Urgent warning to anyone who spots squirrels in their garden in January
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Wildlife experts have revealed all the reasons why squirrels should be allowed to explore your garden, even if you fear they'll ruin your plants. The more commonly seen grey squirrels, and occasional red ones, are known for causing hell - they can eat growing fruit and vegetables, dig up bulbs and even strip bark from trees.
But experts claim they are, in fact, a really useful addition to a garden’s ecosystem. And we can all give them a helping hand this winter as they battle extreme cold temperatures across the UK and refuse to hibernate like frogs and hedgehogs commonly do. According to the Express, they enter a "lighter sleep" and are active for a few hours per day. Therefore they need lots of energy-rich food to get through winter. Plantura, a wildlife website, labels squirrels as "wonderful garden mates.".
"Squirrels are easy to observe as they flit from tree to tree in search of food," it says. "The reason for their elaborate search for food is the approaching winter. Since squirrels do not hibernate but enter a lighter stage of sleep known as torpor, they must stock up on energy-rich food to survive the colder months. A walnut tree (Juglans regia) or a common hazel (Corylus avellana) in the garden helps these little creatures fill up their food reserves”.
According to Gardena, the best thing to do in winter is to feed them. It says squirrels often find food and hide it, but are often unable to find their hiding places again. Their diets are made up mostly of nuts, seeds and flower buds, along with fungi and chestnuts.
