As temperatures drop across Nottingham, two very different animals start making the same move indoors. Grey squirrels are looking for a dry, insulated place to shelter and store food for winter, and house mice are following the warmth of central heating into roof spaces, kitchens and skirting boards. For residents in Bulwell, Old Basford, Radford, Lenton and Forest Fields, the local mix of older housing and nearby green space makes both a real possibility this autumn.
Grey Squirrels Settling In Around Bulwell and Old Basford
Bulwell and Old Basford sit close to Bestwood Country Park and the wooded stretches along the Leen Valley, both well-used by the local grey squirrel population. As the trees empty out for winter, squirrels look for the next best thing: a loft space. Once inside, they shred loft insulation to build nests, and will readily chew through roof timbers, soffit boards and electrical cabling, which brings a genuine fire risk alongside the structural damage. Many of the terraced and semi-detached homes in this area date back to the mining era, with aging roof timbers and soffits that give squirrels an easy way in if they are not properly maintained.
Squirrels in Lofts Around Radford, Lenton and Forest Fields Too
It is not only the areas near open parkland that see squirrel activity. Highfields Park and the mature tree-lined grounds of the University of Nottingham give Radford, Lenton and Forest Fields their own steady squirrel population, and the dense rows of older terraced housing nearby provide plenty of loft access points, especially where roofs have not been checked in a while. Signs to watch for include scratching or thumping noises from the loft during the day, chewed loft insulation, and droppings similar in size to large raisins.
House Mice Following the Heat Indoors
While squirrels are chasing shelter, house mice are chasing warmth, and older housing stock in both areas gives them plenty of ways in. Gaps around pipework, worn airbricks, and small cracks where walls meet door and window frames are all mice need to slip inside once the weather turns. Once in, they tend to settle behind kitchen units, under floorboards and inside cavity walls, venturing out at night to feed. Typical signs are small dark droppings along skirting boards or in cupboards, a persistent musty smell, scratching sounds after dark, and gnaw marks on food packaging or cardboard.
Why It Pays to Act Early
Squirrels and mice cause different kinds of damage, but both get more expensive to put right the longer they are left. A squirrel nesting undisturbed in a loft can mean a full insulation replacement and roof repair by the time it is dealt with, while a small mouse problem can turn into a much larger infestation within a few weeks given how quickly they breed. Catching either early, before the damage or the population builds up, makes a real difference to the cost and disruption of sorting it out.
What to Do If You Spot Signs
If you have heard movement in the loft, found droppings, or noticed chewed insulation or packaging anywhere in your Bulwell, Old Basford, Radford, Lenton or Forest Fields home, it is worth getting it checked before winter sets in properly. NestBusters provides humane squirrel trap-and-exclude work alongside full proofing to stop them getting back in, and effective, targeted mouse treatment paired with practical proofing advice for your property. Call 0742 984 9483 or visit nottinghampest.co.uk to book an inspection.
