Squirrels are a very common pest to both residential and commercial establishments. They can gnaw their way in to virtually any area of a home, office or other property with ease. They do a massive amount of damage by gnawing through wiring, plumbing and even structural supports.

The Grey Squirrel

Life Cycle : The Nests, called dreys, look superficially like birds' nests,and are usually, built from twigs and leaves. They will however use any material localised to where they nest, such as loft insullation in a roof space. Grey Squirrels have two breeding seasons a year. The female carries her young for forty five days before giving birth to three or four young. The first litters are born in February/March and are weaned at about ten weeks. The second litters are born in June/July and the young are ready to leave the nest in August / September.

Significance : The grey Squirrel can nest in your wall cavities, between false walls and in the loft, Tey can cause much damage chewing items stored in the roof space, in some instances they have been known to chew electric cables and roof joists causing a potentially hazardous condition, at the same time causing the problem of noise. The Grey squirrel is not protected in the UK.

Facts : Grey squirrels have to have their numbers controlled by man, by shooting or poisoning. They are most lively at dawn and at dusk collecting food and will spend the late morning and noon hours in the nest, coming out in mid afternoon, and then retiring for the rest of the night an hour or so prior to sunset.