Tag Archives: NJ Squirrels

News, Pest News, Squirrel Control, Squirrels

When do Squirrels Have Babies in New Jersey?

When do Squirrels Have Babies?
When do Squirrels Have Babies?

Grey squirrels are cute and their babies are even cuter. That doesn’t mean you want them as house guests. Here are some helpful facts about the breeding habits and behavior of grey squirrels, a frequent target of NJ pest control.

When Do Squirrels Breed?

You may sometimes hear grey squirrels referred to as cat or migratory squirrels. This species, commonly found in New Jersey and the eastern United States, usually lives in forests and other natural outdoor areas. Since grey squirrels have little fear of humans, it’s not unusual to see them in urban areas as well.

Grey squirrels breed from December to February and again from May to June. While female squirrels can’t breed until they’re at least a year old, males are extremely active during these periods. Breeding squirrels may even engage in mating dances.

Birth and Lifespan

During the 44-day gestation period, pregnant squirrels may become more aggressive.  Litters generally produce two to six squirrels, although there can be as many as eight babies. According to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, grey squirrels have an average lifespan of 1 to 2 years, but wild grey squirrels can live up to 10 years.

NJ Pest Control for All Creatures Great and Small

Are bed bugs, mice, squirrels or other creatures making themselves welcome at your home? Contact Stern Environmental for information about our comprehensive and cost-effective NJ pest control services.

News, Residential Services, Squirrel Control, Squirrels

What to Know About Squirrel Breeding Season in New Jersey

What to Know About Squirrel Breeding Season in New Jersey
What to Know About Squirrel Breeding Season in New Jersey

A lot of New Jersey homeowners have trouble with squirrels in their attics this time of year. But it’s not just the cold weather that drives them inside; although that is one reason they seek shelter. The early winter months are actually the time of year when squirrels are breeding.

Although we know they’re fascinating, your NJ squirrel control professionals also know that they’re a nuisance. We think you do too.

Squirrel Breeding Season

Squirrels generally have two litters of pups a year. They have one in the middle of summer and another in the late winter months. As many as 8 pups are possible per litter, but most squirrels have between 2 and 4.

Squirrel mating behaviors are very interesting as well. They actually mate more like gorillas, which means both males and females have more than one partner.

Do You Need NJ Squirrel Control Experts to Inspect Your Attic?

Most people really like squirrels. They’re fun to watch as they run around your backyard and climb up trees. As long as they stay outside, there are no problems. But all too often, they venture inside for warmth and shelter.

Your NJ squirrel control experts can come and inspect your attic to determine the scope of your squirrel problem. Not only can we get rid of them, but we can help to make sure they can’t make it back inside again. Contact us today for help.

Pest Management, Squirrel Control, Squirrels

How do Squirrels Find Their Way Into Your Attic?

Squirrels and Other Wildlife Can Destroy Your Attic
Squirrels and Other Wildlife Can Destroy Your Attic

Squirrels are creative, inventive, wily, and smart and finding ways into your attic is a piece of cake. Even the tiniest opening is an invitation to enter and if it isn’t, they’ll chew until the hole is large enough to gain entry.

Ways to Keep Squirrels Out of the Attic

One of the first lines of defense is ensuring your home is sealed by doing a visual inspection for any entry points. As noted, what may seem too small to you is not a problem for a squirrel to slip through. Find and seal all entry points.

Traveling through the treetops is second nature for squirrels. Another preventative measure is trimming all tree branches that may be overhanging the roof line. This cuts off their avenue of travel into your home.

If you find any cracks or crevices in the foundation wall they will need to be repaired.

Last but not least, set squirrel traps to catch the acrobatic critters. This is one of the safest bets for keeping squirrels out of the attic. Once they’ve been captured, release them several miles from your home into a wooded area where they have food and water sources. Repair any entry points to prevent new residents.

NJ pest control services are the professional way to handle squirrel removal. Contact Stern Environmental and we’ll schedule an experienced NJ pest control expert to remove your unwanted house guests.

News, Nuisance Wildlife Control, Pest Animal Removal, Pest Control, Pest Eradication, Pest Management, Pest News, Residential Services, Rodent Control, Squirrel Control, Squirrels

Why Do Squirrels Like Your Attic and Eaves?

Why Do Squirrels Like Your Attic and Eaves?

Squirrels are extremely adaptable to their environment especially when sharing that environment with humans.

In forested areas, squirrels have plenty of places to build nests, forage for food, and sharpen their teeth. When living in a neighborhood, their living space is limited as they must share the landscape with a house, shed, garage, and domestic outdoor pets.

Squirrels and Attics

One of the biggest attractions for urban squirrels is a cozy attic to hunker down in during the winter and as nesting places in the spring and summer.

Squirrels have two litters a year – March to May and July to August. During this time, moms-to-be are looking for a safe place to have their babies and a secure place to raise them.

As the babies mature, you’ll hear sounds emanating from the attic including chewing and scratching and the patter of feet. Unfortunately, squirrels love to chew and since they’re not in the forest, the next best thing is whatever is handy in your attic.

Along with chewing damage, there’s the mess that a group of baby squirrels can make. When your home is invaded, the best course of action is hiring a NJ squirrel removal pest service.

At Stern Environmental, we have NJ squirrel removal specialists with the knowledge and equipment to remove the squirrels from your home.

Don’t wait until it’s too late and structural damage occurs. Call us today for an inspection.

Animal Control, News, Squirrel Control, Squirrels

Five Weird Yet Interesting Facts About Squirrels

Five Weird Yet Interesting Facts About Squirrels
Five Weird Yet Interesting Facts About Squirrels

When describing squirrels, several adjectives come to mind; they’re cute, inquisitive, acrobatic, and entertaining. They’re also interesting and are found in nearly any type of ecosystem on the planet. They can also be destructive, which is when you will need the help of a NJ squirrel removal specialist to keep your home squirrel free.

Facts About Squirrels

1. When it comes to the number of species inhabiting the planet, the figure is a whopping 285 worldwide.

2. They are true survivalists. Each year, they stock up on nuts, acorns, and seeds to get them through harsh winter conditions when food is not plentiful.

3. The smallest species is the pygmy tree squirrel weighing in at half an ounce. On the flip side, the largest are western Africa’s gray marmots of Kazakhstan weighing 20 pounds.

4. Squirrels are environmentalists when it comes to tree planting. An example is a gray squirrel that can create thousands of buried food caches filled with nuts. Not all caches will be found, though, which leads to new saplings sprouting from acorns. Not only that, the acorns may be buried in open places in need of trees.

5. Squirrels like mushrooms and during the winter they will hang the fungi in tree branches to dry. This preserves the mushrooms for winter dining.

If you need help with invading squirrel populations, our NJ squirrel removal specialists at Stern provide humane removal services.