Trusted environmentally-friendly experts in Wildlife Management for Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall.
While they are among the cuter pests that you will encounter the grey squirrel can be extremely destructive and harmful to your property. We take a look at the problems that grey squirrels can cause and why it is so important to exercise effective grey squirrel pest control.
Grey Squirrels are not actually native to the UK, in fact they were introduced in the 1870s as “ornamental additions” to stately homes and country estates. It wasn’t until the 1930s that the true extent of the damage that they cause became fully understood. It then became illegal to release grey squirrels into the wild.
In Britain and Europe, the grey squirrel is recognised as an Illegal Alien Species (IAS). It is against the law to re-release one that has been caught alive under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019.
What this means is that you can’t catch and release them. They have to be humanely dispatched. Reason number one why you don’t want to try and deal with your grey squirrel problem yourself!
You are most likely to find a squirrel in the roof space of your house or business. They create a lot of noise so you will probably hear them before you see them. They love to gnaw on things – in your roof this is likely to be your roof timbers, beams etc. They will also gnaw at electrical wires, stripping away the outer insulation from them.
Their droppings also contaminate the space they live in risking the spread of disease to the inhabitants of your home. In addition to this, they are also likely to keep you awake with their scurrying and gnawing activity. With the grey squirrel being most active in the hours before dawn, you can be sure of an interrupted night’s sleep. It won’t take many sleepless nights before you call in professional squirrel pest control services.
Unlike rats and mice, the grey squirrel is less intimidated by humans – especially if they have come from the local park. You see, in the park people love to feed them so they build up an association with humans and food. They could well approach you if they feel they may get fed. Being in your roof is one thing – having them follow you around the house is quite something else!
They are also likely to cause damage to your garden, especially if you grow your own fruit and veg. They will forage for food and then bury it leaving holes in your beautiful lawn! They will also eat recently sown seeds, tree nuts and such.
Don’t delay in getting the issue dealt with. Squirrels will multiply with a female having two litters of between 3-7 babies per year. They will also cause destruction to your home or business premises – often where you can’t see it.
If you think you may have a squirrel living in your roof space, wall cavities, or in your outbuildings, the best course of action is to call a professional squirrel pest control expert.
Dealing with squirrels is a job for the experts. Being such nifty creatures, it is difficult to capture them. If you should manage to catch one, you can’t release it into the wild – it’s against the law.
You need a professional to deal with the situation humanely and to advise on how to prevent future squirrels finding their way into your property.
A pest controller may advise that you cut back trees around the property, that you board up any potential access points (which they can help you with) and offer general advice on squirrel prevention.
Of course, prevention is better than cure but you need to get rid of the unwanted guest/s first. Enlist the services of a company that is experienced in squirrel pest control.
If you think you may have a squirrel, or any other type of rodent at your home or business, give us a call and we will be happy to help.
While we cover the whole of the South West, we are often called to work in the following areas due to the density of population and number of businesses.
If your area is not listed, please do give us a call and we will be happy to help.
Call our friendly team and we’ll conduct an initial diagnosis, arranging a time to visit your property. We’re agile and courteous – we understand that you want to sort the issue quickly.
Our friendly, qualified experts will conduct a thorough analysis of your Wildlife issue and determine the best course of action. Our team are certified by leading industry bodies to offer tailored solutions.
We’ll organise a convenient time to implement the best solution and advise on how to best manage the issue in the future to give you complete peace of mind.
We provide trusted Wildlife Management services for commercial and domestic clients.
This business is fantastic from the minute they responded to my call for help they were fantastic Fiona got me booked into the diary to ensure quick response. She was professional, courteous, understanding of the situation. On arrival Matt was super friendly made my partner feel safe, reassurance was given that he was here to help and visited when stated and on time, I would not hesitate in recommending this awesome team simply superb!
Falcon Environmental Services are experts in Pest Control. We use environmentally-friendly methods, including our highly trained dogs, to help remove and prevent pests from returning.
We pride ourselves on customer service from the moment you pick up the phone to our office right through to checking your pest problem has been eradicated.
Call us on 01752 929292 or complete the form below and we’ll contact you.
Falcon Environmental Services are approved by industry-leading regulators as well as being audited by independent contractor bodies such as Safecontractor, CHAS and Prompt, giving you peace of mind you’re working with a professional, responsible team.
