Steve Peek said:



"Frank" wrote in message
...
On 9/11/2010 6:33 AM, Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Dan Musicant said:


They all seem to look pretty much alike, orange/brown, bushy tales,
don't know how else to describe them except that they are very
common in
Berkeley, CA. What exact variety of squirrel is this? One in particular
has been raveging my pumpkin/squash patch, having eaten most or
part of
at least 11 of my current crop. I'm trying to research the beast. I have
a trap on order, but until it gets here, well, I'm getting at least 2
casualties a day.

Gray squirrels and fox squirrels have both been introduced to California.
A key trait for distinguishing them is the color of the belly:
typically, white
in the smaller gray squirrel and (appropos the name) a rust color in the
fox
squirrel. (There are odd color morphs and subspecies for that break this
rule -- the most common being gray squirrels that are entirely black.)


My response was facetious but you can google up pictures of all squirrel
species - I believe over 250. It's probably a fox squirrel.

If they are small and reddish they could be pine squirrels.

Pine squirrels are small and tough -- I've seem a pine squirrel chase off a
much larger fox squirrel. But they are far more likely to be littering your
yard with debris from fir, spruce or pine trees rather than tearing into
mature squash. Pine squirrels will make off with the occasional strawberry
or other small fruit, though.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Vegetables are like bombs packed tight with all kinds of important
nutrients..." --Largo Potter, Valkyria Chronicles

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