News & Updates
Feb 23, 2011
Pest of the Month...Mice read more
Aug 26, 2010
Pest of the Month...Bed Bugs read more
Mar 1, 2010
Bed Bugs Are taking Over... read more
Feb 23, 2010
Mosquitoes won't bite if they can't take flight... read more
Feb 18, 2010
Dogs and cats at risk as epidemic kills raccoons... read more
Jan 19, 2010
Dealing with bedbugs.... read more
Jan 19, 2010
How to prevent a bedbug infestation, and what to do if you get one.... read more
Pest of the Month: Mice
Well, this time of the year has many pests laying low due to the cold weather. But through this nasty cold some still pose some problems. These days any Pest of the Month could easily be dominated by the infamous Bed Bugs. But not only bed bugs, this time of the year finds us busy with Carpenter Ants, Pavement Ants and Mice.
The winner is...Mice.
Mice/rodents find there way indoors in the fall not because they are cold but because their food disappears. The seeds die off, insects hibernate leaving mice with very little to eat so they go on the search. Most homes or business end up having a gap under a garage door or a hole where a pipe comes out etc... These gaps/holes allow air currents to move and the mice "catch" these air currents that often are carrying food scents form garbage etc...in their whiskers and investigate. Subsequently they end up in a wall and work their way to the attic and into various parts of the house. Eradicating them from a structure is relatively easy as long as you have the right facts and the right tools. Many rodenticides out their will kill mice but there will be some unfavourable "side effects" with them. A strong dead mouse odour can be caused by many of the poisons; which is never good. However, there are a few out there that work very well and with no odour problems.
Then sealing the gaps that are allowing them in along with a proper treatment is the end of it.
There are two types of mice that infest structures in Ontario. The most common being the House Mouse which is grey in colour. The body is 3 to 4 inches long with the tail another 3 to 4 inches. Pointed head with large ears. The deer mouse is bi-coloured with the upper portion of the tail and body a brownish colour. The underside of the tail and stomach area is white. The body is 2.75 to 4 inches long and the tail 2 to 5 inches long. Eyes and ears are large.
A house mouse can drop up to 100 black rod (rice) shaped droppings per day. They have 3 to 8 liters a year, each litter averages aprox. 6 young. Mice live an average of 1 to 2 years. They can squeeze through holes about the size of a dime (3/8 inch). The can jump aprox. 12 inches high and are good climbers.
Pete Bartonek
Mr. Pest Control
