Why squirrels are pests

However, in winter they are far less active, sleeping for long periods, sometimes several days at a time, and they are less frequently spotted during this season. They eat acorns, hazel nuts, sweet chestnuts, pine nuts, walnuts, berries, fungi, grains, vegetables, buds and shoots, bark and peanuts from bird feeders.

However, if plant food is scarce they will eat insects like caterpillars or crickets, smaller rodents, bird eggs and nestlings.

Squirrels will hoard nuts and seeds in preparation for winter, gathering them and burying them in caches all over. In spite of their amazing memory, a large number of caches remain uneaten.

This helps the seeds and nuts to spread, and allows them to grow. Grey squirrels often associate humans with food, meaning they sometimes approach people. Once the area is cleaned, treat it with antiseptic cream and seek medical advice. Habitat management like as cutting back trees or branches that are overhanging a building, or trimming dense ivy can help prevent squirrels gaining access to a roof in the first place.

Next consider proofing entry points to your roof. For example, block the gaps and entrances holes with tightly wedged mesh or metal plates, wherever possible. A pest control professional should be able to help you with this. Squirrels are fairly strong for their size and also persistent. If the proofing is not secure then the squirrels may be able to pull it out! For tree protection, close fitting metal sleeves can protect them from the strong rodent incisors.

This should be at least 0. The metal should be a smooth surface to assist in preventing the squirrel from gaining a toehold. Although you can potentially do a lot of the proofing work to stop squirrels entering your property, DIY squirrel control is unlikely to be affective — and could potentially be very dangerous and illegal, as you must know the legislation around the control of squirrels.

Traps are available online, however not every rodent trap is authorised to control squirrels. Any squirrel you caught alive would have to be killed, as per the Wildlife and Countryside Act Spring trap approval order. Any squirrel that you kill would have to be done humanely and this can be very distressing. There have been cases of squirrels throwing themselves at walls and attacking any possible entry point to get back to their nest and their young, so evoking this response should most definitely be avoided.

It is imperative that you do not attempt to release grey squirrels back into the wild if they are caught in your home. This is because of the risk they cause to the endangered red squirrel and other fauna and wildlife. If you catch a squirrel in your home, you are obliged to humanely dispatch it under law. The best way to treat a squirrel infestation is to call in a professional service who will use spring-activated traps or live traps to eradicate all squirrels currently on-site. Ideally, any gaps that allowed the squirrels n to gain entry to your property should be sealed to avoid a repeat infestation.

To tackle your pest problem quickly and make your property safe and habitable again, our same-day response service guarantees complete eradication.

To help you keep your property pest free, our team of experts can also offer you prevention methods to help you avoid a repeat infestation. Pest Defence can offer you high quality, quick and effective pest removals throughout Essex, London and all of the surrounding areas — simply get in contact today to find out whether we serve your area directly. See if we cover your area ». Great news, we cover in your area, please give us a call on:. Sorry, we currently do not cover in your area.

In addition, the grey squirrel is considered to be a serious forestry pest, causing considerable damage every year to woodland, especially to saplings and young trees. As such, their numbers must be controlled and if your home, land or business is experiencing problems with an increasing squirrel population, professional pest control action must be taken.

Responsible for wiping out much of the beloved British red squirrel species, grey squirrels quickly began usurping the natives when they were first introduced in the mid th century from North America. The first is that grey squirrels are carriers of the squirrel parapox virus — also known as the squirrelpox virus — to which the greys themselves appear to be immune, although the virus is deadly to red squirrels.

Grey squirrels are much larger than reds, meaning they need more food to sustain them. Often, the greys will even use their size advantage to steal food from red squirrels. Consequently, being underfed causes red squirrels undue stress, which negatively affects their ability to breed — again causing a decline in numbers.

Shawn is an avid hunter, fisherman, and gardener. He is also a writer, a nuisance wildlife professional, small scale farmer, and scout leader. You can email him at [email protected]. But forget about tulips — they are like candy to them. Tahiti Daffodils are much prettier and hardier than regular daffodils — they are strong and study and stay in bloom for more than two months.

Plus the color on them is amazing and they spread and naturalize wonderfully. They too are pretty and unique looking. Soot them with an air rifle. Bag them and dump in trash. Or bury them. I have tried relocating them also. Too much work. Some come back even from 15 miles away. They eat my fruit peaches, plums, pears. Now they built a nest in an ash tree. Will it help to try to destroy the nest?

I have squirrels that have attached my cars digging up the insulation under the hood. They have even chewed up some wiring costing me money at the shop. We have tried ammonia, cayenne pepper, tar paper, but they are not deterred. We have finally gotten some really nasty smelling spray that you can smell driving down the road. I poured vinegar on the mat …squirrel left the mat.

Next, the squirrel started chewing on the brick border to my garden. The dismantled the brick border and was trying to carry the brick to the tree when I saw him and tried to scare him away…the animal screeched at me… Ok, that was the final straw. My friend gave me an eighteen inch bobble-headed owl and I placed it on the front step, which is near the oak tree.

The squirrel moved to the Oak Tree way in the back of my yard. The squirrel stays away from my house now…. I use Slinky Toys on my shepherd hook bird feeders. Slip them down the pole, hooked at the top with the feeder hanger. The squirrels cannot climb the pole. They slide or fall off when they encounter the Slinky. I have used these for many years. No greasing needed. I recently discovered a baby squirrel and he made its way underneath our carport. I love him and woundnt harm him but he will not leave though I did feed it some peanuts and he sleeps out side by our door.

I do enjoy a good Crockpot meal though. I love them, too. Hi Willie, this happens a lot with flying squirrels, especially. Unfortunately, the only way to get them out is to cut into the drywall. Just put Safflower seed in your feeders. Always feed them away from your home. I live on the 3rd floor of a 3 storey building with a balcony. I have heard that pepper is a deterrent also spraying water? Please help. Kate UK. What you need is something like a Crossman or Gamo air rifle.

Shoot those squirrels. Use heavy pellets around Immense knock down power. They made holes in my roof…my garage and under my eaves and even in my shed. I sealed them. They still damaged my shed again. I destroy these little destroyers now. No guilt. This place in USA is over run with these pests!!! I use a Gamo. They destroy my crops, fruit trees and everything else they get the grubby little paws on. Just the other day one of them started to bark at me in an attempt to scare me off my property.

I got him this morning!