Why squirrels Thrive in Bennington
squirrels are remarkably adaptable. squirrels can squeeze through gaps as small as 1.5 inches. In Bennington, where the humid continental climate provides 71% average humidity and temperatures ranging from 12ยฐF in winter to 80ยฐF in summer, these pests find the resources they need to establish and expand their populations.
The research on squirrels in U.S. homes, and what it means in Bennington
There is no Bennington-specific squirrel infestation rate published by any agency, and this page does not invent one; what exists for Bennington readers is national and regional survey data plus published pricing benchmarks, summarized below with their limits stated plainly. In Puri and colleagues' 2022 survey of 1,006 residents of one southeastern U.S. metro area, published in 2024, squirrels and chipmunks (asked about together) were the most widely reported animals, present nearby for 89.1% of respondents; presence means sightings, not infestation. Puri and colleagues' 2022 survey of 1,006 residents of one southeastern U.S. metro area, published in 2024, found that among people with squirrels or chipmunks nearby (the two were combined), only 9.3% preferred a large decrease; the figure describes opinion, not squirrels in buildings. Before comparing Bennington quotes, note this: in the 2022 wildlife-perceptions survey by Puri and colleagues (1,006 residents of a southeastern U.S. metro area, published in People and Nature in 2024), 15.2% of respondents with squirrels or chipmunks nearby preferred a small decrease, an attitude measure and not an infestation finding. For Bennington, Vermont the relevant figure is this: for a homeowner, it helps to know that a few neighbors actively want more squirrels: 8.4% of metro-area residents reporting squirrels or chipmunks nearby said so in Puri and colleagues' 2022 survey (published 2024), which measured neighborhood attitudes, not infestations. Bennington is not an outlier on this point: some 30% of respondents who had paid to address an infestation in the previous year spent $1,001 to $5,000, per ConsumerAffairs' February 2024 survey of 2,000 U.S. respondents, a self-reported poll covering pests and mold that reflects stated spending, not observed bills. Because every figure above has a stated population and date, you can cite it when comparing Bennington providers; what none of them can tell you is what your specific Bennington property needs, and that still takes an on-site inspection.