Wil-Kil Pest Control's Pest of the Month: Mice

One mouse is one mouse too many. They sneak around, contaminating your food supply and leaving germs on your dishes and countertops. Just the thought of having a mouse in your house is enough to make someone sick – and so are the bacteria that they track in. But how do you know if you have a mouse infestation?

Mice are timid, nocturnal creatures that specialize in sneaking around under the cover of night. Even if they are in your house, you will rarely ever see them. On top of their stealth-like behavior, they are also very quick, giving them a chance to hide as soon as they hear you coming to turn on the light.

Luckily there are a few telltale signs that you have a mouse problem that can help you identify the infestation and take the proper steps to remedy the situation.

Identification Tips:

• Look for mouse droppings. These tiny, brown, pill-shaped pellets can be found anywhere a mouse is foraging for food. Pay close attention to cabinets and drawers where you store dishes, silverware and food as mice can chew through walls to get to these areas. You will typically find droppings at the back of these drawers.
  
  
• Check for chew marks. Mice love to chew on wood and cardboard, especially if what’s behind it is food. If you find chew holes in cereal boxes or other food containers, consider putting your food in hard plastic containers. This is often enough to frustrate a mouse and force them to move to another house where food is more accessible.
  
  
• Listen for scraping. Probably the worst way to find out you have a mouse infestation is to hear them in your walls at night. There isn’t much you can do about an infestation in the middle of the night, except move to the couch. But be warned – mice have an easier time climbing up the side of a couch than they do making their way onto a bed!

If you notice any of these signs, or suspect that you have a mouse infestation, call a professional for help. Do-it-yourself methods are not 100 percent effective and, for your own health and safety, you cannot afford to miss even one mouse. A professional technician can find all possible entry points and show you how to properly close them.

In the meantime, make sure to seal up all holes and open spaces around your home with a caulking gun until you can properly repair the areas. Eliminate entry points for mice by filling the bottom of your downspouts with wire mesh and cutting trees back away from your roof. Move all piles of wood and other materials away from your exterior walls and keep your trash in sealed cans to avoid attracting mice.

Taking a proactive approach to pest management is the best way to avoid a mouse infestation and protect your family from potentially harmful bacteria.

Do you have any tips to share? I welcome your comments and feedback!

About Shane McCoy:
Shane McCoy is the Technical Training Director for Wil-Kil Pest Control, a regional pest management company providing quality pest management for residential and commercial properties throughout the Upper Midwest. As an Associate Certified Entomologist with over 18 years of experience in pest management, Shane’s blog provides expert tips and tricks, timely information and solutions for coexisting with the insect life and critters around us. To learn more about Wil-Kil Pest Control, please visit www.wil-kil.com. You can also follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@WilKilPest).