The grey squirrel population in the North West U.K. has rocketed over the last 20 years to the extent that they have grown to be a major pest dealt with by Squirrels in Attic Pest Control

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The grey squirrels which we see in our gardens (Sciurus carolinensis) are not native to Britain, having been imported here less than two-hundred years Canada and America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like many members of the family Sciuridae, the Grey Squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it staches food away in many small caches for subsequent recovery. Some hoards are temporary, particularly those made near the site of a sudden surfeit of food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other hoards are more permanent and are not eaten until months later. It has been estimated that each squirrel makes several thousand of these caches each year. They have very accurate spatial memory for the locations of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to retrieve them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a few centimetres of the target.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are often minor problems, uprooting bulbs and stealing food intended for birds but become major pests when they come into our houses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is increasingly common for Trafford Pest Control to be called out to houses where a dray has been built in a loft or attic space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Squirrels are true rodents and as such have continually growing teeth; the word rodent comes from the Latin word rodere meaning to gnaw or eat away and this they do extremely well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is rare to visit an attic space where a dray has been built and find that they have not damaged cables or water pipes, indeed it is estimated that forty percent of fires without an obviously attributable cause may be started by rodents chewing wiring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dealing with Squirrels in Loft requires professional help, often because the law regarding squirrels is complicated and ever changing. You cannot simply buy a packet of rat poison from your local store and deal with them that way as you would be committing an offence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Furthermore you cannot trap them and relocate them some distance away, not only would removing a squirrel from the area of its food hoards probably cause it do die of starvation, it is also a criminal offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 under which it is illegal to release a grey squirrel in Britain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trapped squirrels are then humanely dispatched.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a squirrel infestation in Lancashire, Cheshire or Manchester contact us on 0161 930 8814