Don't Be Fooled By A Warm Fall, Rodents Are Coming

Cold temperatures drive rodents into homes, right? So, what do warm temperatures do? You may have noticed that we've had a lot of warmer-than-usual days this year. It isn't your imagination. Experts are seeing warmer trends throughout the Midwest. Will all this warmth keep rodents from trying to get into your home this year? Not likely. The cold temperatures are coming, and so are the rodents. Let's look at how warm weather can actually make this year worse for rodent infestations. If rats or mice have already gotten into your home and you need help, contact the nearest Miller Pest & Termite office for assistance. We use industry-leading control solutions to remove these sneaky critters systematically. With that said, let's get into our subject for today.

Warm fall temperatures create a longer breeding season

When we have a warm fall, it is like an extension of summer. What do rodents do in the summer? They reproduce—and they do it quickly.

• House mice (Mus musculus)
  These little rodents breed continually when conditions are favorable. The length of time for a female mouse to develop a baby in the womb and give birth is about 19 to 21 days. Compared to the gestation period of a human baby, which is about 280 days, that is a startlingly short period of time. A female house mouse will give birth to 4 to 8 pups, but under ideal conditions, as many as ten pups can be produced.
• Roof rats (Rat rattus)
  These mid-size rodents breed almost as quickly as mice. Roof rats have a gestation period of 21 to 23 days with litters that consist of 5 to 8 pups.
• Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)
  These robust rodents have a gestation period of about 22 days, which makes them similar to roof rats. However, Norway rats tend to have larger litters, with about 6 to 12 pups in each litter.

As you can see, these animals reproduce surprisingly fast, so given an extra month or two, they can significantly increase their numbers. This means there will be higher rodent pressures at the end of fall and the beginning of winter.

Warm temperatures can increase food availability

Rats and mice are always searching for food. That means food availability directly drives rodent activity.

• Rats and mice eat many food sources from vegetation. When warm days extend into fall, these food sources may remain available.
• During a warm fall, nuts and fruits may fall later in the season. These are particularly important food sources for rodents.
• When we have a warm fall, insects and other bugs are active longer. These critters are a source of protein for rats and mice.

Cold weather is coming

As we pointed out in our opening comments, make no mistake, the cold temperatures are going to come, and when it gets cold outside, the plentiful rodents may start to look for warmer places to live. They may notice warmth leaking out around exterior doors and windows or plumbing and utilities as they explore your exterior. An adult rat can squeeze through a gap the diameter of a quarter, and an adult mouse can fit through a gap the diameter of a dime. If a gap isn't large enough, these rodents can make them larger with their teeth.

Can you get in front of rodent problems?

Yes. You certainly can. There are many ways to protect your home from rodent entry. Here are a few suggestions:

• Bolster your weatherproofing to reduce heat leakage. If rodents don't sense warm air leaking out of your home, they may not gnaw, scratch, and squeeze to get in.
• Repair damaged wood or fill in wood cavities with expanding foam. By keeping rodents out of these areas, you may stop them from gnawing their way into your wall voids.
• To protect openings, apply metal flashing, wire mesh, or other exclusion materials.
• Apply caulking material around the plumbing under sinks inside your home to prevent rodents from getting all the way in. These are common entry points.

In addition to implementing the rodent-proofing strategies above, it is important to consider attractants that lure rats and mice to your home.

• Remove birdfeeders. Seeds are a dietary staple for rodents.
• Rake up nuts and fruit. All rodents love nuts and fruit.
• Protect berry bushes if you have them. Install fencing a foot below the surface of the ground.
• Install fencing material to block access to voids underneath decks, porches, sheds, etc.
• Remove junk piles and yard clutter. Rodents hide under these.
• Always keep your trash receptacles covered. Rats and mice are not picky eaters.

Professional rodent control for your Midwest home

Whether you need to get rid of a current rodent infestation or want professional help preventing mice and rats, Miller Pest & Termite can help with effective rodent control. Available in Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, and throughout our service area, we have several tools in our arsenal, including but not limited to:

• Baiting
• Trapping
• Repelling
• Exclusions

In addition to our stand-alone rodent control services, Miller Pest & Termite offers ongoing home pest control services that target mice, rats, and other common house-infesting pests. Check out our Miller Guard plan below!

Contact us today to request a rodent inspection. We will examine the conditions in and around your home and let you know what your property needs. The cold temperatures are coming, and rodent pressures will rise—they always do. Get in front of rats and mice with help from Miller Pest & Termite.