Primarily we are called for nuisance grey squirrels and this page details that species. For information on other species of tree rodents read about Nuisance Red Squirrels or Problem Chipmunks.
Gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), is a tree squirrel native to eastern North America, this squirrel is
considered a rodent similar to rats and mice. Although they have predominantly gray fur, they can have a brownish color. It has a usual white underside and large bushy tail. Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white and black-colored individuals are quite often found. Generally they are about 1 foot in length and weigh about 1 lb.
Eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; who build a type of nest, known as a drey, often times in he attic or exterior walls of a house
Eastern gray squirrels eat a range of foods, such as tree bark, tree buds, berries, many types of seeds and acorns, walnuts, and other nuts, like hazelnut and some types of fungi found in the forests.
Nuisance Squirrel Problems
Tree Damage from Squirrels
Grey squirrels can be a serious forest pest, Squirrels can cause damage to trees by tearing the bark and eating the soft cambial tissue underneath. Although Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) suffer the greatest damage. Altogether, at least 36 different species of trees have been reported to be damaged by grey squirrels (Gill, 1992). As mentioned, most commonly attacked trees are Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), some of the other tree species that suffer from quarrel damage are Oak (Quercus spp.), Ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), Maple (Acer spp.), Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), Birch (Betula spp.) and Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus L.) (Rowe and Gill, 1985).
Nuisance Squirrels can be particularly costly to people who earn income off their property from sap collection, lumber or recreational activities where tree death/damage hurts the forest habitat
Squirrel Crop Damage
The habit of grey squirrels to forage on the ground leads to another serious type of damage they can cause – namely, on arable crops and orchards. Middleton (1931) reports that as much as 30 per cent of the crop can be destroyed over several acres of ground. Currado et al. (1987) describe a similar pattern, with grey squirrels raiding outside the woods plundering the first rows of corn.
In residential setting the squirrels also raid gardens for tomatoes, corn, strawberries, and other garden crops. Squirrel damage can lead to great frustration and financial loss for both commercial farmers and hobbies gardeners alike.
Property Damage
Eastern gray squirrels have a high enough tolerance for humans to inhabit commercial buildings and residential neighborhoods alike. Telephone poles and roof lines serve as substitutes for their natural tree canopy habitats. They can enter homes through gaps in roofs and chimneys or chew their own entrances if none are present. Squirrels will build nests in attics and other building superstructure. Once they enter a building squirrels are regarded as pests, not only because of they displace building materials to create of nests but also because they create a fire hazards due to their habit of gnawing on electrical cables.
Gray squirrels frequently invade private properties because they provide them with their favorite food sources, trash and bird feeders and gardens. They can raid bird feeders with great efficiency gray squirrels can take a significant proportion of supplementary food from feeders, preventing access to and reducing use by wild birds.
Squirrel attraction to supplementary feeders can increase local bird nest predation, as eastern gray squirrels are more likely to forage near feeders, resulting in increased likelihood of finding nests, eggs and nestlings of small passerines.