Author Topic: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?  (Read 10393 times)

bradflorida

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Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« on: June 05, 2014, 09:18:26 PM »
This is the first year my parents have had a fruiting lychee tree.  It's a Mauritius, and over the past few days, the crows as well as a few squirrels have raided the tree and taken 1/3 to 1/2 of the crop.  The crows will circle overhead, come down and take a lychee or even a couple at once, then fly to the nearby roof, eat them, and then come down for more. 

As a result, we decided to pick a good amount of the remaining fruit, and tie nets around the bunches of less mature lychees on the tree. 

As the tree gets larger, it will become impractical to place nets around each bunch of fruits. 

Any suggestions?  Or is it just luck of the draw as to the location you live in, and whether or not the birds discover the fruits that year?

Brad
Brad

SWRancher

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2014, 10:14:30 PM »
My suggestion - Get yourself a decent pellet rifle with an optical scope. You won't get them all but you'll get some and those won't come back for seconds or be able to tell their friends...Thus reducing your fruit loses.

jbaqai

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2014, 11:42:45 PM »
My suggestion - Get yourself a decent pellet rifle with an optical scope. You won't get them all but you'll get some and those won't come back for seconds or be able to tell their friends...Thus reducing your fruit loses.

In Some places , it is illegal to use pellet gun in resential area

Plus at our place , it is also illegal to even hurt them or relocate them for more then 2-3 miles

So can't do much here. Luckly for me I have place near my house where I can put them (after caching them in the cage) and hopes that they never come back.

That only relief the problem , till other guys take their place , so for me it's a never ending cycle

strkpr00

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2014, 12:11:32 AM »
I prefer the laser sight, it was $30.00 at Outdoor world.

puglvr1

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2014, 06:36:17 AM »

Honestly, I think its just the luck of the draw. The larger the trees the harder it will be to protect the fruits...Once the birds and critters discover them, there's not much we can do. I personally can't shoot or harm them, plus I'm sure the HOA would have a field day,lol...

Right now the tree is still small enough to cover the fruits...next year ( barring a bad freeze) the tree will be too wide to cover and protect from the many critters that lurk in my backyard. Having a State Park behind me makes it a losing battle :'(

Brad, I feel your pain...good luck!!

Doglips

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2014, 07:08:16 AM »
How many hours a day do you want to stand guard?

It could be far more time efficient to protect the fruits.

It may not have the satisfaction quotient, I bet you can get a higher yield by protecting than by playing patrolman.
Not to mention more of your life back.


sunworshiper

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2014, 07:40:14 AM »
Does putting a fake snake in view by the tree help?

You could train a cat to sit in your tree;) A neighborhood cat likes to sit in my peach tree. Yesterday I found a pair of bird wings on the ground by the trunk. Guess the cat had a successful hunt!

Fiddler

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2014, 08:30:21 AM »
It's amazing what a little selective violence will achieve. Last year the crows were giving me a hard time, so I shot one and left it where it fell. The other crows got all excited and swarmed around, cawing like crazy. One landed on top of a power pole, looking down at its dead comrade. Then it was his turn to come crashing to earth. The rest of the flock flew away and not one crow has landed anywhere on my property in a year. Now they won't even fly over my property! Crows are very intelligent, have good memories, and somehow communicate to other crows that my place is too dangerous to raid.
    A good quality pellet rifle is the answer if you can't fire a .22 where you live. If I lived in a place where I couldn't shoot, I'd at least try setting some snares made of lightweight monofilament fishing line in and around the lychee tree. If a crow got caught by the foot, his struggles would terrify the others, I would think.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2014, 05:28:59 PM by Fiddler »

Yorgos

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2014, 01:41:52 PM »
In Jan and feb of this year I took care of over 30 squirrells in my city lot.  Didnt make a dent in their evil horde.  Turns out squirell is a game animal that can only be hunted in season (October) and must be taken with a legal firearm (which a pellet gun is not). So short of breaking the law, big nets are the answer.
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TREESNMORE

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2014, 02:32:20 PM »
So why did you stop in feb you would be up to 100 by now.
Mike

bradflorida

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2014, 03:53:35 PM »
Perhaps the pellet gun was not intimidating enough.  May I suggest next time going at it with nothing less than 9mm. 
Brad

bradflorida

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2014, 03:57:04 PM »
Fiddler - that's interesting how your technique worked.   

