Squirrels
Grey Squirrels are an invasive species brought over from America in 1876. Unfortunately some of them had with them a pox virus which then passed onto our native Red Squirrel. The Grey Squirrel became immune to the virus but sadly our native Red did not.
In woodlands, Grey Squirrels “ring bark” certain trees to get to the sap. The tree then dies or gets a stain which lowers the value of the wood itself.
In domestic loft spaces they nest and have their young. As rodents, they’ll chew anything, including electrical wiring, which can cause fire.
They can also destroy garden plants and certain fruits e.g. walnuts, plums and certain vegetables growing in your garden.
As rodents, they'll chew anything! This includes electrical wiring, which can cause fire.
If you trap a grey squirrel, you are legally obliged to kill it. They are classified as vermin, and so releasing it back into the wild is illegal and carries a heavy fine (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981).
Recent Testimonial
“Mel and Greg have worked hard for the last three years to control the squirrel invasion in my 30 acre woodland. They are very professional in their systematic approach to the problem and always dispatch the squirrels humanely. I would recommend their company Sussex Rural Services to deal with any natural pests as they have considerable knowledge of the natural environment and methods to keep a good balance between humans and wildlife. An example of this is that they will not use poisons that then enter the food chain via natural predators.“
