As summer rolls around, we are ready to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. But while you’re being ambitious about fun summer activities, creepy crawlies are also eager to enjoy some time indoors – possibly in your house. So, why is your home at a higher risk for rodents during summer?
Most people believe their homes are at a higher risk for rodent invasions during winter when they escape cold weather and food scarcity outdoors. But this is not quite so. Rodents, including rats and mice, move around with every seasonal change. And you’re likely to see more of them in the summer than during winter!
During summer, mice will escape the heat by settling in your basement, kitchen, and other places where they can keep cool and find food. In this guide, we will answer the commonly asked question, ‘why do mice come into the house in the summer?’
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First Things First, How Do Mice Come into The House in The Summer?
You’ll be amazed to learn that mice are highly intelligent pests. In fact, that’s what makes it hard to detect and control them. Recent studies have found that these rodents also excel at learning and understanding concepts besides having excellent memories.
As unlikely as it may seem, mice can squeeze through a crack or hole as narrow as one-fourth of an inch (about the width of a pencil). Like rats, mice have somewhat collapsible rib cages. They are able to flex their ribs and flatten themselves temporarily to fit through the smallest cracks.
There are many other ways that mice can ‘break into’ your home. For instance, if there is no crack for them to squeeze through, they’ll use their large, chisel-like incisors to chew holes through soft wood, drywall, and insulation.
Mice will effortlessly climb up a downspout or tree to reach your roof. From here, they can easily get into your home via the open attic window or a crack in the soffit board. They can also get in through chimney openings, vents, and open cellar windows.
Once inside, mice will move to the cooler, lower areas where they can find relief from the summer heat. They can take up residence in crawl spaces, basements, behind the refrigerator, and any other cool places.
Why Do Mice Come into The House in The Summer?
It’s a common misconception that mice infestations are seasonal - that they enjoy being outdoors in the hot summer weather and only come indoors when seeking shelter from the cold winter weather. Like all other rodents, mice constantly search for three basic needs – food, water, and shelter.
So, when their food source is reduced in one area, whether during summer, spring, or winter, they search for other areas. Similarly, when the weather becomes inclement in winter, oppressively hot in the summer, or too rainy, mice seek shelter in a safe place.
During summer months, when temperatures are very hot and the sun is scorching, mice hunt for cool places to make their nests. Additionally, these pesky pests prefer fresh food from crops and gardens during summer. You may not want to hear this, but rodents can conveniently access all of these necessities in your house all year round! Hence, they make shelter in the shady areas of your home, where they have easy access to food and water.
Just because you don’t see mice doesn’t mean that these nuisance invaders aren’t running around and causing havoc in some parts of your house. Remember that mice can invade your home during the cold winter months. During this time, they shelter in the warmer areas of your home, such as crawlspaces and attics.
But once summer arrives, these places become unbearably warm, and the little creatures proceed to the lower parts of your home. To put it in a simpler way - mice aren’t necessarily invading your home during summer. But you suddenly start noticing them because there are now moving to the cooler living areas of your home.
Why Are Mice a Problem in The Summer?
It’s easy to assume that mice are more of a fall pest than anything else. But to your disappointment, mice and rats don’t necessarily take a summer break from causing trouble. In fact, they have a tendency to be more mischievous and curious during the hot summer months.
Additionally, the rodent population tends to increase during summer. Typically, mice in the wild breed during warm seasons. So, they will reproduce even faster if they find a way into your home, where there’s ample food, water, and cool shelter. If left undisturbed, mice will breed rapidly and eventually colonize your home.
Besides being a nuisance, mice are also known to cause structural damage in homes. They gnaw on virtually anything, including clothes, books, plastic, insulation, and electric wiring. Unfortunately, rodents are responsible for millions of dollars’ worth of electrical damage in homes and businesses.
Mice eat anything they can get their paws on, including seeds, grains, plants, fruits, and even meat! If that’s not bad enough, these disease carriers contaminate food with disease-causing pathogens. They also leave behind urine, saliva, and feces which are a health hazard to you, your employees, and your loved ones.
But the worst part is that mice are highly social pests and reproduce all year round. If left alone in the conducive conditions of your home, they will build nests and reproduce at an alarming rate. This results in a heavy infestation within the shortest time!
Two mice (male and female) can turn into hundreds of mice in just one year, with the potential to grow exponentially! Hence, you’re advised to call a pest control expert as soon as you notice or suspect a mice infestation.
How to Keep Mice Out of Your Home in The Summer
The most effective way to keep rats out of your home is to understand why and how they get into your home in the first place.
As seen earlier, mice are attracted to food, water, and a cool place that relieves the unbearable summer heat. You want to rodent-proof your home by eliminating possible food and water sources as well as sealing all possible mice entry points.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to mice-proof your home in the summer:
- Thoroughly inspect your home’s exterior and use caulking to seal any cracks or holes on the foundation/walls.
- Don’t forget that mice are great climbers! Hence it’s important to check the roof and ensure it’s in good condition. While at it, ensure plants and trees are not touching the roof of your home.
- Rodents like to hide in tall grass and vegetation. Therefore, you should trim shrubs and ensure your lawn/yard is clean and tidy to make it unattractive for mice.
- Check your gutters and drainage system to confirm they are functioning properly.
- Ensure the garbage cans outdoors and the waste bins in the kitchen are covered at all times. In the same breath, take your trash bags out regularly and replace them with new ones. Also, keep the trash area clean.
- Consider securing foods in glass containers or thick, sealable plastic bags before storing them in the pantry. Bags of pet food should also be stored in a safe place.
- Ensure any food stored in the garage is put in thick plastic or rubber bin to prevent mice from accessing them.
While these are general recommendations, adhering to them will help keep mice away in the summer. If you have an active mice infestation, you should call a pest control expert to inspect and treat your home before the infestation grows out of control. Unlike a smaller infestation, heavy mice infestations are more challenging and expensive to control.
