{"id":14974,"date":"2025-01-03T09:51:43","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T09:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/?p=14974"},"modified":"2025-01-09T10:25:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T10:25:57","slug":"why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"Why squirrels are a problem in winter"},"content":{"rendered":"

While many of us love to see squirrels running around while we\u2019re out and about, we\u2019re not so keen on them loitering around our properties.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s very good reason for this too. If they manage to gain access to your roof (which is pretty easy for them as they can climb), they can wreak all kinds of havoc. From destroying plastic water piping and wiring systems to causing the collapse of entire ceilings, a squirrel infestation can be eye-wateringly costly.<\/p>\n

Squirrels don\u2019t store enough body fat to survive hibernation which is why we see them all year round. During the warmer months, they\u2019re generally happy enjoying the great outdoors because the temperature is perfectly pleasant and food supplies are plentiful. Generally, they don\u2019t tend to bother humans from spring until autumn.<\/p>\n

Once the weather starts turning cold however, squirrels can become problematic. They need to find somewhere warm to nest which is why they often make their way onto roofs and into lofts. As well as providing somewhere warm to nest, it provides a safe place for them to begin their mating season which starts in January and finishes in April.<\/p>\n

With food much harder to come by in the depths of winter, this is another reason why our homes become more inviting to pests. Although it\u2019s highly unlikely you\u2019ll find a squirrel sitting in your kitchen, there are many sources of food around your property.<\/p>\n

Gutters are often full of acorns, pinecones and leaves at this time of year and ivy and tree branches can also provide a nice treat for hungry squirrels.<\/p>\n

How can I prevent a squirrel infestation?<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s perfectly normal to see the odd squirrel in the garden, you don\u2019t want them gaining access to your property. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can prevent this from happening and spot the first signs of a squirrel problem<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The first step is to seal any potential entry points around your home, including small openings and cracks around doors and windows and even chimney openings. The great thing about doing this is that it will also help keep other winter pests away such as rodents<\/a> and cockroaches.<\/p>\n

Keep food in airtight containers and dispose of rubbish regularly. During winter, food supplies are limited for animals that don\u2019t go into hibernation so if you have an easy supply to hand, you\u2019re likely to attract all sorts of pests.<\/p>\n

It can be difficult to keep squirrels away<\/a> because they\u2019re so good at climbing. Keep tree branches trimmed so they\u2019re at least eight inches away from your roof. This will stop them jumping from trees onto your house and making their way into the loft.<\/p>\n

Motion-activated lights, radio noise and ultrasonic sound producers can also help to deter squirrels and other unwanted pests such as rats. Do bear in mind however, this isn\u2019t a good option if you have pets because the noise can cause them discomfort.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re worried about squirrel or other pest infestations this winter, please don\u2019t hesitate to get in touch<\/a> with Prokill. As well as eliminating problems quickly and effectively, we can help you install the correct measures to prevent an infestation occurring in the first place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While many of us love to see squirrels running around while we\u2019re out and about, we\u2019re not so keen on them loitering around our properties. There\u2019s very good reason for this too. If they manage to gain access to your roof (which is pretty easy for them as they can climb), they can wreak all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":14399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_s2mail":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy squirrels are a problem in winter - Prokill UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why squirrels are a problem in winter - Prokill UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"While many of us love to see squirrels running around while we\u2019re out and about, we\u2019re not so keen on them loitering around our properties. There\u2019s very good reason for this too. If they manage to gain access to your roof (which is pretty easy for them as they can climb), they can wreak all […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Prokill UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-03T09:51:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-09T10:25:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"724\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"482\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kate King\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kate King\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/\",\"name\":\"Why squirrels are a problem in winter - Prokill UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-03T09:51:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-09T10:25:57+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e1eb424584468803cf55d54b994f8a24\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg\",\"width\":724,\"height\":482,\"caption\":\"Single Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) foraging in a natural woodland countryside setting. Depicted posturing on an old dilapidated wooden tree stump.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why squirrels are a problem in winter\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Prokill UK\",\"description\":\"Your fully accredited local Pest Control company\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e1eb424584468803cf55d54b994f8a24\",\"name\":\"Kate King\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88e423ae7462c9b4f440c9cf5dbb2ca0d0827e479c587ccd28f048a075426039?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88e423ae7462c9b4f440c9cf5dbb2ca0d0827e479c587ccd28f048a075426039?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kate King\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/author\/kate\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why squirrels are a problem in winter - Prokill UK","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why squirrels are a problem in winter - Prokill UK","og_description":"While many of us love to see squirrels running around while we\u2019re out and about, we\u2019re not so keen on them loitering around our properties. There\u2019s very good reason for this too. If they manage to gain access to your roof (which is pretty easy for them as they can climb), they can wreak all […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/","og_site_name":"Prokill UK","article_published_time":"2025-01-03T09:51:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-01-09T10:25:57+00:00","og_image":[{"width":724,"height":482,"url":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kate King","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kate King","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/","url":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/","name":"Why squirrels are a problem in winter - Prokill UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg","datePublished":"2025-01-03T09:51:43+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-09T10:25:57+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e1eb424584468803cf55d54b994f8a24"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SquirrelGettyImages-918107122.jpg","width":724,"height":482,"caption":"Single Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) foraging in a natural woodland countryside setting. Depicted posturing on an old dilapidated wooden tree stump."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/why-squirrels-are-a-problem-in-winter\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why squirrels are a problem in winter"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/","name":"Prokill UK","description":"Your fully accredited local Pest Control company","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e1eb424584468803cf55d54b994f8a24","name":"Kate King","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88e423ae7462c9b4f440c9cf5dbb2ca0d0827e479c587ccd28f048a075426039?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/88e423ae7462c9b4f440c9cf5dbb2ca0d0827e479c587ccd28f048a075426039?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kate King"},"url":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/author\/kate\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14974"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14975,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14974\/revisions\/14975"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prokill.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}