When Squirrels Fly !! About The North American Flying Squirrels
Flying squirrels [glaucomys) actually glide from higher to lower points using the membranes found between their front and rear feet and are closely related to Asian Flying Squirrels and not North America's other squirrels. The Flying Squirrels are quite talented acrobats in their own right like their own squirrel cousins but the thing we remember most about them is that they can can fly (actually glide) long distances and steer themselves while airborne well. The flying squirrels usually leap from tree to tree or go down and grab some nuts on the ground below. The flying squirrels are the only family member of scuridae they are strictly nocturnal rodents and are rarely seen .
The Northern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys sabrinus weighs about 4 oz and compared to other squirrels are very small with a head to tail measurement of about 6.5 inches and a tail of a about 5.5 inches. Flying squirrels are quite the omnivore too they eats nuts, seedlings, tree sap, fungi, and lichens and believe it or not they are very carnivorous they eats birds eggs, nestlings, mice, , insects and even other flying squirrels from other colonies and carrion. These squirrels favor coniferous woods and some hardwood stands.
They have litters in the spring of 2-4 young and usually keep their young with them through the first winter. They are found throughout Canada and central Alaska. Pacific, Northwest, Northeast, Southern California, Utah, Tennessee and in the Carolina's Appalachian areas.
The Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans are found in Southern Ontario, all of the North East, South East , Midwest and as far east as Texas. Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. There diet is similar to the Northern Flying Squirrel but they eat more nuts and less fungi and are smaller in size and are found more often around hardword tree stands.
Trapper Robb did two very interesting and educational interviews with David Kondrup in June ( http://www.podcast-directory.co.uk/episodes/flying-squirrels-bats-with-david-kondrup-7417023.html) and Jul 2009 ( http://www.podcast-directory.co.uk/episodes/flying-squirrels-bats-with-david-kondrup-ii-7417009.html ) and the first podcast one I opened up with some of Davids own descriptions of the Flying squirrel the perfect pest that squeeze through a hole as small as a thumbnail , only makes noises at night and sound like an entire army is living up in their attic and have sign that can confuse the best nuisance wildlife professionals thinking the feces is bat guano.
The second podcast Trapper Robb did with David Kondrup is probably the best info on the web regarding trapping and excluding the Flying Squirrel.
The Secrets Of Flying Squirrel Removal 2011 Podcast
On Nov 20, 2011 a third podcast was done with Paul Antzak, of Knoxville , TN, Clay Oren of Nashville, TN David Mcleod ofAtlanta, Ga and David Schmidt of St Louis Mo got together with Robb Russell of Gainesville, Florida shared inspection techniques and seal up techniques for the infamous, nocturnal are rarely ever seen and photographed in the wild, the Flying Squirrel. http://trapperrobb.com/nuisance-wildlife-trappers-directory/podcasts/the-secrets-of-flying-squirrel-removal-2011/
The Southern Flying Squirrel
