Many people find squirrels entertaining animals, and it can be fun to watch squirrels run up and down the trees in the park. However, if they come onto your property, they could cause a lot of damage in a short amount of time. At Dependable Pest Solutions, we have been providing exceptional pest control in Dover for over 15 years. We know how to keep you and your home safe from the squirrels in this area.
The Types Of Squirrels That Hang Around Yards
Dover is home to a wide variety of squirrels. Some of the different types of squirrels that you are most likely to see in your yard include:
- American Red Squirrel: This common tree squirrel measures between 11 and 14 inches, including its tail. Their fur is reddish with a white underbelly. American Red squirrels are granivores, which means they feed on seeds. These squirrels are very territorial.
- Eastern gray squirrel: This Is the most common type of squirrel that Dover residents find climbing in their bird feeders. Including its tail, the Eastern gray squirrel can grow to be around 20 inches long. Their favorite thing to eat is acorns, walnuts, and hazelnuts. Eastern gray squirrels have gray fur on most of their body, except for their chin, neck, and belly, which are usually off-white.
- Flying squirrel: New Hampshire is home to both the northern flying squirrel and the southern flying squirrel. These squirrels are small and can only grow to be about eight to ten inches long. This type of squirrel is nocturnal and is most active during the night. They have large round eyes, small ears, and grayish-brown fur on their back. Their underside has bright white fur and webbed skin between their arms and abdomen that allows them to glide through the air.
While all these squirrels like to eat the nuts and seeds they find around your house, they can also chew on the wires around your home and cause structural damage to wooden sheds and other structures.
The Diseases Squirrels Are Capable Of Spreading
Like all rodents, squirrels are capable of carrying and spreading a wide range of diseases and illnesses, which include:
- Salmonellosis
- Leptospirosis
- Lyme disease
- Tularemia
Squirrels can transmit these diseases to humans through both direct and indirect contact. And although it is rare, squirrels do have the ability to carry and transmit rabies to people and pets.
Effective Squirrel Prevention Tips
Squirrels will not only eat the nuts and seeds in your yard but will also nibble on your fruits and flowers, dig holes in your yard, and make entire plants disappear. If you want to control the squirrel population around your home and prevent them from causing damage to your property, try these effective tips:
- Cover your plants with plastic or mesh netting.
- Either remove bird feeders or keep them far away from your home and your plants.
- If you keep your bird feeders, put them on a hard-to-climb surface like a metal pole.
- Cover the soil around plants and flowers with mulch.
If you want to keep your bird feeder around but want to avoid squirrels getting into them, consider using safflower seeds. Most birds love safflower seeds, but squirrels prefer not to eat them.
Complete Wildlife Pest Control Services In Dover
If you are looking for an easy and effective way to get rid of squirrels on your Dover property, call Dependable Pest Solutions. We have been handling this type of wildlife for over a decade and know what it takes to get rid of them for good.