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Grey Squirrel
Biology: Although now a familiar sight across much of the UK, the grey squirrel is non-native, having been first introduced from America in the late nineteenth century. The introduced species is larger than the
red squirrel, with largely grey/brown fur, and a white belly. It is largely blamed for the decline in population of our native red squirrel as it is more agressive and carries a squirrel pox to which it is resistant
but to which the red squirrels are susceptible resulting in death. Grey squirrels are active during the day and are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, nuts, insects, bird eggs and increasingly adapting to many of the
foods that man may discard. Squirrels are well-known for their habit of hoarding food in autumn to see them through the harsh winter months. Breeding takes place December to February, and again March to May.
The gestation period is typically between 6 to 7 weeks and on average two litters are produced each year, consisting of 1-8 young. The average lifespan is 8-9 years.
Control: This species is a serious pest in Britain. It is a threat to forestry land where its habit of removing tree bark is extremely damaging to trees. In towns and cities, it can be a considerable pest by causing damage
to structures and electrics in lofts etc. The most common and successful method of control is trapping, with either live cage trapping or spring trapping. The use of all traps must be carried out in accordance with
statutory guidelines and trapped animals must be disposed of humanely as it is illegal to release a non-native animal back into the environment.
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Rodent Control Cambridgeshire
- Cambridge
- Chatteris
- Ely
- Huntingdon
- March
- Market Deeping
- Oundle
- Peterborough
- Ramsey
- Soham
- St Neots
- Whittlesey
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Rodent Control Essex
- Basildon
- Benfleet
- Bishops Stortford
- Braintree
- Brentwood
- Canvey Island
- Chelmsford
- Clacton
- Colcester
- Great Dunmow
- Halstead
- Harlow
- Harwich
- Leigh on sea
- Maldon
- Rayleigh
- Rochford
- Saffron Walden
- Southend
- Stansted
- Thorpe Bay
- Tiptree
- Walton on Naze
- Westcliff on Sea
- Witham
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Rodent Control Norfolk
- Acle
- Aylsham
- Dereham
- Diss
- Downham Market
- Fakenham
- Gorleston
- Great Yarmouth
- Holt
- Hunstanton
- Kings Lynn
- North Walsham
- Norwich
- Sheringham
- Stalham
- Swaffham
- Thetford
- Watton
- Wisbech
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Rodent Control Suffolk
- Aldeburgh
- Beccles
- Brandon
- Bungay
- Bury St Edmunds
- Clare
- Eye
- Felixstowe
- Framlingham
- Harleston
- Haverhill
- Ipswich
- Lakenheath
- Lavenham
- Lowestoft
- Mildenhall
- Needham Market
- Newmarket
- Saxmundham
- Southwold
- Stowmarket
- Sudbury
- Wickham Market
- Woodbridge
- Yoxford
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