Squirrel Infestation: Evaluating Your Home Against Ipswich’s Wildlife Invasion
From lively parks to cozy neighborhoods, Ipswich, Massachusetts, is an idyllic and peaceful town elected with natural beauty and a variety of wildlife. For home and business owners, however, one species of Ipswich’s wild population presents a particular challenge – squirrels. As the weather warms and any snow that may have insulated attic space melts away, it’s likely that infestations will increase in number.
Squirrels are a relentless and dangerous pest, and can cause significant damage to your property. Not only can they get inside your home and ruin insulation and property but they can also gnaw through electrical and wiring, creating even more costly damage. If a full-blown invasion is to be averted, the situation calls for an immediate evaluation of your property and implementation of preventative and protective measures.
At F&W Pest Control, we recommend that Ipswich homeowners adopt an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to mitigate future risk from invading species, especially regarding squirrels. Such strategies include eliminating access points, ensuring no areas are conducive to their nesting or living patterns, proper exclusion techniques, and monitoring your property for other signs of infestation.
Locating Entry Points
An Ipswich squirrel infestation will likely begin by a squirrel locating areas on the building’s exterior which provide easy access inside. Often this will manifest itself in the form of wood rot, a missing roof or gutter repair, or frayed spots on the weather stripping or screening of windows and doors. These vulnerable locations should immediately be identified and protected from future entry.
Habitat Modification
Trees, shrubs, and other foliage can often provide a haven for squirrels, who will use them to build nests or create jump-off points for forays into other parts of a building, either internally or externally. Homeowners should evaluate overhanging vegetation and trim limbs away from the siding or roof line. Additionally, tree limbs should be kept a healthy distance away from gutters and drains in order to further eliminate methods of access.
Exclusion Techniques
The most effective means of ridding your Ipswich property of invading squirrels involves the use of exclusion techniques. Our pest control professionals have the expertise needed to properly and quickly locate the entry points utilized by the squirrels, and then repair or seal these areas with mesh screening or steel wool to prevent future use.
Monitoring the Property
Though future trespassing will be mitigated significantly with access prevention and exclusion techniques, future infestations can still be a possible issue. To combat any resurgences, Ipswich homeowners should monitor their property for signs of an unwanted population, including noises emanating from the attic, or droppings near the foundation.
F&W’s integrated pest management approach (IPM) provides the professional quality you need with the environmentally responsible quality of a DIY approach. Trust the expert exterminators at F&W to get rid of your nuisance wildlife this season. Get a free quote to start debugging your space today.
