Squirrels are very misleading characters often misrepresented as cute sociable creatures with a friendly demeanour. However this is far from reality as anyone who has had a real life experience with the creatures will tell you!

The most commonly encountered species of tree squirrels are the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Squirrels Nest are called drays and mostly consists of twigs, leaves and dried grass. Breeding twice a year with an average of 3 or 4 young each litter it is now estimated that the squirrel population has reached 2,520,000 across the UK.

Grey squirrels outweigh red squirrels, of which, only around 10,000 -15,000 are thought to exist. Not native to the UK the grey squirrels were first introduced to Britain from in the 1870s from North America.

Grey squirrels are larger than red squirrels and capable of storing up to four times more fat this allows them to with stand the harsh winter weather paired with the fact that Grey squirrels are carriers of the Squirrel pox virus, which the reds have no immunity to. The grey squirrel is clearly more dominant over its red counterpart.

It is an offence to release grey squirrels back into the wild, once caught in a cage, they must be destroyed humanely. In contrast, red squirrels must be released into the wild.

What Makes Squirrels a Pest?

Squirrels can cause significant damage by gnawing on wood and electrical cables. They enter homes simply for warmth, food, shelter and to find a suitable place to raise their young. However once they take up residence in your property Grey squirrels are a serious nuisance as they find their way into lofts and roof voids. Aside from the noise they make, squirrels can damage structural timbers and roof insulation. Recently a squirrel caused chaos in a pub causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage after becoming trapped inside even managing to empty a beer barrel and causing drunken carnage! In Germany a woman reported a squirrel for stalking her!

They have the potential to carry diseases which are harmful to humans, including rabies, though this is very rare.

There are a number of ways of trapping squirrels, depending on the environment, the age and size of the animals and the type of squirrel. Professional treatment of grey squirrels may use mechanical traps or baiting and can be very effective when the work is undertaken by a professional.

There are a few preventative measures you can take to try avoid a squirrel invasion!

Trim or remove limbs that are within 8-10 feet of the roof of the house. This prevents squirrels from jumping from the tree to the house roof.Remove bird feeders which may serve as a food source attractant for squirrels.

Inspect the attic for possible entry points. Summer, before squirrels nest, is a good time to do this. Squirrel repellents may be effective in preventing squirrels from entering your attic in the first place.

If you suspect that you have a squirrel in your attic, don't delay. Call in our professional pest controllers on: 0800 158 3885