Grey squirrels

In the UK, there are two species of squirrel – the now rare and endangered native red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and the more abundant grey squirrel. This was introduced from North America, and is now a very common sight in gardens – often referred to as “tree rats”.

Grey squirrels usually enter gardens from areas containing lots of trees and large shrubs, including adjacent parks and woodland.

Although they can be endearing and very entertaining with their quirky habits and spectacular acrobatics, they can also cause severe damage or, at the least, be very disruptive and destructive.

Grey squirrels are generally active throughout the year, apart from during very cold days. This means they need food all year round, with peaks in winter and when raising their young.

Grey squirrels can produce two litters of young per year, usually in February and again in mid-summer. Typically, the litter size is three or four and they are raised in a nest-like structure called a drey.

The red squirrel is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

• Trees
• Shrubs
• Bulbs
• Lawns
• Flower beds
• Vegetable gardens

Grey squirrels attack, damage and eat a wide range of ornamental, vegetable and fruit plants.

They particularly favour planted bulbs and corms, which they will actively dig out of the soil, developing and ripening vegetables, especially sweetcorn, just about any fruit, especially tree fruit and strawberries, nuts, seed heads and large flower buds, particularly camellia, magnolia and rhododendron.

Grey squirrels can badly damage or even kill trees and shrubs by stripping off their bark. Although this seems to be associated with stress brought on by territorial disputes with other squirrels when squirrel numbers are high.

They can also rip up substantial areas of lawn, either to bury or dig up buried stashes of food – particularly nuts.

They will also raid bird feeders and take eggs from birds’ nests.

And they gnaw on plastic items, including hosepipes, garden furniture, cables, bird feeders and plastic netting.

In many circumstances, it may be better to live with or tolerate squirrel damage – or change gardening activities accordingly. Even if you manage to banish one lot of squirrels from your garden, more are likely to move in to occupy the vacated territory!

It is possible to cover particularly susceptible plants individually with wire-mesh netting to prevent squirrels getting at them. Plastic netting will be ineffective, since squirrels can bite through plastic.

Fruit and vegetables can be protected in a wire mesh fruit cage.

Bulbs and corms can be protected by placing a layer of wire mesh horizontally in the soil, a couple of inches above where they are planted.

The bark of the main trunk of trees and shrubs can be protected with spiral tree protectors or individual caging.

Animal scaring devices are usually ineffective, and will probably only provide short-term protection.

Some people have success by feeding peanuts from a tree or elsewhere at the bottom of the garden or far from the main plant displays.

You are allowed to control grey squirrels by shooting them, as long as this is done in a humane manner. However, shooting is rarely feasible in gardens for safety and legal reasons.

Trapping is also permissible, and the most widely available cage traps will capture squirrels alive. They must be checked at least daily. Any squirrels caught must be killed by shooting or by a sharp blow to the head, since the Wildlife and Countryside Act states it is illegal to release non-indigenous animals back into the wild.

As squirrels often steal food put out for garden birds, if this is a problem, consider using squirrel-proof bird feeders.

Scented and smelly animal repellents are usually ineffective and, if they do work, only provide short-term protection.

It is not possible to stop squirrels coming into the garden. Even a high fence is easily scaled.