Whether they're hiding food, digging an entire multi-room home under your yard, or raiding your pantry for something to munch on, small rodents seem to have a special knack for causing damage, and they have to. Their front incisors constantly grow, sometimes up to a ¼ inch per month, so they need to continually gnaw to wear them down or the growth gets out of control and can cause injury or difficulty eating. There are four furry little annoyances that tend to cause us the most trouble.
Mice
House mice are one of the most populous rodents worldwide and the most common to infest human structures. They have benefitted greatly by living near human populations, as their ability to sneak into homes and find food sources is unparalleled. They cause damage by tearing through food packaging and contaminating much more with their urine and feces. They can also spread diseases such as Hantavirus, Salmonellosis, Tularemia, and more. If you've seen a mouse in your home, chances are there are more hidden somewhere out of sight. Some of the signs you've got roommates are tracks, tiny rod-shaped droppings, and rub marks on the walls along the pathways they repeatedly used.
Rats
Rats are usually looked at as the bigger, meaner cousin of the mouse. They are found everywhere in the world except for locations where the climate is extreme, like Antarctica. The Norway and the Black are the two most common species in Illinois. They are incredibly adaptable and omnivorous to the core. These meaty-tailed creepers can eat anything from grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and just about anything they can find in your home or a dumpster.
They make their way into homes by chewing through siding, wood, concrete, and dropping in through the chimney and vents. Rat skeletons are flexible, which allows them to fit through much smaller cracks or holes than their size would suggest, as small as a 1/2 inch. They are normally suspicious about new things, like food used as bait used in a trap, and it may take days for them to approach it. Getting professional help is recommended if you suspect you've got some of these unwanted guests in your home. They have an extremely short gestation period, so just a few of these pests can quickly become a full-blown rat army.
Voles
Voles look similar to mice and are sometimes referred to as meadow or field mice. They are more closely related to gerbils, though, with stocky bodies and short tails. They are partial ground-dwellers and dig tunnel systems with several adults and young living in a burrow. They also create surface runways that they repeatedly use to prevent grass or weeds from growing in the lines they trample.
Voles are known for causing extensive damage to vegetation, from saplings to mature trees, orchards, and even whole fields of crops. It's not only the extensive underground systems that cause the damage; they also eat many different plants, grasses, seeds, bulbs, and tubers. Occasionally they'll resort to eating tree bark. Large trees have perished at the teeth and tiny claws of the vole because they can dig through the root system while tunneling.
Squirrels
While they were once America's favorite pet, squirrels are now one of the biggest pests. They can dig up a garden while burying acorns and dig more holes trying to figure where their stash is. They'll occasionally pretend to bury something to throw off potential thieves. Their keen sense of smell allows them to find food under up to a foot of snow and can become crazed at the sight of a bird feeder filled with sweet treats. When stuck in the attic, they are one of the most destructive rodents.
If you're concerned about a pest problem in the Northern Illinois area, it's high time that you
contact Wildlife Services. Our experts are ready to come and get those rodents the heck out of Dodge, permanently. Reach out today for an estimate.
