Flying Squirrel Removal & Control – Richmond, Virginia

Flying squirrel removal & control in Richmond Virginia and Charlottesville Virginia areas can be a difficult task and should be left to professional animal removal and control companies. Their entry points can be difficult to located and because they tend to cache their food, they don’t respond well to traditional baits and lures. Contact Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 for all of your animal removal and wildlife pest control problems

 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – Description and Range

The southern flying squirrel is the smallest tree squirrel in Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia, coming  in at about 9-10 inches long and weighing 2-4 ounces. Southern flying squirrels  are a grayish brown in color with a white belly and have a black ring around  their large eyes. A furry fold of skin stretches from the wrist of each front  leg to the ankle of each rear leg. This fold of skin is also known as a patagium  and allows the squirrels to glide from tree to tree.

Southern flying squirrels can be found throughout Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia as well as throughout  the eastern United States, southeastern Canada and parts of Central America.  There are as many as 10 sub-species of southern flying squirrels recognized. 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – Habitat

Southern flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville VA are typically found in areas with pine and hardwood  trees such as oaks, hickories and walnuts. Flying squirrels make their nests in  tree cavities and rely on acorns and nuts as their main food sources. Hickory nuts seem to be their favorite. 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – Diet

Southern flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia are mostly granivores- eating a variety of seeds and  nuts. Preferred foods include nuts, acorns and seeds as well as lichen and  fungi. When acorns and other foods are plentiful, flying squirrels will cache  them in locations throughout their home range for later eating in the winter.  Occasionally, flying squirrels will also prey upon insects, bird eggs and  carrion. 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – Reproduction

Southern flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia usually make their nests in natural tree cavities or  old woodpecker holes, 15-20 feet up a tree. These nests can hold either a single  female or a maternal colony of several females and their young. Sometimes,  flying squirrels will also build a summer leaf nest.

Flying squirrels mate twice a year- once in February-March and again in  June-July. Therefore, some females can have two litters of young per year,  averaging about 3-4 young per litter. The baby squirrels are born hairless and  helpless after about 40 days of gestation. Five weeks after birth, the young are  weaned and can leave the nest soon afterwards. 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – Sounds and Noises

Southern flying squirrels make a variety of noises, many of which are not  audible to people. One noise that people can hear is a loud “tseep” call which  is considered to be an alarm or warning call for other squirrels. Flying  squirrels also make a “chittering” call as well as a variety of chuckle-like  noises. 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – Behavior

Though flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville VA are more abundant than gray squirrels in some areas,  they are rarely seen due to their nocturnal habits. Flying squirrels are also  arboreal, meaning they spend much of their time in trees. When gliding between  trees, flying squirrels use their tails as a rudder.

Female flying squirrels tend to be more territorial than males and will often  aggressively defend prime nesting areas. Males, on the other hand, will usually  have overlapping territories and sometimes even roost together. During the  winter, flying squirrels often nest communally, with up to 19 squirrels sharing  the same area to conserve body heat. 

Flying Squirrel Trapping, Removing and Control in Virginia

There are several reasons that flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville VA are such a nuisance and difficult to control.

1. Flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville are small and their entry point into homes and businesses tend to be about the size of a walnut and often very difficult to locate. Because of their small size they often get into walls.

2. Flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville are nocturnal. Their periods of greatest activity tends to be from dusk to dawn. Their night time activities often make it difficult for home owners to get a restful nights sleep.

3. Flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville stockpile their food in the attics and walls of homes. This activity has often been described by homeowners as sounding like “bowling balls” rolling across the ceiling. It is not unusual during our inspection of homes and businesses to find caches of uneaten hickory nuts (their favorite food) or caches of “capped” nuts at their favorite feeding stations throughout the home. Because they bring their own food into a dwelling, they do not respond well to traditional baits and lures when trapping.

4. Flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville often create toilet areas in attics and damage insulation. Flying squirrels are much like a cat using a litter box. They will often pick out a location or locations in the attic of homes to deposit their urine and feces. They soil insulation and are know to create tunneling activity in the insulation.

5. Flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville are very social creatures. They seem to enjoy being around their own kind and it is not unusual to find large colonies in the attics of homes during the winter months as they group together to stay warm and share in the cached food supply.

6. Flying squirrels in Richmond and Charlottesville tend to move inside during the winter and outside during the warmer months. Many of our customers that have had flying squirrel problems in the past, and for whatever reason chose not to address the issue, often mistakingly believe that the problem no longer exists. In fact, what happens is the flying squirrels move into homes during the colder months, leave during the warmer months and then return inside the attics and walls of homes once the weather turns cold again. A flying squirrel problem ignored NEVER resolves itself. 

Flying Squirrels in Virginia – How Do I Trap, Remove and Control Them?

Virginia Professional Wildlife Removal Services, LLC provides flying squirrel trapping, removal and control services in the Richmond and Charlottesville VA areas. The trapping and removal of these critters requires a professional. Do it yourselfers may catch an animal or two, but often leave the bulk of a flying squirrel colony behind to repopulate. We NEVER recommend that poisons be used to address ANY animal wildlife problem. This often results in dead animals in areas of the home that are inaccessible and may lead to secondary poisoning of children and pets. We ALWAYS recommend that you hire an experienced Animal Removal Company and NOT a Pest Control Company that specializes in bugs, mice and rats. You would not hire a carpenter to fix your homes electrical problems. Don’t hire a bug company to try and remediate your nuisance animal problem. Call us at (434) 270-0488 or toll-free at (888) 893-1975 to safely and humanely trap, remove and control any animal causing you problems in your Richmond or Charlottesville Virginia home or business.

Visit us on the web at www.wildliferemovalinvirginia.com