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 procedures.
floor at the base of a refrigerator,
Mice often can produce offspring faster
or at the base of a wall, especially
than control methods can work.
if mice have invaded the premises
Nevertheless, many of the techniques to control
only recently.
and manage rats also apply to mice. In the section.
Mouse Odors
below the differences in procedures between rats and
Smell for the characteristic musky
mice are emphasized.
odor produced by mice. It can be easily
differentiated from that of rats.
Sanitation
Good sanitation makes it easier to detect signs of
Estimating Numbers of Mice
mouse infestation. It also increases the effectiveness of
Estimates are more difficult to get than for rats.
baits and traps by reducing competing food. However,
The number of mice observed or food consumed is not
the best sanitation will not eliminate house mice; they
highly reliable as a census technique with house mice.
require very little space and small amounts of food to
Unlike rats (which may travel widely within a building
flourish.
leaving tracks on many patches of dust) house mice do
Store bulk foods in mouse-proof
not range widely.
containers or rooms. In warehouses,
Read natural signs such as droppings,
restaurants, and food plants stack
urine stains, tracks, and damage.
packaged foods in orderly rows on
Make nontoxic tracking patches of talc
pallets so that they can be inspected
easily. A family of mice can happily
at 20- to 30-foot intervals (5 to 10
live in a pallet of food without ever
meters) throughout a building. The
having to leave the immediate area.
more tracks seen in each patch, and the
Keep stored materials away from walls
more patches showing tracks, the larger
and off of the floor. A 12-18 inch
the population. The percentage of
yellow or white painted band next to the
patches showing tracks, will reflect the
wall in commercial storage areas
extent of the local infestation.
permits easier detection of mouse
Tracking patches are also an excellent
droppings. This band and the areas
means to evaluate a control operation.
around pallets should be swept often so
Compare the number of tracks or
that new droppings can be detected
patches with mouse tracks before and
quickly.
after a control program.
Mouse-Proofing
It isn't easy to completely mouse-proof a building
since mice are reported to be able to squeeze through
CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT
an o p e n i n g a s l i t t l e a s l / 4 - i n c h h i g h .
Control and prevention of house mice is a three-
Seal large holes to limit the movement
part process:
of mice into and through a building.
sanitation,
Plug holes in foundation walls with steel
mouse-proofing, and
wool or copper mesh.
population reduction with traps or
Caulk and fit doors and windows
toxicants.
tightly.
The first two are useful preventive measures.
Seal holes around pipes, utility lines,
When a mouse population already exists, some kind of
vents, etc., to make it difficult for mice
lethal control is necessary. Otherwise, the reproductive
to move in and out of wall and ceiling
capability of the mice, and their remarkable ability to
voids. [This confines mice to a smaller
find food in almost any habitat, will keep their
area and may make snap traps and glue
populations up or increase them.
boards more effective.]
House mouse control is different from rat control.
Applicators that do not take these differences into
Traps
Snap Traps. If used correctly, snap traps are very
account will have control failures.
Sealing mice out of a building is
effective in controlling mice. They must be set in the
difficult because mice are smaller.
right places, in high numbers, and in the right position
Range is small. Identify each infested
or mice will miss them entirely. Here are some factors
site in o r d e r t o t a r g e t control
Module Three Chapter 3, Pg 5
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