I had chipmunks in my berries until I put down a net. You need to lay something to weigh down the edges or they will crawl under it. I use long pipes. Buy standard plastic bird netting. The stuff is somewhat annoying to handle but be gentle with it and you will be able to get it on and off OK.

Scott

Do you have alot of chipmunks? I have one that eats from my strawberry bed. It did bite into my first several berries that turned ripe but now that they're ripening, he doesn't keep up with them. So if you have only one chipmunk, the damage should be minimal. It did the same thing to my tomatoes last year. It took a bite out of the first 4 or 5 that got ripe but then went away. I was considering getting rid of it, but it does very little damage to my beds. He basically gives them a taste test and that's it.

once chipmunks find your strawberries you will be very lucky to get any yourself. There is almost never just one and they like the totaly green ones just as well as the red ones. I've alredy "removed" 7 from my 6'x6' bed this week, they've distroyed almost everything. Good luck !!

Chipmunks, squirrels, robins, ants, etc all love strawberries. I make up a gallon of ant bait per Mike McGraths formula and have ant feeders every three feet. I used to use the black bird netting but the birds just got tangled up in it which made for other problems. Now I use white netting from the fabric stores, Walmarts is the cheapest at .57 per yard. I bought two twelve yard pieces and overlaid them on my bed. The birds see the white netting and don't try to fly into it. If I get ambitious this fall, I am going to stitch the two pieces together. Tonight I set out the small animal trap to see if I can remove the bothersome squirrel.

I have had a great strawberry harvest so far this year, despite some critter(s) taking a few here and there. Whatever it is, it takes the biggest and reddest berries. I think I haven't had more problems because there is a hawk in my neighborhood and my backyard doesn't have much cover for the strawberry thieves to hide under.