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 91裸聊视频� deer, bear woodpeckers, and squirrels 91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淥ccasionally they declare war. And it seems like they have this year,91裸聊视频� said Ruth Goodrich of Goodrich91裸聊视频檚 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 don91裸聊视频檛 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 aren91裸聊视频檛 causing problems for all producers, he said.
The varmints haven91裸聊视频檛 been any worse than normal this year for Bascom Maple Farms in Alstead, New Hampshire.
91裸聊视频淲e haven91裸聊视频檛 had a lot of snow cover,91裸聊视频� said Bruce Bascom. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e only got about a foot of snow here. I think the squirrels are not having that hard a winter.91裸聊视频�
But Lyle Merrifield of Gorham, Maine, said he91裸聊视频檚 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.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e heard a lot of people talk about squirrel damage so it91裸聊视频檚 probably the worst we91裸聊视频檝e seen, combined with the deep snow, just that combination,91裸聊视频� he said.
There91裸聊视频檚 no way to completely control the squirrels, Isselstadt said. It91裸聊视频檚 best to wear gloves when handling the tubing so salt and oil from bare hands isn91裸聊视频檛 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 won91裸聊视频檛 necessarily prevent the problem, because It doesn91裸聊视频檛 take many squirrels to affect the system.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e able to cover ground and do some damage, and you can fix a line and they91裸聊视频檒l be right back to it the next day,91裸聊视频� Isselstadt said.
Lisa Rathke, The Associated Press
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