Squirrels have major and minor food preferences. Favorite foods include fruits, nuts and seeds. Peanuts and peanut butter are superior baits. Walnuts and apples are good baits since they may naturally occur in the squirrel's diet.

Tree squirrel diets vary by species and are determined by their habitat and season of the year.

Tree squirrels do not hibernate but tend to store great quantities of food, often in excess of that needed.

Fewer than half the species of ground squirrels are considered pests. Most of the ground squirrels are found west of the Mississippi River. Ground squirrels hibernate during the winter months.

In areas where the squirrels are known to be possible disease carriers, particularly in the West, live or dead animals should never be handled without wearing protective gloves.

Utility companies report that tree squirrels often cause loss of electrical and telephone service by gnawing into cables and stripping insulation.

The largest animals in the squirrel family are the woodchucks (also called ground hogs or marmots) and have been know to dig beneath houses and other buildings. They also burrow into levees and dikes, causing damaging washouts. As housing developments have popped up in former farm land, woodchuck problems have become more common for home owners.

If squirrels are in the attic or garage, the occupant will likely hear them moving about, even if he has not seen them; however, their noise and physical evidence can sometimes be confused with that of chipmunks, wood rats or roof rats.

The most common points of entry for a squirrel in a building are roof vents including power fans, gable louver vents, soffit vents, deteriorated facia boards behind the rain gutters and construction gaps at inside or outside corners.

If a squirrel has appeared in the basement, it has most likely come down the chimney and out the furnace damper opening. Whenever a chimney flue is the likely point of entry be sure to check for obstructions caused by accumulated nest material.