Squirrels in the attic: what that scratching overhead means
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By John Stopka, Co-Founder & CEO · Reviewed by John Stopka
Noise overhead in the first hours of daylight usually points to squirrels. They are active during the day, which separates them from most of what else moves into an attic, and in Kentucky gray and fox squirrels are game species protected by state law. They chew their way in at soffits, vents and roof edges, and the damage that matters is structural — an opening that keeps getting bigger, chewed wiring and ruined insulation.
What is scratching in my attic in the morning?
Most likely a squirrel, and the time of day is the reason.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says squirrels "appear to be most active the first hours of daylight and late afternoon" [1], and University of Kentucky Extension agrees: squirrels are "most active during the mornings and evenings" [2]. Wildlife Illinois, a guide produced with University of Illinois Extension, puts it plainly — fox and gray squirrels "are diurnal, meaning that they are active during the day" [3].
So the pattern to listen for is noise at first light, quiet through the middle of the day, noise again in late afternoon, silence overnight.
Noise that only starts after dark is something else. Raccoons, for one, "are nocturnal and forage for food at night" [5].
Which squirrels end up in Kentucky attics?
Kentucky has three tree squirrel species: the eastern gray, the northern fox and the southern flying squirrel [1]. Two of them cause the problem. Fox and gray squirrels "often come into conflict with humans when they take up residence in an attic, eaves, or walls of a house" [2], and the eastern gray is "the most common tree squirrel found in Kentucky" [2].
Flying squirrels are nocturnal [3], and UK Extension says they seldom cause problems for homeowners [2].
How do squirrels get into an attic?
They chew their way in, or widen something already open. In urban areas squirrels "may cause substantial property damage when they chew through siding or enlarge openings to gain access to attics" [3].
UK Extension lists where to look: "eave openings, attic vents, loose flashing around chimneys and pipes, and openings around cables" [2].
Reaching the roof is the easy part. Squirrels cross from nearby branches, and they jump further than people expect: "Since squirrels can jump up to 10 feet, trim tree branches back at least that distance from buildings to prevent squirrels from accessing the building" [3].
What damage do squirrels do up there?
The damage that matters is structural and electrical, not cosmetic. Once inside, squirrels "may do further damage if they chew on insulation or electric wiring" [3]. The opening rarely stays the size it started at, and insulation gets shifted, matted and packed into nesting material.
Chewing is not incidental — squirrels are rodents with large front teeth [2] — which is why a quick patch does not hold. UK Extension says excluding squirrels takes "quarter-inch or half-inch hardware cloth or 26-gauge metal", and warns: "Do not use steel wool or window screening; the squirrels can chew through it" [2].
Do squirrels have young in the attic?
Yes, twice a year — and it changes when the work can be done.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife puts it this way: "Squirrels usually breed twice a year; summer and winter. A litter of usually 3-4 young are born 40-45 days later" [1]. Wildlife Illinois adds that litters average two to four young, weaned at around eight weeks [3].
So there are stretches of the year when a litter in your attic cannot leave on its own, and UK Extension's instruction is one line: "Do not remove squirrels when young are present" [2].
Closing the opening the adults are using while dependent young are inside shuts the young in. Whether that applies right now is an inspection question, not a guess.
Are squirrels protected in Kentucky?
Yes, and it shapes what anyone can do. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says "Gray and fox squirrels may be hunted in the Commonwealth and flying squirrels may not be hunted" [1] — they are a game species here.
Game status is legal status. UK Extension writes that tree squirrels "are popular game animals pursued by Kentucky hunters, but they are protected by Kentucky law", and that a Kentucky property owner falls under K.R.S. 150.170, "which allows you to protect yourself or your property from damage from wildlife (excluding federally protected species) at any point in the year" [2].
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife also publishes a Wildlife Control Operators list, and is the place to ask about current rules [4].
How does Liberty handle squirrels in the attic?
Squirrels are not a plan pest, so this is wildlife control rather than pest control.
Wildlife control starts with a free wildlife inspection. A local Service Advisor works out how bad the problem is, how the squirrels are getting in — chewed soffits, fascia boards and roof vents — and what is drawing them, such as tree branches near the roof and bird feeders.
From there the work is trapping and removal where it is needed, sealing the openings the squirrels chewed or used, and pointing out the nesting material so you know what cleanup is involved. Afterwards, Liberty comes back to check for new chewing and that the sealed openings are holding.
Chewed and matted insulation is a separate job: insulation removal and attic insulation sit under Liberty Home Services. Both wildlife control and Liberty Home Services are offered in the Paducah area, Southern Illinois and the Hopkinsville area, and not in the Bowling Green area.
When to call a professional
Call when you hear scratching overhead at first light and again in late afternoon, when you can see chewed soffits, fascia or vent screens from the ground, or when leaves, twigs and torn insulation turn up in the attic.
Call sooner if you think there may be young up there. A litter changes what can be done and when, and Kentucky's legal position means the sequence matters. An inspection settles both before anything gets sealed.
Common questions
How do I know it is squirrels and not something else?
Time of day is the most useful tell. Squirrels are active during the day [3] and noisiest in the first hours of daylight and in late afternoon [1], while raccoons are nocturnal and forage at night [5]. Noise on a daylight schedule that goes quiet overnight fits a squirrel.
Is it legal to remove squirrels in Kentucky?
Gray and fox squirrels are game species here and are protected by state law [1] [2]. UK Extension says a Kentucky property owner falls under K.R.S. 150.170, which allows you to protect yourself or your property from wildlife damage at any point in the year [2]. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is the place to ask about the current rules [4].
When do squirrels have babies?
Twice a year in Kentucky, in summer and winter, with a litter of usually three to four young born 40 to 45 days after breeding [1]. That is why UK Extension says not to remove squirrels when young are present [2], and why the time of year matters before anything gets closed up.
Does my pest control plan cover squirrels?
No. Squirrels are not part of Liberty's pest control plans. They are handled by wildlife control, which starts with a free wildlife inspection.
Sources
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "Learn to Hunt Squirrel." https://fw.ky.gov/Education/Pages/Learn-to-Hunt-Squirrel.aspx (opens in a new tab)
- University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Thomas G. Barnes and Matthew T. Springer. "Managing Tree Squirrel Problems in Kentucky" (FOR-45). https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/FOR45.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- Wildlife Illinois. "Tree Squirrels." Developed with University of Illinois Extension, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. https://wildlifeillinois.org/identify-wildlife/tree-squirrels/ (opens in a new tab)
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "Living With Wildlife." https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/living-with-wildlife.aspx (opens in a new tab)
- Wildlife Illinois. "Raccoon." https://wildlifeillinois.org/identify-wildlife/raccoon/ (opens in a new tab)