Everyone loves squirrels. They’re fluffy and sweet and it’s fun to watch them scamper up and down a tree. In fact, my husband used to buy bags of corn to feed them out on the deck. And then, one day, they weren’t cute anymore. They became a menace when they started eating our house. For years, we didn’t know how to stop them. But at last, I’ve found that whirligigs scare away squirrels.
If you’re new to my blog, you may not have read my post , Help! Squirrels are eating our house. Our side porch is supported by four wooden pillars. A few years ago, the base of those pillars suddenly attracted squirrels. Evidence mounted that they were gnawing and nibbling away, creating large, hollow holes. Consequently, If we didn’t act soon, our porch would crash. We tried peppermint spray. Didn’t work. In fact, the squirrels seemed to like the smell.
We upgraded to expensive jars of squirrel repellent. Sprinkled the granules all around the porch. It really stank, which was embarrassing when visitors approached. However, the squirrels didn’t mind it at all. They just kept coming. As a last resort, we duct taped the base of the pillars. An ugly solution which still didn’t keep the squirrels off the porch.
However, this year, my 4th of July decorations did the trick. While strolling through Walmart, I spotted some bright, shiny Mylar twisters. 98C apiece. Something went through my mind about using them to repel moles. since we also have moles. Yep, that’s the fun of living on the edge of town with a big yard. I invested in four whirligigs, intending to put them out on the mole mounds.
But when I got home, it occurred to me that the whirligigs might work like scarecrows, or scaresquirrels. Stuck them in the ground in front of the porch pillars. As a result, I haven’t seen a single squirrel anywhere near our house. When the wind blows, the silvery Mylar catches the light, whirling around with a velocity that apparently scares the squirrels away. Thank heaven for whirligigs. I’m stocking up on enough of them to get us through the winter.