The grey squirrel is incredibly common across England & is a real nuisance once established inside your home, largely found in lofts, wall cavities or between false walls, due to their tendency to gnaw. They build their dray (nest) using insulation materials & sometimes with twigs & leaves. They cause much damage to property by gnawing woodwork, plastic piping & electrical wiring, which could potentially lead to floods or fires. Furthermore they can contaminate water tanks with their urine & droppings. You will be alerted to their presence by hearing loud scratching noises in the ceiling. They are more active at first light & at the end of the day.
Outside squirrels can create further damage to your garden. They damage trees by chewing off the bark which can potentially kill young trees by removing the nutrients it needs. They also dig holes in lawns & dig up newly planted bulbs & have also been known to invade the nests of small birds to steal the eggs or young. Further upset for bird lovers is their ability to steal food from bird tables & seeds from tube feeders, causing damage to them if it cannot access the food.
