Thanks for the question.

I can’t give you a good reason why squirrels are eating the roots of the honey locust tree. Sometimes they will strip bark from trees with which to line their nests. Without seeing any pictures of the roots, it is difficult to assess the damage that may have been done to your tree. They may have just been rooting around trying to recover seed pods that fell last autumn? It is also possible that they may had hid some nuts in the ground near the tree and are now trying to retrieve them. Trying to control squirrels once they get their mind onto something is usually an exercise in fertility. About the only thing that I can suggest is to put a layer or two of chicken wire fencing (mesh size of no more than 1/2 inch) on the ground around the base of the tree. Be sure to fasten it tightly to the ground or else the squirrels will just pull it up. If they are simply gathering bark for their nests, such activity should be over within a few days.

Good luck!!