Groundhog Day is a day we look forward to. Right? After all, who doesn't enjoy watching an adorable, chubby, furry little rodent predict the future? The tradition is, if the animal comes out and sees its shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of wintery weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

It is interesting to note where this tradition came from. Long ago, in Germany, it was the hedgehog that predicted the weather. However, when a group of Germans migrated to Pennsylvania, the animal was switched to the groundhog because they were more plentiful. And now, every year, America looks forward to seeing if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow or not. But, while seeing a cute, furry rodent on TV may be a fun thing, seeing actual groundhogs in your yard is another thing altogether.

Why having groundhogs around is a bad idea:

• Groundhogs dig. No kidding, right? If you are seeing holes next to your shed, disturbed earth around your fence posts and gardens, or raised patches in your lawn, you could have a groundhog problem.

• Groundhogs eat stuff. If you have worked hard to nurture some soon-to-be majestic sunflowers only to find them cut down to short stems, you might just have groundhogs. Groundhogs love to destroy vegetation and flowers, and even berry-laden bushes.

• Groundhogs can go undetected. Sometimes, groundhogs can eat away at root systems, causing damage to plants for days or weeks before it comes to anyone's attention. This activity will weaken root systems and kill the plants in your yard.

• Groundhogs can destroy sprinklers. If your sprinklers have disturbed dirt around them and are no longer working properly, you may have a groundhog.

• Groundhogs can make your decks or patios sink. If you have holes underneath your patios or decks, you may have groundhogs tunneling there, which can cause warping.

• Groundhogs can bring parasites into your yard. If you are noticing your pets getting mites, ticks or fleas, those creatures may have been transported onto your property by groundhogs.

Are you excited about seeing Punxsutawney Phil this year? Probably. Are you excited about having your very own Punxsutawney Phil tearing up your property? Probably not. While there are some things you can do to try to take care of these little destroyers yourself, they can end up coming back time after time after time (sort of like Groundhog day in a certain popular movie.) If you'd rather have relief and move on with your life, you might want to consider getting professional help.

If you are dealing with these little yard destroyers, give our wildlife professionals a call. They have the knowledge, equipment, and training to remove any and all groundhogs from your property, safely and effectively.