As temperatures drop through October, grey squirrels switch from foraging in the open to actively searching for a warm, dry place to den for winter – and roof voids, soffits and loft insulation make an ideal substitute for a tree hollow. For homes and flats near Nottingham’s mature tree cover, this is one of the most overlooked seasonal pest risks, and it’s one we’re called out for every autumn across both the city centre and West Bridgford.
Nottingham city centre has more squirrel-friendly tree cover than people expect: the Arboretum, the grounds around Nottingham Castle, and the mature lime and plane trees along Victoria Embankment all sit close to residential conversions above shops and Victorian terraces nearby. Older roof structures in these buildings often have gaps around fascia boards, missing mortar in the eaves, or disused chimney stacks – all easy entry points once a squirrel decides a loft looks more appealing than a tree.
The Meadows and West Bridgford see the same pressure from a different direction. The riverside green space along the Victoria Embankment and Trent, plus the leafy avenues and generous back gardens around Bridgford Park and Central Avenue, support a healthy squirrel population that moves straight into nearby lofts when the weather turns. Edwardian and 1930s semis in this area are particularly prone to gaps at the soffit and barge board, and conservatory roofs are a common climbing route up to the eaves.
Signs a squirrel has moved in, not just visited
- Repeated scratching, scampering or rolling-nut sounds in the loft, usually heaviest at dawn and dusk
- Chewed timber around the loft hatch, rafters or roof felt – squirrels gnaw constantly to keep their teeth in check
- Flattened, dragged-together insulation forming a nest, often with leaves, twigs or shredded loft stored items worked in
- Smooth, worn entry gaps at the fascia or soffit line, sometimes with fur caught on the edges
Why it’s worth dealing with quickly
The real cost of a squirrel in the loft isn’t the noise. Grey squirrels will chew through electrical cabling, which is a recognised cause of hidden household fires, and they’ll strip and compress loft insulation to nest-building standard, undoing its thermal value just as the heating season starts. Left over winter, one den site is often used by the same animal – or its young – year after year.
What professional removal actually involves
Grey squirrels are a non-native species in the UK, and that comes with specific legal responsibilities around how they’re trapped and handled – it isn’t a case of simply releasing one somewhere else. A proper job means identifying every entry point (not just the obvious one), trapping or excluding the animal in the loft itself, then proofing the fascia, soffit and any gaps in the roofline with squirrel-proof mesh and timber repairs so the next one passing through can’t get back in the same way. Doing the removal without the proofing just means a repeat call-out in a few weeks.
If you’ve heard movement in the loft over the last few mornings, or you’re about to have loft insulation topped up before winter and want it checked first, it’s worth getting it looked at before the problem compounds. NestBusters covers both the city centre and West Bridgford/Meadows area for squirrel removal and full exclusion proofing – call 0742 984 9483 or visit nottinghampest.co.uk to book an inspection.
