Southern flying squirrel
Glaucomys volans
- Identification
- Small, nocturnal squirrel with a gliding membrane and large eyes; often unseen, heard scurrying at night.
- Lifecycle & behavior
- Colonial denning, sometimes many individuals together in an attic; active at night year-round.
- When it's active in Central NY
- Common in wooded CNY areas and frequently overlooked for months because they're nocturnal and quiet by day.
- Risk & damage
- Gnaw and nest like other squirrels and can enter in numbers; droppings accumulate in attics.
- Why DIY falls short
- Nighttime activity and small entry points make detection and exclusion difficult without experience.
- How we treat it
- Removal, thorough sealing of small entries, and cleanup — the same removal-plus-exclusion approach.
Flying squirrel or gray squirrel?
Flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal, which is the giveaway — attic noise that begins at dusk and continues through the night. They are much smaller than gray squirrels, with very large dark eyes, silky gray-brown fur, and a loose fold of skin between front and hind legs that they use to glide.
They also behave differently in a structure: flying squirrels are social and often present in groups, so what sounds like a large amount of activity for a small animal usually is exactly that.
Flying squirrels in Central New York
Flying squirrels are far more common in this region than most people realize, precisely because they are nocturnal and rarely seen. Wooded properties with mature trees close to the house — Forest Home, the gorge edges, Cayuga Heights, and rural wooded parcels throughout the five counties — host them regularly.
Because they are colonial, an attic occupancy often involves several animals rather than one, and because they are small they exploit openings a gray squirrel could not use. That makes a thorough inspection more important than usual: sealing the obvious hole while missing three smaller ones accomplishes nothing.
Dealing with southern flying squirrel?
Our squirrel removal handles it — guaranteed, family-owned, and local.
Southern flying squirrel — common questions
Something is active in my attic only at night. What is it?
Most likely flying squirrels or bats — both are nocturnal, unlike gray squirrels, which are strictly daytime. Flying squirrels tend to sound like fast skittering and are often present in groups. Identifying which one matters, because bat exclusion is legally restricted by season.