House Mouse

Identification

• brown to gray colored fur with a lighter colored belly and large ears
• tail is naked and about the same length as the head and body combined
• 5 to 8 inches long, including tail

Nesting Habits

• prefer to nest in protected areas near a food supply and and heat
• indoors: dark corners, especially behind appliances that produce heat

Diet

• stored food products, human food, seeds

Significance

• contaminate food, damage property and spread disease
• scare people

IPM Recommendations

• Install tight-fitting door sweeps.
• Seal exterior cracks, crevices and areas around pipes and electrical conduits that enter buildings through walls.
• Reduce clutter indoors and outdoors.
• Minimize nesting habitat around property.
• Move dumpsters at least 50 feet from buildings.
• Keep all exterior doors closed.
• Store food in pest-proof containers.
• Monitor with non-toxic bait blocks in tamper-resistant bait boxes.
• Use snap-traps placed with triggers toward the baseboards, especially in dark corners.
• Use multiple baits: peanut butter, hotdogs, floss, etc.
• Train kitchen and custodial staff to clean thoroughly.

Additional Resources:

IPM for Rats and Mice: Integrated Pest Management in Sensitive Environments (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)