Mice (Muridae)
Family Name
Muridae is the largest rodent family, comprising over 700 types of rats, mice and gerbils.
General Characteristics
Uniformly brown or grey in colouring with a tail that can be as long as their bodies. Omnivorous, they often live in and around buildings.
Pest Control
A thorough site survey is recommended as baiting alone is rarely fully effective. The source of the infestation and location must be found and it should be thoroughly cleaned. All possible food sources, including garbage, should be removed or stored in sealed containers.
Another key point is to seal off all likely access points. These include downpipes and holes in external walling.
The most effective way of eliminating mice is use of poison bait or rodenticide. To ensure these are deployed safely, it is recommended that an expert pest control professional is employed. They will be able to place the bait in the positions it is most likely to be eaten and will make sure secure bait stations are used to avoid accidental ingestion by domestic pets or humans.
To see the best practice and guidance for rodent control and the safe use of rodenticides, check out the CRRU UK code of best practice – Click Here
Species Characteristics
Click on the names to see their specific characteristics.
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House Mice - Mus musculus
House Mice – Mus musculus
Body length 60 to 90mm with tail 80 to 100mm. They have relatively small feet and head but large eyes and ears. Will have 7 litters a year each with 4 to 16 young.
Field Mice - Apodemus sylvaticus
Field Mice – Apodemus sylvaticus
80 to 100mm long body with tail between70 and 90mm. Sandy or orange brown fur on head and back with yellowish fur on flanks and a white belly. Average lifespan only 2 to 3 months but can be longer.
Areas where they are found
Mice tend to live in grassy or bushy areas and make their nests in shallow burrows. Outdoors they can be found in leaf piles or wood piles, even a stack of bricks.
When the weather turns colder they look to come indoors in search of warmth. They will live close to a source of food and destroy materials in the vicinity to build a nest.
Significance as a pest
Mice are essentially incontinent and urinate freely. An infestation of mice is often detected by the musty smell of their urine. They will contaminate all surfaces they cross with urine and faeces.
They can infect and cause loss to stored food and field crops and can destroy packaging.
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