Squirrels - Squirrel trapping, removal, exclusion and damage repairs in Richmond and Charlottesville, Virginia

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services provides nuisance squirrel trapping, removal
and exclusion for Central and Eastern Virginia - including Albemarle, Goochland, Louisa, Orange,
Powhatan, Fluvanna, Hanover and Henrico Counties, as well as the cities of Charlottesville and
Richmond, and the towns of Mineral, Gordonsville, Earlysville, and Keswick.

The Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) often causes problems in Virginia when it decides to take
up residence inside of your attic. Once in your attic they can be extremely destructive - tearing up
and soiling insulation, gnawing on wires and structural materials, and generally making a lot of
disruptive noises.

Squirrels are diurnal, meaning they are active twice a day, generally in the morning and evening.
They mate two to three times a year and have litters of 3-5 young per litter.

The Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans) can also be a problem in the attics of Virginia
homeowners for many of the same reasons as the Gray Squirrel.

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services performs many squirrel evictions every year in
Virginia. We are not only knowledgeable in eviction techniques, but also in exclusion techniques to
prevent your problem from recurring in the future.

Description of Damage

Squirrels may occasionally damage forest trees by chewing bark from branches and trunks. Pine
squirrels damage Ponderosa pine, jack pine, and paper birch. In the Southeast, fox squirrels
damage loblolly and other pines.

These species and others may eat cones and nip twigs to the extent that they interfere with natural
reseeding of important forest trees. This is a particular problem in Ponderosa pine forests where
pine squirrels may remove 60% to 80% of the cones in poor to fair seed years. In forest seed
orchards, such squirrel damage interferes with commercial seed production.

In nut orchards, squirrels can severely curtail production by eating nuts prematurely and by carrying
off mature nuts. In New England fruit orchards, pine squirrels may eat ovaries of cherry blossoms
and destroy ripe pears. Pine, gray, and fox squirrels may chew bark of various orchard trees.

In residential areas, squirrels sometimes travel powerlines and short out transformers. They gnaw
on wires, enter buildings, and build nests in attics. Squirrels may damage siding, insulation,
or household contents when they take up residence in homes or other buildings.They frequently
chew holes through pipelines used in maple syrup production.

Squirrels occasionally damage lawns by burying or searching for and digging up nuts. They will
chew bark and clip twigs on ornamental trees or shrubbery planted in yards. Often squirrels take
food at feeders intended for birds. Sometimes they chew to enlarge openings of bird houses and
then enter to eat nestling songbirds. Flying squirrels are small enough to enter most bird houses
and are especially likely to eat nesting birds.

In gardens, squirrels may eat planted seeds, mature fruits, or grains such as corn. (Source:
Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage, 1994)

Health Concerns

Gray squirrels are also subject to a host of parasites and diseases. Botfly larvae can cause
enormous cysts on a squirrel before the larva emerges to pupate and metamorphose into a fly.
Mange can leave squirrels with patches of raw furless skin. Ticks, fleas, lice, and worms also afflict
gray squirrels. Another peculiar ailment that is found in gray squirrels is squirrel pox or fibromatosis.
This disease is caused by a virus and results in multiple large skin tumors which may appear
anywhere on the squirrel�s body. Normally, this disease will run its course and the tumors will
disappear unless secondary skin infections occur. If the tumors occur around the eyes or mouth,
the squirrel may be unable to see or feed and may succumb due to starvation. Squirrel droppings,
like pretty much any wildlife dropping, are associated with Leptospirosis and Salmonella. (Source:
www.newyorkwild.org)