Question: Squirrels are stripping the bark off our trees’ limbs. How can we encourage them to move on? How serious is that damage?

Answer: There are several animal repellents on the market. Some may work, and others probably won’t. If you find a time when there are no squirrels in the trees, and if no other tree limbs or power lines touch the trees’ branches, you can put sheet metal collars around the trunks of the trees to keep the squirrels from getting up into them. Humane traps also can be used. The squirrels may ruin a few limbs as they sharpen their teeth, but they usually won’t do serious long-term damage to the trees.