Latin: Mus Musculus, Apodemus Flavicollis, i.a.
There are typically only two types of mice that resides in houses. It is the house mouse, Mus musculus, and the yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis. Although there are several species of mice in Denmark, they rarely enter one’s home, and if they do, they prefer to get outside again as they do not thrive indoor.
The house mouse and the yellow-necked mouse can cause plenty of trouble, as they easily sneak in through small holes and overwinter in homes and other buildings, causing mayhem.
Appearance
Every people will probably all be able to recognize the house mouse and the yellow-necked mouse but there are a few differences in their appearance. A house mouse can either be dark gray all over the body or only on the head and back, where it is lighter in its color on the belly. The solid colored is typically found in South Jutland, where the one with a lighter belly is found in the rest of the country. The house mouse body length is between 6 and 10 cm, whith a tail in between 7 and 10 cm. It weighs 12 to 28 grams. The excrement is 3-6 mm long, pointed and most often black.
The yellow-necked mouse is dark brown on the upper side (back, ears and head), where the belly (abdomen, chest and jaw) is completely white, with the exception a yellow brown stripe across the chest, just above the paws. This stripe also gave it its name. The yellow-necked mouse is slightly larger than the house mouse. Its body length is 8 to 13 cm, where the tail is 9-13 cm. This species weighs 12 to 55 grams. Its excrement is like the house mouse’s; 3-6 mm long, pointed and most often black.
Both species have the round ears, a pointed snout, and the long thin tail, as you normally recognize the mouse by.
Biology and behavior
The house mouse can be found all over the country, during the summer period they are usually outside. During fall they seek inside houses, as it is warmer, and here they can cause big trouble to people. They like to live near people all year, as there are plenty of food sources near humans. House mice are typically noticed around September in homes. This species can reproduce all year round, which is a good reason not to let them come inside one’s home.
The yellow-necked mouse is rare in West Jutland but can be found all over the country. This species like forest areas, if you live near a forest, you are more likely to see and have problems with the yellow-necked mice. The yellow-necked mice seeks inside the house in the end of November. They rarely reproduce indoors, even though they still build nests to their own need. They will be more active guest, as they move when their feed stores are run-out.
Damage
Both the house mice and the yellow-necked mice are omnivorous, which can cause a major problem when they reside inside. They prefer grain products and various kinds of seeds, so one can find them near those products. However house mice and yellow-necked mice that eat candles, soap and the like have also been observed. Mice are not very polite when they eat and most of the damage occurs because of all the destruction they cause and not just because the eat food stuff and candles.
Beside eating from ones food stuff in the kitchen, the house mouse and the yellow-necked mouse can also bite in various textiles, such as curtains, padding, and bed linen, which is used in their nests. They do also gnaw in woodwork, which is used in their nests too. Not even cabels are safe; the house mouse and the yellow-necked mouse also bites into various electrical installations in search of nesting material. This is probably one of the major problems as this can cause great danger, when they gnaw holes in electrical installations, as this can result in short circuits and fire in buildings.
Both the house mouse and the yellow-necked mouse contaminate with their urine and excrement. It can give an unpleasant odor, if mice have taken up residence in a buliding. Their excrements may contain diarrheal infectious agents which they spread from unclean places to clean places in the building and homes.
In addition, the house mouse can be a great inconvenience for all, even in apartments. Both species can climb rough walls, but the house mouse can enter through small holes, holes at just 7 mm in diameter. Therefor there is even a risk to get problems with mice if you live in a apartment.
Prevention and control
It is extremely difficult to prevent mice as they are too agile. Common sense, however, should always be used. Basement windows should always be closed, downspouts should be fitted with sentinels, and food should be safely stored.
Holes and cracks larger than 5 mm should be closed or blocked with metal nets, or metal plates, which the mice cannot penetrate.
Avoid giving the mice access to food and water, this applies to bird feeding and bird baths, which often attract mice. Traps are commonly used in mouse control. It can be regular traps that kills the mice, or it can be live-traps. You can use poison, which is applied along the base of the house. In this way, the mice are deterred from crawling up and in. However, poison should be used properly so that children and pets are not harmed.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)