Potentially worse, while they run like lightning to avoid humans, their underground burrows can destabilize the foundation of your house.
Fortunately, you can deter and, if required, humanely remove the animals. Starting with natural deterrents, go on to harsher yet compassionate techniques to drive the tiny guys away.
Chipmunks are so shy and so quick, you may not even notice them in your yard. But if you’ve seen evidence of munching in your garden, start sleuthing.
Look for holes in your lawn, tiny footprints (four toes in front, five in back), and piles of seed shells under your bird feeder.
“I find that chipmunks are particularly attracted to flower bulbs in fall since they’re packed with nutrients and easy to transport back to chipmunk burrows.
I use bulb cages to protect individual flowering bulbs, but I also sometimes bury sheets of hardware cloth below and above full beds of bulbs to prevent chipmunks and other rodents from causing trouble.
I find this is a more cost-effective way to protect larger plantings of bulbs and it’s effective against voles, mice, and rats too. It’s also a good idea to clean up plant debris like bulb skins after planting.