Identification and Damage Pattern
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) is 8–12 inches total length, with a distinctive pattern of alternating brown stripes and rows of spots along the back. Unlike chipmunks, which have facial stripes and are woodland-edge animals, thirteen-lined ground squirrels are open-area species found in short-to-medium mowed turf. They hibernate from October through March and are active from April through September. Burrow entrances are approximately 2 inches in diameter, typically without excavated soil mounds (distinguishing them from mole tunnels, which are marked by mounds). A mature colony will have numerous entrance holes across a property, with underground tunnels extending 15–20 feet and reaching 2 feet deep.
When Management Is Warranted
Single animals or very small populations in large turf areas may not require active management — they aerate soil and consume insect larvae. Management becomes warranted when burrow density is high enough to create trip hazards (particularly around athletic fields, cemeteries, or elderly housing), when burrows undermine concrete walks, driveways, or foundation edges, or when the population has grown to the point where they are consuming garden or crop plantings adjacent to turf.
Management Approaches
Live trapping with wire cage traps baited with peanut butter, oats, or sunflower seeds placed at active burrow entrances is the most common professional approach in residential settings — effective and allows for relocation or humane dispatch. Traps should be monitored daily. Rodenticide grain baits registered for ground squirrels and placed in bait stations at burrow entrances are used in commercial turf and agricultural settings where larger populations warrant a different scale of management. Exclusion is generally not practical for outdoor ground squirrels as it is for attic squirrels, but preventing burrow establishment under concrete by installing hardware cloth barriers during construction or renovation is effective. D&D Pest Control provides ground squirrel trapping and wildlife management for Franklin County and rural Missouri — visit ddpestcontrolmo.com.