Hickory, Dickory, Dock - Let's Keep the Mouse Off the Clock

There are a lot of books, fables and nursery rhymes that feature insects, spiders and rodents, some starring our friend the house mouse, mus musculus. Titles such as, “The Ants Go Marching”, “Little Miss Muffet”, and of course “Hickory Dickory Dock”, and “3 Blind Mice”, all bring back pleasant memories of our childhood. While these creatures play an important role in nature, rodents in particular are one guest you do not want to entertain in your home or cottage.

Rodents constantly urinate and defecate as they travel, contaminating objects, surfaces and food. They also carry salmonella and other harmful bacteria on their bodies and are known to transmit harmful viruses and disease. Finally they can cause electrical and structural damage by chewing wires that may lead to fires.

When it comes to rodents the best course of action is to keep them away from the home by removing favourable food sources and hiding areas, and to keep them from getting inside by eliminating potential access points. If both of these prevention techniques are implemented and maintained, the use of control methods, such as traps or rodenticide, is rarely needed.

Rodent Prevention Techniques

Eliminating hiding or harborage areas for rodents near the home goes a long way in preventing them from getting inside. Harborage areas provide shelter and security to rodents, giving them a safe base to investigate access points into your home. Without these hiding places, rodents are left out in the open, exposed to predators and the environment. The following actions can be taken to keep rodents out in the cold:

Ensure the exterior perimeter of the home is well maintained to eliminate tall grass, weeds, leaf accumulation, etc. from the foundation.

Fire woodpiles and other items should be located so as not to lean against the exterior wall of the home. Rats and mice often nest in woodpiles or under objects that are sitting on the ground so keeping this material away from the wall is important to reducing rodent pressure for entry.

Control possible food sources such as pet food and birdseed that may be stored in outdoor bins and / or garages. Ensure containers are tightly sealed and strong enough to exclude rodents.

When feeding pets outside, ensure that food bowls are emptied at night and spills are cleaned up. Rodents will stockpile dried pet food for future use – my snow blower still contains dried dog food that some long past visitor hid within it 4 years ago.

Rodent Exclusion Techniques

One thing to keep in mind when implementing exclusion techniques is that mice can fit through an opening the size of a dime. Rodents in general can chew through a variety of materials including concrete to make an opening larger so they can gain access. These two factors make it important to be thorough with identifying potential entrance points and to use the appropriate materials when sealing off these areas. The following list includes the most common entrance points for rodents into a home:

Ensure the weather-stripping or door sweeps on all exterior doors is in good condition. Daily door use typically requires regular replacement of weather-stripping every few years.

Make sure there are no gaps around utility lines where they pass through the exterior wall into the home. Often gaps exist around electrical conduits, gas mains, and central air conditioning lines that allow mice entry. These gaps should be sealed with caulking, construction putty or concrete for exclusion.

Ensure that all exterior opening vents are covered with window screening. Areas to check include roof vents, cold cellar vents, etc. Rodents often gain access to the attic from the exterior via the exhaust vents for this space.

Ensure that attached garages are well sealed both around the exterior perimeter and where they attach to the main structure. Weather-stripping needs to be maintained on garage doors and these doors should be kept closed when not in use. Often utility lines will enter the home within the garage so again ensure there are no gaps around these lines. Finally, openings may be created when attaching a garage to an existing structure or possibly during the initial construction of the home; be sure that these areas are identified if they exist as they can support chronic rodent activity.

So this fall if you happen to be reading, “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie” or “Charlotte’s Web”, enjoy the book knowing these cute creatures will not be making your home theirs.

Steven Graff.

Mealworm Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup mealworm flour

Directions:
Cream butter well, then mix in sugar, egg, vanilla flour, salt, baking soda, chocolate chips, oats, and mealworm flour. Drop batter by the teaspoonful on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees farenheit.

Abell’s Environmental Position

Did you know that Abell Pest Control’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs are based upon preventative action and safe control? This means that even if the pest activity at your home or business does prove to be unacceptably high requiring a stronger response, we have methods to address that safely too. Our Quality Assurance Department strives to develop services that meet and exceed Provincial and Federal safety guidelines.

As a family owned Canadian business Abell is committed to pro-active environmental stewardship. To that end Abell has recently developed commercial and industrial control programs that effectively manage pests, protect the public and are environmentally safe. Abell is excited to continue to develop these programs on behalf of our employees and loyal customers.