How to Get Rid of Field Mice in Your Home and Garden?

General information on field mice

The field mouse is the vernacular name of Apodemis, a small mammal often confused with the mouse, shrew, mole rat, or vole. This jumping and swimming animal measures approximately between 16 and 19 cm, tail included, and weighed between 15 and 35 grams. It stands out for its short, rounded muzzle as well as its small, protruding black eyes. With a fairly short life expectancy, less than 1 year, the female of the field mouse can chain up to 4 litters of 4 to 7 young. This insatiable little rodent is recognizable by its reddish-brown coat, white belly, pointy ears, and large hind legs. It has an exceptional morphology allowing it to flatten out to slip into the small holes. The field mice or striped field mice are characterized by the thin black band visible on their back.

In the food chain, field mice are among the most popular meals for carnivores, like owls, foxes, cats, weasels, and wild boars. The field mice feed on caterpillars, snails, insects, fruits, young plants, salads, or root vegetables.

Detect the presence of field mice in your garden

The field mouse digs burrows and uses the mole’s galleries while taking care to arrange its own exits. The passages designed by the mole are oblique, while those of the mole are vertical. This small mammal is mainly active at night and on summer days. The movement noise is a major sign of its presence. To confirm the invasion of the garden by a family of field mice, there are a few clues that never lie:

• Vegetable crops and flowers wither and wilt since the field mouse has devoured their roots.
• Mounds, disturbed earth, and holes appear on the ground. Oblique galleries are visible by digging a little.
• The presence of excrements and small droppings scattered around the garden.
• The rodent nibbles the threads.

Most of the time, field mice choose to establish themselves in wetlands near lakes or streams. They are also fond of fallow fields, the proximity of marshes and green meadows. These animals do not hesitate to set up their nests in a grassy area or near hedges. It’s a matter of regularly taking a look at all of these locations.

Get rid of field mice with repellents

To permanently ward off-field mice while avoiding killing them, using a repellent is an effective means. To do this, it is recommended to opt for a solution that attacks these rodents’ olfactory sensitivity. The field mouse has a fairly developed sense of smell and cannot stand plants with a marked odor. Thus, to scare it away, planting castor, garlic or elderberry outdoors are interesting alternatives, as ecological as they are effective. It is also possible to repel these rodents by making elderberry manure by following this straightforward recipe:

1. Collect 1 kg of elderberry leaves and chop them;
2. Then immerse them in 10 liters of water;
3. Leave to ferment at a temperature between 15 and 23 ° for about 6 to 8 days;
4. Mix the liquid manure every day;
5. When the fermentation bubbles disappear, filter the liquid manure and water the plants with it;
6. Store the rest of the liquid manure in metal containers away from heat and light.

The castor cake from the extraction of castor oil can also be used as a repellent barrier multi. Spread it on the plantations at a rate of 50 g / m or sprinkle the fruit with castor powder and place it at the galleries’ entrance.

Placing 3 or 4 balls of mothballs in the galleries of field mice encourages them to leave their nest or even the entire property. Don’t forget to cover the repellents with soil.

Keep field mice away with ultrasonic devices.

It is possible to scare away field mice by using their hearing sensitivity. A variety of ultrasonic devices are available on the market, with some models exclusively dedicated to field mice. In the absence of ultrasonic devices, there is a technique to get rid of field mice with the wind force. Start by taking a stick and slip it into a plastic bottle. Then place it all in one of the galleries. When the wind penetrates the bottle, it will echo throughout the gallery, which will scare the occupants away. It is essential to wear gloves during this intervention to impregnate the devices or the baits with their odor.

Capture field mice with traps

Bait traps similar to those used to catch mice also work on mice. It is also possible to find special models on the market. Once the animal is locked up, it suffices to release it far enough from the house. As a reminder, here is the procedure for using the hatches.

1. Put on gloves before handling the trap;
2. Prepare bait (cut apples, collect seeds, etc.);
3. Place the bait in the cage;
4. Please wait for the field mouse to trigger the trap door and lock itself in.

Besides the cage, other types of traps also allow you to catch field mice without killing them. Among them :

• The fags  ;
• The coated plates Glu  ;
• Traps equipped with a lead cartridge and a detonator  ;
• Metal parts are equipped with clamps.

Repel field mice with predators

To deter field mice that try to settle in the garden, vegetable patch, or house, it is advisable to call on predators and hunters. In fact, field mice, like other rodent species, are easy prey for some animals. So, to get rid of it, don’t hesitate to set up a tawny owl nesting box outdoors. If feasible, adopting a cat is also an effective solution to combat the invasion of field mice.