The grey squirrel population in the North West U.K. has grown over the last twenty years to the extent that they have now become a major pest dealt with by Squirrels in Attic Pest Control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The grey squirrels which we see in our own gardens (Sciurus carolinensis) are not native to Britain, having been brought here less than 200 years America and Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like the other members of the Sciuridae family, the Grey Squirrel is a hoarder; it hoards food in lots of small caches for subsequent recovery. Some caches are temporary, particularly those made near the source of a sudden surplus of food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other caches are more permanent and are not eaten until weeks later. It has been estimated that each squirrel makes several thousand of these caches each year. Squirrels have very good spatial memory for the positions of these hoards, and use distant and nearby landmarks to find them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a short distance of the hoard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The nest of the grey squirrel is called a dray (or drey) and it is normal for the female to have two litters per year, with two to four babies each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are often minor pests in the garden, rooting bulbs and taking food intended for birds but can become major pests when they come into our properties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is increasingly common for Trafford Pest Control to attend houses where a nest has been built in a loft or attic space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Squirrels are true rodents and as such have continually growing teeth; the very word rodent comes from the Latin word rodere which means to gnaw and this they do very well indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is rare to visit a roof void where a dray has been built and find that they have not damaged electrical wiring, indeed it is estimated that up to 40 percent of fires without an obviously attributable cause may have been started by rodents chewing wiring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately they can also chew through water-pipes, especially with the modern trend towards plastic push-fit piping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As if that is not enough, many household insurance policies exclude damage done by vermin so if a squirrel floods your home by gnawing through a water pipe in the attic you may find yourself without insurance cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Removing Squirrels in Loft requires a professional, not least in as much as the law regarding squirrels restricts your options. You cannot simply obtain a packet of rodent poison from your local hardware and deal with them that way as you would be committing an offence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Furthermore you cannot catch them and relocate them some distance away, not only would removing a squirrel from the area of its food stores probably starve it to death, it is also breaking the law under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 under which it is illegal to release a grey squirrel in in the British Isles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That pertains also to rescuing and/or releasing injured squirrels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the vast majority of cases trapping is the most realistic option and this must be done in a specified manner with routine, regular inspections of the traps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trapped squirrels should be then despatched humanely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a squirrel problem in Lancashire, Cheshire or Manchester telephone us on 01257 230637