Fall Migration: When Connecticut Rodents Seek Winter Shelter

As late summer fades into fall and winter, it seems that we spend less time outdoors and more time inside the warmth of our homes to escape the cold. Well, the same goes for rodents like mice and rats. These pests tend to look for indoor shelter once food, water, and other necessities are less readily available outside. While this doesn’t happen on a specific date, of course, the changing seasons will signal to outdoor pests that it’s time to find a place to spend the winter.

That’s why your prevention as a homeowner needs to begin well before the seasons start to shift. As temperatures and outdoor resources change, rodents may use buildings like houses, garages, and sheds much more readily. To help prevent issues this winter, we recommend taking the time to inspect and seal any entry points you find while the weather is still mild. Then, you can simply monitor through fall and winter.

Why Rodents Keep Using the Same Routes and Shelter

Rodents’ biology and instincts tell them to protect themselves at whatever cost, which is why they’ll seek the same nests and shelters year after year if they remain a safe place to hide. The same goes for pathways and routes. After all, why attempt a new, unknown route when the proven path is the safest? Plus, if there’s consistent food and water access in those areas, it’s even more incentive to continue using those same routes and nesting places.

This is why visible animals are only one part of the problem. A couple of rodent sightings can actually point to a bigger issue (AKA, a full-blown infestation). Mice can fit through openings as small as 1/4 inch wide, which makes door corners, utilities, vents, roof transitions, crawl spaces, and attached structures fair game for these pests.

And even after you remove one animal, attractions like food/seed storage, trash, clutter, vegetation, and sheltered voids can keep pressure high.

How to Make the Property Harder for Rodents to Use

To help prevent determined rodents from getting back inside for another season, you basically have to make your home harder for them to access. To do so, we recommend taking the following preventative measures: 

• Seal appropriate gaps with durable rodent-resistant materials
• Repair screens, door sweeps, garage seals, and utility/vent openings without blocking required ventilation
• Store food, bird seed, pet food, and feed securely
• Keep trash covered
• Reduce clutter and exterior debris/harborage.
• Monitor for fresh droppings, gnawing, nesting material, rub/traffic signs, and noises after repairs

When to Call for Professional Rodent Control in Old Lyme

If you’re experiencing issues with rodents year after year, professional rodent control in Old Lyme, CT is the next logical step to help keep your home protected. With Mosquito Squad Plus, you can count on us to thoroughly inspect your home before treatment, identify the offending pests, and create a plan to remove them. 

Then, through source reduction, exclusion methods, and targeted treatments, we’ll help clear out existing infestations and help prevent future issues. It’s a simple, effective process that lets you cross this task off your to-do list with confidence.

Need help with rodent control around your Old Lyme property? Call Mosquito Squad of Middlesex, New London & Windham County at (860) 689-1975 or request a free quote online.