tveguy3 said:I would guess with the drought the poor critters are not having the usual banquet to feast on in the woods. They have to rely on the gardens that people water to get their tasty greens. Maybe when the rains come they will have enough to forage on in the woods. 
I was thinking of this post this morning when I gave a *tree rat* (fox squirrel) a ride out of town ! I set the live trap...baited with one of the apples that the little ******* picked, sampled, and then left laying under the tree, and caught one of the *perpetrators* . I released him next to a retention pond..lots of trees, and acres and acres of cornfields, all around ! I hope he likes his new home, and, with any luck....he'll soon be joined by his friends and family !!
As to the squirrels bothering the iris.....they dig them up, or, cover them over, when they are busy planting walnuts in the beds...but I've never seen them chewing on the rhizomes. But, the "gophers" ( 13 lined ground squirrels) sure do like to chew them up ! I use "poison peanuts" for them ( I'm heartless, aren't I ?!
! The neighborhood cat's get more of them than I do.....and for that, I thank them, although....when they use my iris beds for a litter box
, I'm NOT so thankful.....there's nothing like picking up a rhizome that's NOT a rhizome, to start your day off on a sour note
