Mice...and why there everywhere

[southernadkhiker]

Does anyone know where this surge of mice living in people's camps/homes are coming from? I orginally thought it was because my family had 14 trees cut down and I figured the old hardwood's harbored an ecosystem beneath the roots for them. But I've come to find out that people all over town have been catching 20, 40, and one guy even caught 60 mice in his house within the last couple months. In northville at the hardware store, they have this huge bucket full of mouse traps b/c so many people have been asking for them. If anyone has info on why this is happening please post.

[Hobbitling]

I'm doing a deer mouse population study, and its like that all over NY. We normally get around 5-10% success rates with our live capture sherman traps. lately we've been getting closer to 20-40%. and lots of all the other smal mammal species too. plenty of jumping mice, red squirrels, chipmunks. hopefully this will benefit the carnivore populations.

My guess is a bumper crop of acorns or maple seeds, or some other forage.
<<update>>
I found this article.

http://www.ofo.ca/2006-7winterfinchforecast.htm

apparently the regional mast crop cycle of both the conifers and hardwoods fell on the same year in 2006. So this is the payoff of last years crop. There was probably a much higher winter survival rate.

that means watch out for lyme disease next year. mice=ticks.

[Rik]

Does anyone know where this surge of mice living in people's camps/homes are coming from? I orginally thought it was because my family had 14 trees cut down and I figured the old hardwood's harbored an ecosystem beneath the roots for them. But I've come to find out that people all over town have been catching 20, 40, and one guy even caught 60 mice in his house within the last couple months. In northville at the hardware store, they have this huge bucket full of mouse traps b/c so many people have been asking for them. If anyone has info on why this is happening please post.

No wolves.

[Lute Hawkins]

Walk softly and carry a big snake.

[ADKHUNTER]

Does anyone know where this surge of mice living in people's camps/homes are coming from? I orginally thought it was because my family had 14 trees cut down and I figured the old hardwood's harbored an ecosystem beneath the roots for them. But I've come to find out that people all over town have been catching 20, 40, and one guy even caught 60 mice in his house within the last couple months. In northville at the hardware store, they have this huge bucket full of mouse traps b/c so many people have been asking for them. If anyone has info on why this is happening please post.

I wish I knew. I can't keep enough poison in my camp. They eat it that fast. I'm getting tired of the stink every time I go up. I mustt confess, I do like the sound of the snap 15 or so minutes after I go to bed.

[Little Rickie]

Walk softly and carry a big snake.

Some things should be kept private.

[redhawk]

I think it's Disney's fault!!

[Starshadow]

Don`t have a reason why, but it can be handled. It will take some time, diligence and some fiberglass insulation, "Great Stuff" and a caulking gun.

For a very short while I worked for an exterminator. You can kill them all you want once they`re inside, but to solve the problem you eventually must keep them out.

Contain and seal the food supply. Keep trapping them, peanut butter on the trap is irresistable.

Get down on your hands and knees and close up any hole or crevice on the outside of the structure. If they can`t get in or you can at least slow them down, its winning. The urine and feces they generate is impetus enough for me. I did it and it worked.

[ADKHUNTER]

Don`t have a reason why, but it can be handled. It will take some time, diligence and some fiberglass insulation, "Great Stuff" and a caulking gun.

For a very short while I worked for an exterminator. You can kill them all you want once they`re inside, but to solve the problem you eventually must keep them out.

Contain and seal the food supply. Keep trapping them, peanut butter on the trap is irresistable.

Get down on your hands and knees and close up any hole or crevice on the outside of the structure. If they can`t get in or you can at least slow them down, its winning. The urine and feces they generate is impetus enough for me. I did it and it worked.

Lots of nooks and crannies in a camp but you are right. Time to fill the holes. It will just get worse with cool weather approaching too.

[adkmoose]

No wolves.

Maybe the answer then would be to reintroduce the wolf, wait , can't go there again.
Just trap them all, wait ,can't discuss that either.

[1894]

Time for a better mousetrap
They will chew through Greatstuff pretty easilly , Fiberglass insi makes great homes for them. Caulk or even better construction adhesive slows them down.
Our camp is old enough , and too low to the ground to get under there to really seal up all the holes.
Thinking , mayby get a cat to live under the camp
Probably need a new one each spring though
Oh well it sounded good.

Phil

[Rock]

Cellulose insulation

Mice hate cellulose insulation; it’s used to blow into the walls, floors and ceilings of houses or camps that don’t have insulation. Its recycled newspaper with boric acid in it. We put this in our camp instead of fiberglass and there were very few mice.

[1894]

Do they still put formaldehide <sp> in that stuff ??

Phil

[Rock]

Not sure. All I know is that stuff is awful to use, even with a mask.
You can get it now with pesticides in it for bugs.

mouse.bmp

[1894]

A neighbor at camp uses a five gallon bucket with 3-4" of water in it , a coathanger straightened out with a tin can painted with peanut butter across the top. He even added a board for a ramp. His Idea " why set a trap for just one mouse at a time, I get 'em by the dozens "

Phil