House Mouse

Characteristics
Size: The body is about two inches long and will weight about one ounce.
Color: Gray in color, some may appear darker.

Introduction
Mice are more common in urban and suburban communities than rats.

Behavior
Mice and rats feed on seed and plants outside. When it gets cold, these seeds and plants are gone. This is why mice and rats begin to appear inside during the cooler months, in search of an alternate food source. Mice are very agile, so they are capable of gaining access into your home through holes in soffits or even cables or wire access that lead into your home. They are able to squeeze through the smallest of holes. Mice can squeeze through a 1/4 inch hole (about the size of a pen). Due to the fact that rodents chew on electrical wiring, they have become one of the leading causes of structural fires.

Habitat
Mice are found throughout the country, especially in urban and suburban areas. Their nests are located around home in stacked wood, brick, stones and even piles of leaves.

Tips for Control
The best control is prevention! This is gained through exclusion or sealing off all possible access points including weep holes, cracks around the garage door, or holes in soffits. Step 2 is to get rid of all possible nesting sites (especially in the garage). This includes stacked firewood, bricks, or any other debris. It’s also very important that glue boards are strategically placed throughout the garage to prevent rodents from entering the home.