Maple syrup producers have more than the weather to worry about. Frenetic squirrels are chomping on equipment, crimping the flow of sap at some operations.
Damage from wildlife 香蕉视频直播� deer, bear woodpeckers, and squirrels 香蕉视频直播� is not unusual for maple producers, but this year an abundant population of squirrels is disrupting plastic sap tubing and spouts at some sugaring operations in New England.
That means producers must go out into sometimes deep snow to find and replace the damaged lines that transport the sap from the maple trees or other chewed or missing equipment, which producers say can be time-consuming and expensive.
香蕉视频直播淥ccasionally they declare war. And it seems like they have this year,香蕉视频直播� said Ruth Goodrich of Goodrich香蕉视频直播檚 Maple Farm in Danville, Vermont, the largest maple producing state.
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The business, which also sells maple equipment, thins out other trees so the maples don香蕉视频直播檛 have competition and to remove the food source for squirrels. But on a parcel of state land it rents in Groton where other trees are mixed in, the squirrels did a number on the equipment.
The boom in the squirrel population is mostly tied to an increase in food source, such as acorns and other mast from trees, said Mark Isselstadt, maple specialist with the University of Vermont Extension. But the squirrels aren香蕉视频直播檛 causing problems for all producers, he said.
The varmints haven香蕉视频直播檛 been any worse than normal this year for Bascom Maple Farms in Alstead, New Hampshire.
香蕉视频直播淲e haven香蕉视频直播檛 had a lot of snow cover,香蕉视频直播� said Bruce Bascom. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e only got about a foot of snow here. I think the squirrels are not having that hard a winter.香蕉视频直播�
But Lyle Merrifield of Gorham, Maine, said he香蕉视频直播檚 had to fix about 60 spots in his operation damaged by the chomping critters.
The trouble is the squirrels could take one bite of tubing and move another 100 feet (30.5 metres) where they could take another bite, making the damage hard to find, said Merrifield, who is president of the Maine Maple Producers Association.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e heard a lot of people talk about squirrel damage so it香蕉视频直播檚 probably the worst we香蕉视频直播檝e seen, combined with the deep snow, just that combination,香蕉视频直播� he said.
There香蕉视频直播檚 no way to completely control the squirrels, Isselstadt said. It香蕉视频直播檚 best to wear gloves when handling the tubing so salt and oil from bare hands isn香蕉视频直播檛 left behind to attract wildlife. He advises against using any chemical deterrence on the tubing or anywhere near it. Trapping and shooting are also options.
But he said that won香蕉视频直播檛 necessarily prevent the problem, because It doesn香蕉视频直播檛 take many squirrels to affect the system.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e able to cover ground and do some damage, and you can fix a line and they香蕉视频直播檒l be right back to it the next day,香蕉视频直播� Isselstadt said.
Lisa Rathke, The Associated Press
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