However I'm in in HOA.  As much as is like to hone my target shooting skills, I don't think it would go over too well.  Perhaps a slingshot but even that might not be discrete enough

Looks like a large net along with telescoping poles may work best   
Brad

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2014, 04:44:08 PM »
Rat zapper works on squirrells
Mike

bangkok

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2014, 06:01:41 PM »
Would spraying chilipaste mixed with water work? Spray it on the fruits and hope it won't get through the skin. Or maybe spraying neem or nettle mixed with water works.

I think if they find out that the fruits are not good to eat they won't come back.

SWRancher

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2014, 08:55:45 PM »
I have heard that squirrels and other rodents detest the smell of mothballs. Maybe try hanging a few bags of them around the tree, at least that will take them out of the equation. As far as the birds go try hanging some old CD's and/or buying one of those fake owl or hawk statues then move it around the tree each day so they can't figure out its a fake.   

Yorgos

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #15 on: June 07, 2014, 02:08:27 PM »
I quit because the neighbors found out and pitched a fit.  Also threatened to call the law.  I've tried cayenne pepper in the bird seed to keep them out of the feeder but that didn't deter them.  I guess Texas squirrels can take the heat.  I like spicy food too, so I can understand.  I have since removed the bird feeder so as to minimize attracting them to my yard.  I guess I need to net my persimmons because they are being eaten small and green as have all my peaches.  My property is ringed by 5 large pecan trees and between the squirrels and the crows I stand no chance of getting any and they certainly are much too large to net.
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bangkok

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #16 on: June 07, 2014, 02:56:12 PM »
I would love to see a squarrel eating a fruit that has been rubbed with some bhut dolokia chili pepper.

If they keep on stealing my fruit then sure i will post a video of that here. Let's see if they like chili peppers  ;D

Or i could put vaseline on the branches, or something very sticky. I could build a squarrel-warper from a branch of the tree and if they really get me angry i would even build an automatic pepperspray sprayer.

Do weaver ants attack squarrels? I guess they do so that also might be a solution.

My neighbour has a squarrel in a cage as a pet, sometimes it is barking like a dog, very loud , because it is scared for something. I still can't find out what he is barking at but if i know that i might know how to scare them. The wild squarrels come to visit him every day and they touch eachother through the cage.

I would think the thieves all hate to get slippery feet. Maybe a spray with some oil on the fruits will work?


Yorgos

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #17 on: June 07, 2014, 06:24:25 PM »
Weaver ants!?  That might lead to other problems, I don't know.  One thing that had some positive impact was spraying a product called Surround, mixed with cayenne pepper powder. Its highly ground clay that coats the leaves and fruit to prevent insect laying eggs.  It's totally organic.   It saved my peaches last year but it doesn't come off their fuzzy skin easily. Also makes plants look ghostly. 
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bangkok

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #18 on: June 07, 2014, 06:34:29 PM »
Weaver ants!?  That might lead to other problems, I don't know.  One thing that had some positive impact was spraying a product called Surround, mixed with cayenne pepper powder. Its highly ground clay that coats the leaves and fruit to prevent insect laying eggs.  It's totally organic.   It saved my peaches last year but it doesn't come off their fuzzy skin easily. Also makes plants look ghostly.

I have weaver ants all the time and love them. You won't touch my tree's longer then a second or you will know why. I don't have any problems with them, they will attack anything that touches the tree.

Central Floridave

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #19 on: June 09, 2014, 01:25:45 PM »
Squirrels are a never ending plague with fruit trees.  It does give me some satisfaction for taking a few out however.  I have a great squirrel spotter jack russell and use a Gamo Whisperer pellet gun.  It has a silencer and a scope.  Very accurate.  Got one this morning chewing on a lychee while on the tree.   I knock them down and the dog finishes them off.   Yes, there will be more to come, but I do feel a little bit of satisfaction taking a few out.  I use to not be like this and at one time thought squirrel was cute.  But, after seeing entire crops of lychee and mango being destroyed you have to do something about it.

