Scientific classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Rodentia
• Family: Sciuridae

Tree squirrels include the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), the southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans), and the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus). The eastern gray and the flying squirrels are usually the culprits if squirrel damage has occurred. Squirrels sometimes find their way into buildings through loose siding or ventilation screens. Once inside, they can damage walls, insulation, and electrical wires.

All five squirrel species nest in tree cavities, human-made squirrel boxes, or in leaf nests. Although squirrels prefer to nest in cavities, they often construct leaf nests by making a stick frame that is then filled with dry leaves and lined with leaves, strips of bark, corn husks, or other materials. Home range size can vary from 1 to 100 acres depending on the season and the availability of food. Squirrels often seek mast-bearing (nuts and other hard fruits) forests in fall and favor tender buds of elms and maples in the spring. During fall, squirrels may travel 50 miles or more in search of better habitat.

The color of Eastern gray squirrels varies greatly, from all black to silver gray with a white belly. Sometimes several color variations occur in a single population. They weigh between 15 and 24 ounces and are 16 to 24 inches in length. Gray squirrels breed in mid-December or early January and again in June. During the breeding season, noisy mating chases take place when one or more males pursue a female through the trees. When not breeding, the gray squirrel is solitary. They usually have two litters of one to eight pups. The young are weaned after they are two months old. The diet of the gray squirrel dictates its habitat. Gray squirrels can be found in any area that supplies sufficient amounts of nuts and seeds to sustain the population. Urban backyards also have become prime habitat for gray squirrels.

Fox squirrels are rare in Pennsylvania. Their coats are variable in color. Some have a distinct reddish cast to their brownish-gray coat. Fox squirrel bellies are tan compared to the white bellies of gray squirrels. They are larger than gray squirrels, weighing 1.9 to 2.2 pounds, but they have the same body shape. Their breeding activities are similar to those of gray squirrels. Fox squirrels prefer oak-hickory habitat over much of their range.

The red squirrel has a redbrown upper body and white underparts. They have small ear tufts in the winter and often have a black stripe separating the dark upper color from the light belly. The amount of red in their fur varies from rust-colored in winter to grayish-red in summer. They are smaller than both the gray and the fox squirrel, weighing 4 to 8 ounces, and are between 9 and 13 inches in length. Red squirrels prefer coniferous forests, but they also can be found in mixed conifer and hardwood forests or sometimes in hardwood habitats. They do not confine themselves to trees, and are commonly found on the ground. Red squirrels are solitary except during copulation. The breeding season is February through September. One to seven young are born in each of the two litters. The young disperse after nine weeks.

Flying squirrels are smaller than other tree squirrels. They are between 8 and 10 inches in length and weigh between 1.3 and 4.0 ounces. It can be difficult to distinguish between the two species of flying squirrels that occur in Pennsylvania; both may be various shades of gray or brown above and lighter below. The most distinctive characteristics of flying squirrels are the broad webs of skin connecting the fore and hind legs at the wrists, and the distinctly flattened tail. They use this skin as a parachute when gliding from tree to tree. Flying squirrels can have two litters of two to four young each year. The young may stay with the mother through the winter when the squirrels commonly group together. The southern flying squirrel will share mixed coniferous and deciduous forests with the northern flying squirrel, but it prefers mature deciduous forests with abundant nut-producing trees. The northern flying squirrel is found in the northern and central counties of the state, whereas the southern flying squirrel can be found throughout the state. Flying squirrels are the only squirrels that are active at night.

In residential areas, squirrels cause damage because of their tendency to gnaw on structures. They will chew siding and under eves to make openings for their nests. Because of their small size, flying squirrels are prone to making nests in attics and other areas they can get into. Many mountain cabins have groups of flying squirrels living in the closets and between walls. Once they have made a nest, squirrels will chew on insulation and the insulation around wires. This habit is dangerous because the bare wires may cause a fire. They also travel along powerlines and may short out transformers. The second most common complaint about squirrels is that they often take food at feeders intended for birds. Squirrels are adept climbers and can reach almost any feeder. In addition, they frequently damage bird feeders when they enlarge openings by chewing on them or when they gnaw on perches. Other squirrel activities that cause complaints from homeowners are not commonly a significant source of damage. For example, squirrels occasionally damage lawns when they dig to bury or search for nuts. They chew bark and clip twigs on ornamental trees or shrubbery planted in yards and gardens. In addition, squirrels may eat planted seeds, mature fruits, or grains such as corn.

No fumigants or toxicants are federally registered for use on squirrels.

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