There are different laws around controlling squirrels numbers in the UK, depending on the species and region.
The only UK native squirrel species, red squirrels are classed as 'Near Threatened' in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Recognisable by their red to russet fur, ear tufts and long, fluffy tails, they live in deciduous woods and coniferous forests. They remain a common sight in Scotland but their numbers have fallen dramatically throughout other parts of the UK, since the American grey squirrel species were introduced in the 1870s.
The grey squirrel carry a disease that doesn't affect their health but often kills red squirrels. The grey squirrel is more likely to eat green acorns and will wipe out this source of food before they ripen and the red squirrels are able to eat them. The loss of woodland has also affected numbers over the last century as well as road traffic and other predators. While red squirrels are under all of these pressures, they will not breed as often and so their decline worsens.
The grey squirrel is highly adaptable and an invasive species which now outnumbers the red squirrel to a great extent. They're considered pests to woodlands because their destructive nature leads them to strip bark away from trees, take nuts and seed left in gardens to attract birds and raid birds' nests.
Grey squirrels can be trapped if necessary. However, if a grey squirrel is caught, it is illegal to release them back into the wild and must be humanely destroyed. For red squirrels, it is illegal to destroy or damage a shelter being used by them. If you think you have a squirrel problem in your property, professional pest control can help you determine the species and provide the best advice and course of action.
Squirrels prepare for winter months by storing food in a safe location such as lofts of private and commercial properties. They will often move into the lofts of homes, businesses and agricultural buildings during the winter due to the scarcity of protected shelter. Their gnawing risks damage to your property and can become aggressive when trying to remove them.
Signs that you could have a squirrel pest problem in your property include loud gnawing and scratching sounds coming from the garage or roof. Other signs could be bark gnawed away on trees, damaged garden plants, seeing squirrel droppings, small divots in your lawn (used to hide nuts), nests in nearby trees as well as general increased sightings in gardens and around your home or business.
Once inside your home or business, squirrels build their nests by chewing through anything they can find such as paper products, insulation, linens and fabrics and anything stored in your loft could be destroyed. Gnawing through cables can also cause blackouts, and risk electrical fires and chewing through beams could even risk the structural integrity of your property.
Squirrels are attracted to properties with easy sources of food such as seeds left out for birds. They access properties via forms of bridges to your roof such as close trees and washing lines as well as small gaps in your property. Get in touch with a AJ Pest Control who will help you determine the species of squirrel you are experiencing, the right course of action to deal with them as well as put in place preventative measures to reduce the risk of the problem recurring in the future.
