Rodents tend to nest in woodpiles, sheds and their undersides, decks, dense ground cover, brush and leaf piles, stone walls, overgrown shrubs against the foundation, compost bins, and stored items sitting on the ground.
A backyard nest requires just three things: weather protection, soft building materials, and close access to food. Unfortunately, most southern New Hampshire yards naturally provide all three in multiple locations.
Woodpiles are a very common place for rodents to nest. Stacks of firewood tend to be dry and full of gaps. They’re also next to impossible to inspect. That makes it closer to ideal as far as the rodents are concerned. You can discourage this kind of nesting by keeping firewood stacked on a rack and away from the house.
Sheds and decks are also common. Anything that sits flat on soil creates a protected void underneath and an ideal place for rodents to nest. They’ll then use the structure as a base to explore your foundation and look for ways into your home. Screening the perimeter with hardware cloth can close this space up.
Certain kinds of vegetation can also attract pests. That includes dense ground cover like pachysandra and ivy as well as ornamental grasses, overgrown foundation shrubs, tall grass along fence lines, and brush piles.
Stone walls, common on New England properties, are effectively a purpose-built rodent apartment building. So are compost bins with food scraps, and any stack of pots, tarps, boards, or equipment left on the ground.
To fix this, you mostly want to focus on taking away places they can hide. Get material off the ground, then thin dense cover, mow edges, clear brush and leaves, move firewood, screen under sheds and decks, and secure trash and compost.
If rodents are nesting in your yard, Mosquito Squad of Southern New Hampshire can help. Mosquito Squad finds where rodents are nesting and getting in, clears them with traps and bait stations, and seals the entry points. Monthly rodent protection is also available through Complete Home & Yard coverage.
