Damage you may notice in your yard

Now that the snow has receded, homeowners may see that critters were busy during the winter.

>> Voles, short-tailed rodents about 4 inches long, made snaky paths under the snow. Once the snow melts, they will burrow into retaining walls and other less visible places because they will be exposed to predators such as hawks, owls and even cats and dogs.

>> Rabbits wreaked havoc on plants because of the deep snow. They chewed on buds and branches higher on plants, which means some spring bloomers, such as black chokeberry, may disappoint this year.

>> Where rabbits and squirrels have completely girdled, or encircled, a tree limb or young tree with their chewing, that limb or tree will die.

>> Squirrel damage will also be higher on trees or shrubs. Cue’s advice is to wait until April, and if the tree or limb fails to leaf out, pruning may be advisable.

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