Will Mothballs Keep Squirrels Away?

Squirrels can be adorable, but there are reasons enough you want them out of your home and garden. Although harmless to humans, they are real pests that wreak havoc in gardens, chewing on practically everything. Thankfully, you can get rid of them without causing them any harm.

One of the effective ways of deterring squirrels from invading your garden is by using smells they hate. So, will mothballs keep squirrels away?

Mothballs have a strong, distinctive odor that squirrels greatly dislike. As such, it can work effectively to keep them away. Read on to learn more about repelling squirrels using mothballs.

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Deterring Squirrels using mothballs

Squirrels are always looking for food and pose a serious threat to your garden plants and their produce. They destroy plants and will frequently steal ripe fresh fruits and vegetables for their own consumption. As such, their invasion can significantly decrease the yields of fruit, nuts, and crops.

If you are looking to keep these frustrating rodents away from your garden, mothballs might be an excellent solution. Mothballs are balls that contain chemicals, mainly naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, and are often used as deodorants, fragrances, and pesticides. Back in the days, they were used in places where moths may be attracted to, hence the name.

Mothballs do sublime, producing a very sweet scent, which is incredibly pungent and effectively repels squirrels. To keep squirrels away, place the mothballs around the flowers or plants to which squirrels are attracted and replace them as needed, typically every few weeks.

The scent of mothballs is so strong that you might find it offensive.

Notably, while mothballs are very effective in getting rid of squirrels, naphthalene is toxic to squirrels and many other animals.

Concerns when using mothballs

Mothballs deter squirrels effectively, thanks to their strong scent. However, there is some evidence that the chemicals in them are detrimental.

The chemical naphthalene, a primary ingredient of mothballs, poses a serious threat to squirrels, humans, and many other animals, especially when ingested. It can cause nausea, dizziness, liver problems, diarrhea, and urine discoloration. In extreme cases, naphthalene can cause death if enough of it is ingested per pound of body weight.

If a squirrel inadvertently consumes even the smallest amount of mothball, it will suffer a cruel death.

For safety reasons, it is strongly discouraged to place mothballs in areas that are frequented by people and pets. If you suspect your pet or kid has ingested a mothball, seek medical attention immediately or contact the local poison control center promptly.

Alternatives ways of controlling squirrel invasion

Clearly, mothballs are not animal- and environment-friendly. If you are looking for human ways of keeping squirrels away, consider the following:

Natural smells that squirrels hate: There are a host of natural smells that squirrels dislike. Some smells that effectively keep these annoying rodents away include cider vinegar, pepper, garlic, and onions.
Human traps: Trapping squirrels is yet another effective solution to get rid of the critters. However, you will have to take the trapped squirrel too far away.