Squirrels - home invasion!

The American Eastern Gray Squirrel is the common grey squirrel that we see running around in Wokingham and Reading and as a species of tree squirrel they generally build their nests (called a drey) in either a tree hollow or the crook of a branch about 4.5 metres up in the tree's to avoid ground dwelling predators. 

 

These nests are serious pieces of architecture and they start with a thick base of twigs, damp leaves and moss all pressed down and compacted to form a solid base, from here the walls and roof are put together from interlocking twigs and infilled with leaves; this forms a surprisingly strong, windproof and waterproof cell. 

 

The squirrels will then line the inside of the drey with more moss, shed fur and pieces of soft bark stripped from trees like the silverbirch: this bring the squirrels into conflict with landowners and groundkeepers as this habit of stripping bark kills the trees. In general they will build one principal nest with several other smaller nests within their home range. These secondary nests are used for resting up in during the day and as a bolt hole should a predator appear. 

 

At this time of year where we experience our coldest temperatures, its not unusual for females to band together with family members to share body heat and save energy. Squirrels are great climbers and they can jump around 10 times their body length and we're getting more callouts to squirrels taking up residence in the loft of a property. 

 

Squirrels will tear up loft insulation in the same way as building a nest in a tree to form a drey often down in the box formed by the soffets and fascia boards. Not only does this damage the loft insulation this will block the air vents preventing the loft from 'breathing' causing condensation to form with the roof. 

 

Any stored goods like children's car seats and sleeping bags will be chewed up to form the structure of the squirrels nest and we are entering the period of their first breeding season meaning that there's a good chance that the female squirrel in your loft will continue to live there and even raise a brood or two. 

 

Squirrels are like rats and mice in the way they defecate; they will use your loft as a latrine and toilet all over the interior causing more damage to stored goods through contamination. If you find droppings a simple sniff test will tell you if its squirrels or rats: squirrels have a earthy musty aroma to their poo while rat's droppings smell simply rank.