Different Mice Found in the UK
When a mouse is seen, a lot of us are unaware there are different species of mice. So what types of mice are there in the UK? It goes without saying that it helps to know what mouse you are dealing with to understand what they are doing in your home. This quick blog is to introduce you to the mice you may come across.
House Mouse
The house mouse is most common around humans as they live with us in our properties and homes. They migrate moving from building to building in the search for food and shelter. They use pipes cables and wires to move around properties living on natural fats and food. A feed to them can be a crumb to us. They don’t like disturbance so if a building is having building work carried out, they will move on to the next building. The ideal environment for a house mouse is a long street of terrace houses. The mice can travel up and down the street under floors making an entry where ever they find a hole.
Field Mouse
Also known as wood Mouse, as you can imagine they live outside. They thrive in overgrown grass, woods and gardens. They eat mostly seeds from trees, however, they also eat insects, snails, fruit and berries. The field mouse can be identified by the fact the tail is as long as the head and body. Although they prefer to live outside the cold weather will draw them into hardcover. They won’t be as interested in raiding your kitchen for food. They will be more interested in being able to get in and out of your property to get to their usual food source.
Yellow-Necked Field Mouse
The yellow-necked mouse is one of the larger of the species. They are often mistaken for baby rats because of their size. A good way to identify them is by their yellow collar of fur around their neck. They like to eat seeds and grain natural to their habitat. The yellow-necked field mouse is mostly found in the south of the UK.
Harvest Mouse
The harvest mouse is the smallest mouse in the UK. They live in long grass, reeds and hedgerows. They build a spherical nest entwining grass to make their home. These are built off the ground for safety. The problems occur when the harvest mice have set up in fields and it’s harvest time. The machines will drive the mice from the fields, so if your home is in their path, expect a visit.
Types of Mice in the UK
So now we have discovered what types of mice are in the UK, what next? If you are having problems with mice then the first thing you need to consider is how they are getting in. Our blog post Rodent Entry Points may help you to identify how they are making entries. If you know how they are getting in, then you can start proofing. Proofing is the best way to keep the mice out. If you want to find out more about what types of mice are in the UK you can visit The Woodland Trust or contact Pest-Tech Ltd to find out more.