Q: Our very shaded home is prone to mildew on the siding. We noticed odd squiggling lines, about a half-inch thick, that appeared on the front porch walls starting at the floor and going up to about a foot. After weeks of ruminating on what it could be we caught squirrels licking the walls!

A: Squirrels are not the brightest creatures. I’ve seen their mastications on aluminum wire, brick mortar, plastic buckets and gas cans! I’ll add your experience to my list of dumb things they chew or lick.