Raccoons and Wildlife on Long Island: When Pest Control and Wildlife Meet

Long Island's Wildlife Problem

Long Island is one of the most densely populated areas in the United States, yet it supports surprisingly robust populations of wildlife — raccoons, squirrels, opossums, groundhogs, skunks, bats, and Canada geese that regularly come into conflict with Nassau and Suffolk County homeowners. Long Island's combination of mature tree canopy, residential landscaping, abundant food sources (from bird feeders to unsecured garbage to fallen fruit), and the fragmented forest patches throughout the suburban landscape creates ideal conditions for wildlife populations that have learned to thrive alongside — and inside — human structures.

For Long Island homeowners, wildlife intrusions are not exotic events. They are predictable, seasonal, and recurring — and addressing them correctly requires professional expertise.

Raccoons: Long Island's Most Damaging Wildlife Intruder

The raccoon population across Nassau and Suffolk Counties is large and active, supported by the combination of mature trees, residential food waste, and the abundant structural opportunities that Long Island's aging housing stock provides. Raccoon intrusions are the most costly wildlife problem for Long Island homeowners.

How raccoons access Long Island homes:

• Roof vents — plastic and aluminum vents can be torn open by a raccoon in seconds
• Deteriorated soffit and fascia — Long Island's post-war housing has aging wood soffit and fascia that raccoons easily pull away
• Uncapped chimneys — female raccoons seeking attic den sites will descend directly into a chimney
• Any roofline gap larger than about four inches

Damage raccoons cause: Once inside a Long Island attic, raccoons compact and soil insulation with urine and feces (requiring full replacement), may chew on wood and electrical wiring, and will defend their nesting area aggressively if young are present. The cost of remediating raccoon damage in a Long Island attic — insulation replacement, sanitation, exclusion — routinely runs thousands of dollars.

The right approach: Professional inspection to confirm entry point and determine whether kits are present, humane exclusion, and permanent sealing of all identified entry points with appropriate materials. DIY exclusion when kits are present almost always results in the mother breaching the exclusion to reach her young.

Squirrels in Long Island Attics: A Chewing and Fire Hazard

Grey squirrels are abundant throughout Long Island's suburban neighborhoods, and they are the second most common wildlife intruder in Nassau and Suffolk County homes. Squirrels enter through fascia gaps, deteriorated soffit panels, and any existing roofline gap, and they cause damage through relentless chewing — on structural wood, on insulation, and critically, on electrical wiring in the attic. Chewed wiring is a genuine fire risk.

If you hear rapid, chittering movement in your Long Island attic — particularly in the morning and late afternoon when squirrels are most active — professional inspection and exclusion is warranted.

Groundhogs: Undermining Long Island Foundations

Groundhogs (woodchucks) dig burrows throughout Long Island properties, with a preference for the protected environments under decks, porches, shed foundations, and garden retaining walls. A groundhog burrow extending under a deck footing can compromise structural stability. They are prolific consumers of ornamental plantings and vegetable gardens. Humane trapping and relocation, combined with hardware cloth exclusion beneath the affected structure, is the appropriate management approach.

Skunks Under Decks and Porches

Skunks are common den residents under Nassau and Suffolk County decks and porches. They are generally non-aggressive unless cornered or startled — but a skunk that feels threatened in close proximity to your home creates a spray situation that requires professional odor remediation. Preventing skunk denning requires hardware cloth exclusion barriers installed around deck and porch perimeters.

Bats: Protected and Seasonal

Bats are federally protected, and New York State restricts bat exclusion during the May 1 to August 15 maternity season. If you discover a bat colony in your Long Island home's attic, late summer (after August 15) is the appropriate time to address it through professional exclusion — one-way devices that allow bats to exit but not re-enter, followed by permanent sealing.

Rest Easy Pest Control provides wildlife management services throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Call 888-927-9842 for a professional assessment.