Small rodents leave their burrows and migrate near buildings. Several moved even inside homes and commercial buildings.

Temperature will definitely remain a hot topic! The weather cocktail of recent weeks resulted in an unusually high request for mice interventions for this time of the year and this, as much in Quebec as in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. The heavy rains of late December forced the rodents to leave their burrows and migrate near buildings (where the soil is better drained) in search of new shelters. Subsequently, the intense cold strongly encouraged them to move inside homes and commercial buildings.

This is particularly the case for deer mice that are observed on a much more frequent basis, even in urban areas. Although deer mice and white-footed mice rarely breed inside homes, we need to be very cautious because these species may carry the Hantavirus. There are very few documented cases in Eastern Canada, but the virus can be contracted by handling rodents with bare hands, by being in contact with their saliva, urine or by breathing dust contaminated by their droppings.

Voles (field mice) are no exception and they have approached building foundations. We have actually captured some in the multiple-catch traps installed around the perimeter of our head office and property boundaries. Most of these traps are now buried under the snow where they will continue to capture these small rodents that remain active during winter.

A trick to prevent mice infiltration in your home or commercial building is assuring the tightness of pedestrian doors and garage doors while the gaps around pipes and electrical wiring are properly sealed. For even more peace of mind, call one of our pest management specialists who can identify risk areas and advise you on corrective actions to undertake.

For more details, please consult our advisors!

The technical team

go to top