The House Mouse: A Fall Pest Problem In Nashville

Autumn has arrived in Nashville and Middle Tennessee and the evening air has become crisp. With the warm shelter our attics, basements and living spaces provide as well as enough food in the kitchen to keep their bellies full, it is no surprise that mice are looking to come indoors on these cooler fall days.  Fortunately for homeowners in our region, All-American Pest Control understands their habits and has trained professionals ready to intercede.

All that stands between the cooler weather outside and the safe haven of our Tennessee homes is a gap no larger than a dime.  Unfortunately mice have the uncanny ability to find any access point on the exterior of your home that they can squeeze through.  Once inside, they are likely to establish nests in insulation, damage drywall, chew through personal belongings and even risk fire hazards by damaging electrical lines with their constant gnawing.  To top that off, mice are similar in nature to us (what goes in must come out) and so droppings and feces are often located where they nest and where they eat (think cupboards, kitchen drawers etc.).  Our homes also provide the perfect conditions to support an ever-increasing colony of mice and expand they will. In fact, female mice can breed constantly producing 6-10 litters a year.

Now identifying a house mouse problem can be tricky as these rodents are nocturnal creatures and scavenge for food under the cover of darkness.  Though you don’t generally have luck spotting a mouse in the house, you can hear them.  It’s true, when your home quiets down at night, you can hear little feet running across the ceiling as well as activity in the walls as they forage.  Other signs of mouse activity include rodent droppings (resembling small grains of rice), chew marks on boxes and containers in the attic, garage or other storage areas, and rub marks.

Though homeowners may try, do-it-yourself efforts generally fall short in eradicating an entire infestation.  Common reasons for failure include:

• Instead of setting mousetraps against the wall (where mice are more likely to travel), they are set up in the middle of a room.

• Products purchased at the hardware store do not address the reason for the infestation (in other words, how they are getting inside).

• Exclusion methods are not implemented to prevent future activity.

The common house mouse can be a serious problem for many Middle Tennessee families; the dangers posed by mice getting into food is serious as their droppings can cause Salmonellosis among other nasty diseases. Mice are known to gnaw on electrical wiring, which can lead to fires and several removal products on the market are harmful to humans and pets.

If you feel you have a problem with mice in your home, breathe easy and let All-American Pest Control, Inc. in Nashville, TN assess your situation and provide a solution to your mouse problem with careful, yet effective pest control for mice in Nashville and Middle TN.  Contact us today for your free home evaluation!