MOUSE TRAP

By Angela M. Tucker, Ph.D., Training Director; Smithereen Pest Management Services

The phrase “mouse trap” brings to mind methods of trapping mice, rats or other rodents, or the children’s board game that involves a plastic Rube Goldberg-like contraption to catch mice and win. In the board game, the goal is to capture all of your opponents’ mice while keeping your mouse safe from capture. As the game is played a familiarity with the spaces on the board gives players experience with where they can escape the mouse trap. Rodents have similar experiences; watching videos of rodents they get faster each time they move through a maze and the goal is the food at the end of the maze. Think of the maze as a structure, perhaps a home or office. Everything that can be done to prevent rodents from entering the maze helps prevent rodents from establishing themselves in the structure.

The primary goal of pest management professionals (“PMPs”) developing a rodent management program is to prevent rodents from entering structures. It is much easier to control a pest outside of the maze, than once

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it has entered the maze. Gaps or openings in structures are a way in. Mice need a smaller gap in comparison to rats; but as a general rule of thumb, if you can see light, then they can get in. Inspecting for these gaps is critical to the success of a rodent management program. A good PMP will identify and communicate the problem areas long

of foods. PMPs should inspect the structure exterior for trash debris close to the structure and around the dumpster area. Rodents have a well-developed sense of smell and an overflowing or loose trash can attract them toward a structure in search of food or soft nesting material. Once they are near the structure, they will look for shelter in or around the structure.

before rodent activity is seen. Once the gaps are found they should be closed or filled in with copper mesh or a sealant.

Cheese is often used in movies, cartoons, and in the aforementioned board game as rodents’ main food source. However, rodents eat a variety

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Preventing rodents from entering the structure is only part of a rodent management program. Monitoring for rodent activity helps PMPs establish current activity by use of bait or glue boards. Exterior monitoring is important to aid in the prevention of getting rodents into the maze. A structure can have rodent activity on the exterior, but no activity on the interior. Remember those gaps; if they are sealed, then the only way in is through the door. Once rodents have entered the structure then interior monitors are used to evaluate the success of the rodent management program.

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