Conflicts The squirrel's most damaging habit is gnawing entrances into attics. Once inside, they often use insulation or other materials found in the attic for nest building. Occasionally, they chew electrical wiring and cause short circuits and sometimes fires. Less frequently, squirrels mistakenly end up in the living area of a house. They find their way in through an open damper in a chimney or travel through the walls to the basement.
Squirrels can also become trapped in chimneys.
Nesting in houses is usually the only problem that flying squirrels cause. Gray Squirrels raid fruit and nut trees, and occasionally vegetable gardens. They find flower gardens very attractive, and they eat both flower bulbs and buds. Tree leaves and twigs may be trimmed from trees for nest building, and bark gnawed away for reasons unknown. Squirrels bury nuts and acorns, sometimes in lawns.