As the days get colder, many of us think that pest season has passed. There are no more flies on our food or mosquitoes buzzing through an open door or window. While mother nature puts some pests to bed, winter weather is the perfect excuse for others to invade your home. Mice and rodents are the most common offenders of this invasion each year.
Mice and Rodents Search for Comfort
While the temperature drops outside, the temperature inside your home increases. Mice and rodents like warm places to get cozy and hunker down for the winter. They can squeeze through very small cracks and openings, so keep them out by sealing gaps in your home’s exterior. The two most common places rodents first show up are the garage and utility room or closet. Mice entering a new structure typically go under garage doors or alongside utility/cable lines that go through foundation walls. If the hole is the size of a dime, the opening is big enough for mice to get through. Once inside, they will look for warm spots such as the fan behind your refrigerator, inside cabinets and near ductwork. Mice and rodents also love to nest and hoard their food in untouched boxes or dark spaces.
Time is of the Essence
Mice and rodents can cause all sorts of problems once inside a home. They can spread disease, cause stomach illnesses and can introduce new parasites to a home or a business. Once you realize you have a mouse or rodent infestation, you have to act fast. Infestations can spread quickly due to the rapid rate of reproduction in mice and rodents. One female mouse has the ability to give birth to up to 12 babies every 3 weeks. A female mouse can be ready to reproduce as early as 4 weeks of age. Their gestation cycle is between 19-21 days. That means there is potential for a large population of mice to appear in a short period of time.
Patton’s Winter Pest Plan
Include Patton Termite & Pest Control in your mice and rodents pest plan of attack this winter. Let us investigate the trouble spots and weak points in your home’s protection and design a layer of pest control that works throughout the year. Patton offers a comprehensive, proactive pest management service designed to protect your family from crawling insects, spiders, mice and more. Locally-owned with more than 20 years of experience in the Wichita area, you can trust Patton for year-round pest prevention.