Squirrel Removal in Lake in the Hills, IL
The oaks and pines Judge Walter La Buy planted around Woods Creek Lake still draw homebuyers, the village says. Squirrel removal in Lake in the Hills doesn’t mean losing trees like those. It means closing the roof gaps their limbs lead to, and knowing which squirrel you have.
Old Oaks, Older Roofs
In the mid-1800s, surveyors described the Woods Creek watershed as almost entirely prairie. The one island of timber stood where Woods Creek Lake is now. La Buy began buying land around the lake in 1923 and planted pines and oaks there, many of them still standing.
Across the watershed, farm fields turned into subdivisions from the 1990s on, but the village’s Old Section, with its Tree and Presidents neighborhoods, is older. Big trees are where squirrels belong. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) says they would rather nest in a tree cavity than build a nest of leaves. Trouble starts when a limb hangs over the house and gives them a path to the soffit, fascia and vents.
Signs one got in: scratching overhead, nest debris at the roofline, or a new hole chewed at the roof edge. Don’t nail it shut yet. If babies are behind it, their mother may simply gnaw a second opening.
Flying Squirrels: Small, Nocturnal, Handled Differently
Gray and fox squirrels are out by day. The southern flying squirrel works at night and glides between trees on folds of skin, and IDNR says one litter can reach seven young.
That difference carries into the law. Illinois lets an operator euthanize a gray or fox squirrel, but not a flying squirrel. The FAQ below explains where one goes instead.
Sealing an Older Roof Under Big Trees
Our free inspection starts with the limbs over the house, then follows them to the roof: attic and gable vents, gaps at the soffit and fascia, roof edges and chimney chases. It also names the species, since that sets the legal options. Removal is by humane live trap, with every trap checked daily under state rules.
The attic is checked for young before the last gap is closed. Then each gap is repaired with professional-grade materials and backed by a written warranty.
Anything left behind, like shredded insulation, nest debris or chewed wiring, goes to our attic restoration crew, which coordinates with an electrician on wiring. The full method is on our squirrel removal page, and the Lake in the Hills wildlife removal page covers everything else we handle in town.
Lake in the Hills Squirrel Questions
What happens to a flying squirrel once it’s caught?
Illinois rules don’t let it be put down. The state counts flying squirrels as other mammals, which must be released alive under its distance and permission rules or handed to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Our IDNR Class A permit covers flying, gray and fox squirrels alike.
Do we have to cut down our old oak to keep squirrels off the roof?
No. The oak can stay. The real fix is the gap in the roof, sealed once the attic is empty. Trimming limbs back from the roof still helps, and on a big, old tree that’s a job for a tree service.
Squirrels were nesting in our chimney. Is it safe to light a fire?
Not yet. IDNR’s advice: keep the damper shut so they can’t get into the house, and skip the fireplace until the animals are gone and a professional has cleaned the chimney. Then add a cap, or repair the one you have.
The attic noise started when the weather turned cold. Why now?
Tree squirrels don’t hibernate. IDNR says they stay active all year and shelter in their nests during extreme cold, and in town they chew into attics. Winter is also their first breeding season, in January and February, when females want a safe nest.
Keep the Oaks. Lose the Squirrels.
Start with a free inspection from our Hampshire crew. The trees stay, the gaps get sealed, and the work carries a written warranty. Call (847) 997-5215.
Related & Nearby
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