About all you can do is trap and drown.

Yes, I am positive it is squirrels. I have watched them do it. I live in the suburbs and we have no deer.

How bizarre. My yard has arborvitae hedges on two sides (both on neighbor's property) and I've never seen this nor have any damage. Lived here over twenty years. Yards are full of squirrels.

blueorchidz,

please post photos for the skeptics

Sorry for the delay-finally got some pics.

We had a very windy day a few weeks ago and it blew the first nest down. Here is the culprit rebuilding the nest.

They always seem to be up to something, usually not what we like.

That's a first for me.

Mike

Nice photos. Naughty squirrel. Since it isn't native. Perhaps the first suggestion is valid...not that I would ever do that but Eastern Fox Squirrels are not native to Oregon and do impact our native squirrels.

it is legal to humanely euthanize Eastern Fox Squirrels in Oregon, it is in fact, illegal to trap and release them other than on your own property.
Squirrels in Oregon

This is one naughty squirrel. Now he/she is digging through the bark dust and ripping up the landscaping fabric underneath and tearing off chunks. That is quite a nest they are building! I think that the first recommendation given by Embothrium sounds like a good bet at this point. I have never seen such a destructive squirrel in all my years here.

Probably kind of unusual to be getting that kind. This link (talking about WA) has distribution maps.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_squirrel/

Omg I live in Michigan and planted 55 arborvitae in my yard for privacy. In the last two years the squirrels are doing the same thing to about 10 of the trees with no sign of stopping . It happens around the 8' mark and I consistently go in and break up the nests with a stick. They keep at it . I am considering chopping off half of the tree but it won't look that nice if I do that. Idk what to do either and it's a big battle!

I'd treat em' like they're a weed. Hate to see that sort of behavior passed on, either learned or genetic. That would be like they've gone to seed!

My arborvitae are being stripped by squirrels. I know it's them as I watched one fling himself from my deck to the tree. What can I do? I also saw one carrying nesting material and went into one of my birdhouses. Is there some kind of spray that I can get? My beautiful arborvitae look like they went through a war. I live in Wisconsin.

See the first response to this thread. Sprays are pretty ineffective.

Crosman and Gamo make some great pellet rifles.

Oh how frustrating! Would make me squirrelly!

I'm having the same squirrel problems with my 6 arborvitae trees used for privacy. The squirrels have been chewing on my trees and eating the buds so badly that they look like they are killing the trees. Raking up the leaves and bud shells is a continuous job. Lots of brown dead branches on my trees. I don't have any idea of what to do. From previous posts, I really didn't see anything possible to do to solve the problem. I planted these trees about 30 yrs ago and never had this problem. Any other suggestions?

Tap picture to get actual view.

Exact same thing happening right now - arbs are right next to a tree - squirrel started building nest in crotch of tree, he could come down off a descending branch and snap a stem off the arb and to put it back in the crotch of the tree. Went out there with a hose and scared him away, knocked the twigs out of the crotch - put tinfoil around the top of the arb he was going after and tinfoil in the tree crotch - and put a steel bristle brush up in that crotch of the tree and now I'm keeping an eye on him. Annoying - first time it has happenned are about 10' tall..now that one is about 8.5' ... this will be some war.

I have lived in my home for 14 years in WI. This is the first time I have ever seen squirrels biting the branches off of my Arb trees. I have 2 close to my deck and now they look horrible. I have read regrowth of branches is rare or very slow. Not sure how to get rid of the squirrels. I believe they are nesting.

research pepper spray for squirrels

Has anyone found anything that keep squirrels out of their Arb bushes. I just had a squirrel start this today.

These pics are of my neighbor's arborvitae, which kind of blocks the sun a little from our garden. We are tending his home in Milwaukee while he convalesces out of town. Noticed this the past few days. I wonder if the pandemic has prompted more aggressive behaviors from our furry friends.

Perhaps you meant "furry fiends".

Unfortunately the answer is to kill them because they are considered true pests. I consulted with the expert, my Creature Control guy. He is on the way over to bait.

use squirrel bonbons. make little balls with half peanutbutter and half plaster of Paris. it works very well and if hawks get tk them there is no poison involved. around here we call them tree rats

Thanks for the suggestion. All suggestions I appreciate, The squirrels would greatly appreciate that, but how can that get them out of by trees. That sounds like an invitation being sent out for them to keep coming back, and invite all of their furry family and friends to the party. Thus ignoring the social distancing advice from the CDC (smiles)! And I'm trying to save my beautiful trees. I attract hummingbirds, not squirrels. No disrespect to squirrel lovers. Have a great day, my houzz friends>

correction...... out of my trees.

Squirrels are doing the same thing to me how do I stop them

they're grabbing the branches to build a nest - last year I draped tinfoil over and around the top of the arb as that is where he was snapping them off, the arbs were close enough to the house that I would watch him and also go out there with a hose and spray him when he was in the arb. He left it alone after that. I think it's worth the relatively small investment in the tinfoil - you can drape is around the sides in a circular fashion - he didn't seem to like the reflection and the crinkling - eventually he went ...somewhere. If it builds a nest in a tree - leave it alone - because once she has a nest she won't need to do it again - using your trees.

Spray with Neem Oil or garlic oil or peppermint oil. I have used Neem oil and it's also good for fruit trees

Glad I found this thread. I have 20 year old + Arborvitae's that are getting destroyed by what appears to be squirrels. Up to about a month ago, they have gone unscathed. I guess I'll try Neem oil to spray on them?

Neem oil will have NO effect on squirrels. Try a deer or rabbit repellant or cayenne pepper spray. Either will deter most mammal predation.

Has anyone had success from this old thread? Here in Boise my 22 year old trees are being pummeled! 😫

they're using it to build a nest - as ref'd above I draped a roll or two of tin foil in a spiral around part of the one (of a group) it was snapping branches off of, I did that after I caught it in the act and went out side with a garden hose and confronted it, we had a 'stare off' and I made some noise when letting it know that this wasn't going to continue - it did not come back, I took the foil off a few weeks later. You have to be firm with them else they will strip the arbs until they're done with the nest. I would call out a pest control place if you don't get some quick results else your privacy screen will be an open wall. Alternately - this might sound peculiar - I'd go over to a garden center and buy a decent size arb and cut off the branches and put them on the ground and see if they just go for the easy pickings and leave your large established ones alone -it might cost you 50-70 bucks but it's worth a try if you don't want to call out a pro. You can run a test - take a few branches off one of yours and put them on the ground and see if they pick them up then you'll know if they're lazy enough to take the easy way out if so then you can go purchase one and cut off the branches and distribute them on the ground.

Thank you so much, Dave! I wrapped tulle around the tree after online research. Tin foil would also be a good idea...so far they seem to be opposed to the tulle. Also I have been out with a hose myself and kids squirt guns. My 4 year old got a good shot. It is as if I am training a pet. It seems this is a new batch of juveniles...Ive been in this house for 8 years and the trees 22 and this is a new thing. Last ditch I am calling the pest control place. The laying branches is a smart idea!!

Having the same problem we have lived here for 43 years and never had this happen. They have chewed off the bottom of 5 trees they look bare We put old crab traps at the bottom and it is helping.

If it's any consolation, the damage does start to "repair".

I've had arborvitaes in my yard for over 20 years and never had a problem. But know squirrels have been eating my arborvitaes that are over 15 feet tall and making a mess of them. How can I stop this?

My damage doesn't seem to be from the squirrels using the branches to make a nest. The branches remain laying on the ground.