PEST ENDERS, INC.

Pests of the Past

September: Rats & Mice

The purpose of this section is to provide quick and easy identification of various insects and rodents. The pest characteristics are relative to the Chicagoland area. While the insects and/or rodents are active in most parts of the country; the peak activity period will vary according to your location. You will find listed for each month the insect and/or rodent with a history of peak activity during that month. Pest enders has simplified the identification procedure. A more detailed identification process is available at the "pestweb" icon located at the bottom of the page. On screen prompts will guide you through a detailed identification process.

With the onset of cooler weather the commensal rodents (rats / mice) start looking for a warmer place to spend the winter months. The migration to the inside will start in late September and continue on through the winter months. Rodents living in your woodpile may not feel the need to move inside until it gets real cold in December while the rodents living in the leaf debris around your homes foundation will move in as soon as the evening temperature gets into the lower forties. Entry points for rodents can be as small as a dime’s diameter for a mouse and a quarter’s diameter for a rat. Rodents are opportunistic and often enter through an open door.
The most common areas of entry for these two rodents into homes and businesses are. The line leading into the home from the air conditioner out in the yard. The gas line or other utility lines entering the structure. Under or around the overhead garage door. Dryer vents with faulty flapper valves. Upper levels of homes or businesses with vines growing on the sides of the structure. Under entry doors to home/business due to faulty or missing door sweeps. Piggy back inside large deliveries such as furniture etc. Toilet bowls in the basement of buildings
Yes, rats can enter your building through the toilet bowl !!! They can not do this above the first floor but numerous instances of a rat being found in the toilet on the first floor or basement have been reported. The best way to prevent rodent entry into your home or business is to walk around the building checking the areas listed above. If you can stick a pencil under or beside a door or pipe seal it up!!

INTERESTING FACTS..... Mice
	A mouse will live an average of 12 to 15 months. An adult mouse weights1/2 to 3/4 oz. A house mouse is 2.5 to 3.5” long and grayish in color A house mouse has ears which are larger than its head. A mouse's tail is longer than its head and body. A mouse eats only 1/10 oz of food per day, but is a nibbler so it spoils much more than it consumes. A mouse needs very little (1/20 oz) of water daily and usually gets it from the food it eats. A mouse will void 50 or more dropping per day. These droppings are 1/4 “ long and pointed on both ends. A mouse voids 1/75cc of urine per day. A mouse has an average range of 50 feet from its nest. Mice are extremely territorial, and mark their territory with urine. House mice may have as many as 8 litters per year with 4 to 6 mice per litter.

Norway rats	Norway rats live from 12 to 15 months. Norway rats weight from 10 to 17 ounces as an adult. An adult Norway rats body is 7 to 10 inches long, brown on top and sides, and white on its belly. Norway rats ears are proportionate to its head size. Norway rat tails are shorter (6” to 8.5”) than its body. Norway rat consume 3/4 to 1 oz of food daily. A Norway rat drinks 1/2 to 1 oz of water daily. A Norway rats voids between 30 and 180 dropping per day. The droppings are 3/4 “ long and blunted on both ends. Norway rats void up to 15.7cc of urine daily. Norway rats live in a burrow in the ground (15 to 18” deep), or in a void of a wall or floor inside a building. A Norway rat will travel up to 1/2 mile to get the food it needs. Norway rats bear between 3 and 7 litters per year each containing between 6 and 18 rats each.

There are three steps in an effective rodent elimination program. Each is as important as the next and your rodent elimination program will fail if any of them is not completed. 1. Sanitation Clean up all food and water sources. Place garbage in rodent-proof containers. Do not leave food out overnight in the kitchen or other inside areas of the home or business. Drain all sinks and do not leave standing water on floors. 2. Structural Repairs Seal up all openings large enough for a rat or mouse to enter a structure from the outside. Eliminate harborage sites inside by sealing them up. Move your wood pile at least 20’ from your home or business. 3. Baiting or Trapping Baits must be placed in areas accessible to rodents but must be tamper proof if children or pets could access the area. Snap traps must only be placed where children or pets cannot access them. Glue boards are much safer to use in homes with children and pets. Tracking powders are extremely effective if applied inside voids where rodents live. Tracking powders must never be in an area where you can see or touch them. If they are they are improperly placed and must be removed immediately. Pest Enders provides an effective rodent elimination service for homes or businesses starting at $145.00. Rodent elimination is guaranteed for up to 90 days. Call today for an estimate!!

Call today for an inspection of your property. Click on contacts section of web page to locate the number nearest you or you may send e-mail to us at pestend@pestenders.com. We welcome your comments or suggestions.