I use bird netting, hav-a-hart traps, jack russell, and pellet gun.    Also, pick the fruit as quick as you can as once they get the taste of them they come back with their friends.   

Crows are really bad also.   

I'm currently eating Mauritius and have a few pounds left...that is, if I can get to them before the bushy tail rats do...the bastards...

Yorgos

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #20 on: June 09, 2014, 01:45:08 PM »
One advantage of citrus is that squirrels don't bother them.  They did ravage my kumquat last year.   I only got a couple of handfulls. Never had that happen before in the 13+ years its been in the ground. I hope its because the oaks and pecans had a "mast" year in 2012 with biblical amounts of acorns and nuts. I mean acorns inches deep on the side walks.  And the pecans..! In 2013 there were no acorn/nuts at all.  Maybe the squirrels over multiplied and in 2013 were in starvation mode and so went afer non-typical foods. I hope it was a one time thing and taking out the 30 squirells in Jan and Feb got rid of those with a bent on kumquat theft.
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JeffDM

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #21 on: June 09, 2014, 08:07:08 PM »
One advantage of citrus is that squirrels don't bother them.  They did ravage my kumquat last year.   I only got a couple of handfulls. Never had that happen before in the 13+ years its been in the ground. I hope its because the oaks and pecans had a "mast" year in 2012 with biblical amounts of acorns and nuts. I mean acorns inches deep on the side walks.  And the pecans..! In 2013 there were no acorn/nuts at all.  Maybe the squirrels over multiplied and in 2013 were in starvation mode and so went afer non-typical foods. I hope it was a one time thing and taking out the 30 squirells in Jan and Feb got rid of those with a bent on kumquat theft.

I wish I had pictures of all the times I caught squirrels running off with my naval oranges in their mouths.
I put out two Rat Zappers at the first sign of a squirrel.

BluePalm

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #22 on: June 09, 2014, 10:59:41 PM »
The scoped Gamo Whisper is a great suggestion. They are deadly on squirrels, and if you keep after them relentlessly you can knock their numbers waaayyy down. We've  learned that squirrels leave a scent trail (inadvertent I believe) into your trees/yard. So the longer you can keep the 1st squirrel out of your tree is a big step towards victory.

Air Rifle Set-up:
Gun: Gamo Whisper in .177 cailber: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gamo-Whisper-.177-cal-Break-Barrel-Air-Repeater-with-3-9x40mm-Scope/12537968

Scope mount: CenterPoint 1-Piece Mount, 1" rings, High, 3/8" Dovetail, 4 screws/cap
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/CenterPoint_1_Pc_Mount_1_Rings_High_3_8_Dovetail_4_Screws_Cap/3631

Scope: Leapers 4 x 32:  http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/Leapers_UTG_4x32_Rifle_Scope_Mil_Dot_Reticle_1_4_MOA_1_Tube_3_8_Rings/3015

Pellets: Beeman Kodiak Match Extra Heavy (10.65 grains). Get the heavy pellets; they won't "crack" the sound barrier and they are effective:
http://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Beeman_Kodiak_Match_Extra_Heavy_177_Cal_10_65_Grains_Round_Nose_300ct/299
« Last Edit: June 09, 2014, 11:03:11 PM by BluePalm »
They're like the Varmint-Cong...

muttley

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #23 on: June 15, 2014, 01:58:57 PM »
The cheapest means of eradicating squirrels is by far the most effective - tree snares.   Lightweight snare wire is secured around the tree branches that bear the tell-tale scratch-marks of squirrel activity, and the noose is placed an inch above the branch, with a diameter slightly larger than that of the circle you would form by touching your thumb to your index finger.  A dozen of these snares  in the tree will produce results far more rapidly than laying in wait with a BB gun, and your quarry will be neutralized in absolute silence.

These snares take just minutes to fabricate, and literally seconds to set on branches.   Once set, you will harvest squirrels at the rate of several per day, until there are none left to catch.  This method is very discreet, and pretty much invisible to anyone but the person who set the snares.

CTMIAMI

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Re: Birds and squirrels raiding lychee tree - suggestions?
« Reply #24 on: June 15, 2014, 06:28:08 PM »
Any one know where to get detail info on how to build these snares devises?
Carlos
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