Squirrels
These fuzzy little critters look so cute, but new Floridians soon realize squirrels can wreck havoc on a lanai screen.
For some reason, squirrels love to climb the screen. They seem to enjoy that more than walking through the grass to get from one place to another.
As they make their way across the enclosure, their claws will sometimes tear or poke holes in the screen. It can get really serious when two or more of the mammals start chasing each other.
At times, the squirrels will even urinate on our screen. I imagine they do this to mark their territory. Well, they think they are marking the screen, but depending on where they are at the time, it can be in the pool or any other part of the lanai.
Guess who gets to clean that up?
We have tried hosing them down with water; that does chase them away, but they always return. Consumer Reports magazine says there has never been a successful squirrel repellant made. We just have to live with the little guys and learn how to mend the screen when they tear it.
FOG sez: Just what I always wanted to be, a cleanup guy for squirrels.