Greg Roth
Associate Professor
Penn State
January, 2003

Background

     We carefully planted this cornfield in early May. This field was an important strip test consisting of various hybrids we were evaluating. When we visited the plot in mid May to evaluate emergence, we noticed that in the very first plot ((not one of the 30 border rows) a large (200 sq ft.) patch had been destroyed by a bird or animal. Seeds were each carefully dug out down the row. (Click on the image to the right for a larger view)

Diagnosis

     I made several trips back to the field in the next few days and finally ended up catching the critter in the act. He was in the process of digging another plant up to eat the seed. It was a chipmunk that had a burrow in the field. The damage, however was similar to that caused by crows or pheasants. (Click on the image to the right for a larger view)

     Controlling these type of pests can be difficult. Providing alternative baits, trapping and shooting are alternatives for chipmunks. For more specific information on controlling chipmunk and other wildlife pests, see Penn State's factsheet series on wildlife control. In this case I tried to scatter shelled corn around the damaged area to try to limit damage to adjacent plots. I'm not sure if it was effective or just help make a larger chipmunk. Once the corn got the 3 to 4 leaf stage, damage from the chipmunk ceased.