It's springtime, and my battle with the chipmunks has begun. Every year, these cute little furry rodents come out of the nearby woods to feast on my birdseed, burrow into my rare flower beds and sleep under my front steps. But, I am ready...

The Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is about 5 to 6 inches long with brown fur. It has black and white stripes traveling from its head down the back. They live in ground burrows and they love yards with trees, rock walls, thick ground covers and wood piles.

Chipmunks are jittery little creatures. I call them rats with good PR! Now don't get me wrong. I love nature and animals. But these guys go too far! They chew on and destroy my flower bulbs. They burrow around other important plants exposing the roots to harsh weather and possible death. Last, but not least, they tunnel under my front steps and along the entire foundation of my home! My wife often complains about the smell of chipmunk urine near the front door.

So what's a nature-loving, plant-loving, rodent-free-landscape-loving homeowner to do? Trap them!

Last year, I purchased a "Hav-a-hart" small rodent trap at my local feed store. Its a wire cage with a trap door on each end. The rodent goes in for the bait, trips the lever and, voila: caged rodent!

I took the trap home and baited it with a chipmunk's favorite snack, peanut butter. I then placed the trap on the ground where the chipmunks feed. In this case, it was right under my bird feeder.

The results were immediate. Within an hour, I had caught myself a chipmunk! Six hours later, I had another! In 10 days, I had captured 14 in all!

Chipmunks breed in April or May and again in late summer or early fall. Each litter contains 2-5 of the little burrowing varmints that could soon be running around your back yard! So, its important to get your trap set now. Other favorite baits include nuts, bird seed, raisins, prunes, and breakfast cereal grains. Use whichever one works best for you.

Other control methods include poisons and rat traps. Poisons are dangerous to kids, pets and other wildlife. Rat traps need to be set up under a box or board with openings small enough only for chipmunks to enter. This helps prevent pets and birds from being trapped in them.

You can make your yard less attractive to chipmunks by getting rid of wood and rock piles. Keep vines and ground covers to a minimum, especially around the house!

Happy gardening!

E-mail Mark Johnson with your gardening questions and comments: johnson@newsnet5.com