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White-footed and Deer Mice | White-footed and Deer Mice Overview | White-footed and Deer Mice Damage Assessment | White-footed and Deer Mice Damage Management | White-footed Deer Mice Resources | White-footed Deer Mice Acknowledgments | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
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Peromyscus (Deer Mice, White-footed Mice)
The genus Peromyscus is large, and one or more species is found in all parts of North America. These mice are nocturnal and active all year. Peromyscus populations may show large fluctuations. These mice are the most important seed predators in the Pacific Northwest, causing extensive damage in reforestation efforts (Sullivan 1978). Effects on reforestation have caused a shift to the use of hand-planted seed-lings in many areas. Peromyscus also can cause significant losses to corn seedlings in conservation tillage systems but this damage may be offset by their consumption of harmful insects and weed seeds (Johnson 1986, Clark and Young 1986).
Peromyscus may invade homes where they eat stored food and damage upholstered furniture or other materials shredded for use in nest building. They recently have been implicated in the transmission of an often fatal hantavirus to humans. Infections may occur through contact with mouse urine, feces, or saliva. Trapping with snap or live traps is the best method to determine the species present.
Summary of Damage Prevention and Control Methods
Exclusion
Rodent-proof construction will exclude mice from buildings and other structures.
Use hardware cloth (1/4-inch [0.6 cm] mesh) or similar materials to exclude mice from garden seed beds.
Habitat Modification
Store food items left in cabins or other infrequently used buildings in rodent-proof containers.
Store furniture cushions, drawers, and other items in infrequently used buildings in ways that reduce nesting sites.
Frightening
Not effective.
Repellents
Naphthalene (moth balls or flakes) may be effective in confined spaces.
Toxicants
Anticoagulants. Zinc phosphide.
Fumigants
None are registered.
Trapping
Snap traps. Box-(Sherman) type traps. Automatic multiple-catch traps.
Other Methods
Alternative feeding: Experiments suggest that application of sunflower seed may significantly reduce consumption of conifer seed in forest reseeding operations, although the tests have not been followed to regeneration.
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White-footed and Deer Mice | White-footed and Deer Mice Overview | White-footed and Deer Mice Damage Assessment | White-footed and Deer Mice Damage Management | White-footed Deer Mice Resources | White-footed Deer Mice Acknowledgments | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
