Rodents have conquered the world and are considered to be a constant challenge to the global food supply taking at least 5% per annum. Control has been carried out for many centuries now, preventing the spread of disease, damage and distress.

Mice are very agile and able to penetrate small apertures easily, building ingress poses no problem to an inquisitive mouse seeking shelter, harbourage and a food supply. Noise and droppings soon become apparent.

Rats are able to knaw and enter buildings, contaminating materials with their hair, urine and droppings. Drainage systems old and new give additional routes of entry allowing a rapid increase in activity, outdoor areas with suitable food and water supply will allow rats to breed providing they have somewhere to harbour and rear their young.

The house mouse, Mus musculus is a widespread, common and all too well known inhabitant of the UK, which probably arrived here in the baggage of our Neolithic ancestors some 4000 or 5000 years ago.

It can be distinguished from the wood mouse by its greyer-brown fur. The wood mouse has much whiter feet and under parts and has no noticeable odour.