should I do? I have some pictures if needed.

Thanks in advance

Featured Answer

john_4b

19 years ago

It is squirrels. They will cut branches from the arborvitaes to make their nests. They will leave the tops of the trees bare.

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Comments (14)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
19 years ago
squirrels... ????

the mailman ....

or a really big rabbit... lol

ken
york_rose
19 years ago
I also suspect squirrels, but I don't really know.
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katrina1
19 years ago
Can you set up a camera to capture the culprit in the act?

I also wonder what the culprit is accomplishing for itself by doing the damage, the video might show clues to why this activity is happening, which could give you some idea on how to prevent more damage from being done.
Nancy
19 years ago
Do you have deer? They are very fond of eating arborvitae. Let us know when the mystery is solved.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
19 years ago
i was under my trees over the weekend .... much debris from the squirrel vermin making nests..

must just be that time of year .... build a house.. attract a girl ... or boy if girls build... etc...

ken
muddauber
19 years ago
I think it's a squirrel too. You'd have to see this to believe it but my dad had two little terriers, the neighbor behind had a large Oak tree which hung over my dads yard. The squirrel would chew small pieces of the tree containing 5 or 6 leaves and "bomb" the dogs with it. It was too funny to watch the dogs would go crazy! The squirrel dropped acorns on them too. Maybe your dog and some squirrel have a turf war going on LOL.
ginny12
19 years ago
Wow--you learn something every day. This is one I had never heard before.
chuck_flash_7723
19 years ago
My arborvitae trees are turning brown and dying what could be the problem??
Embothrium
19 years ago
Too dry or too wet are the first choices. Not much to go on here.
chuck_flash_7723
19 years ago
My aborvitaes are dying in center of trees turing all brown we watered them as garden center that sold them told us to. They were planted in spring and have not grown hardly at all and like I said are dying in center of tree.
Can anyone help??
Iris GW
19 years ago
Sounds like they need to go back to the store.
Cindi_KS
18 years ago
I notice the original poster is in Pennsylvania..possibly the critter who can trim a tree that far up is a bear!
I would start looking for droppings to figure out the identity of the critter. Dogs go nuts when they see bears...just a thought.
arismom60
last year
Squirrels are stripping my arborvitae. I’m watching them do it right now .! My husband is shooting them with a pellet gun. Squirrels are not cute. They are very destructive. These are 30 feet arborvitae’s.