Midwestern winters send everyone indoors, including rodents. During much of the year, rodents are driven indoors to seek out shelter and food. They’ll help themselves to your food stash and leave their droppings everywhere. Rodents can also be a danger in homes as they carry and spread diseases as well as cause a fire hazard by gnawing and chewing through wires. Needless to say, no one wants rodents invading their home. Unfortunately, there are four in Illinois and Indiana that are known to cause homeowners a lot of problems. Read on to learn more with Anderson Pest Solutions.
Common Rodents in Midwestern Homes
1. House Mouse
The house mouse is brownish-gray in color with a pointed snout and a long tail with little or no hair. The species is a close relative to the common laboratory mouse and the fancy mouse seen in pet stores. It’s an inquisitive and cute animal, but unless you’re a bored cat, you don’t want it in your home.
2. Deer Mouse
The deer mouse varies in color from gray-brown to red-brown with a white underside and white feet. It has big, black eyes, almost hairless ears, and a relatively short tail. Don’t be lured by its innocent look; it’s known to spread several infectious diseases including hantavirus and Lyme disease, and it can reproduce throughout the year.
3. White-footed Mouse
The white-footed mouse looks a lot like the deer mouse. They have the same coloring, so one is often mistaken for the other. The white-footed mouse is somewhat larger, however, so it will probably steal more of your food. Just like the deer mouse, the white-footed mouse can carry and spread hantavirus.
4. Norway Rat
The Norway rat has brown, coarse fur and a lighter underside. It’s usually 12-18 inches in length and can weigh up to 16 ounces. The species is also commonly called a street rat, wharf rat, or sewer rat. If you’re afraid of rats, this one is sure to send you running. A Norway rat, when inside your home, can cause a lot of damage with its chewing and gnawing habits.
How to Tell If You Have Rodents Inside
Keeping crumbs and food unavailable, sealing up holes in and around your home and strict control of garbage access can help keep mice and rats away, but if it’s too late for prevention, here are a few signs that they’ve already made themselves at home:
- Squeaking, scampering, and scratching sounds in your walls or attic
- The presence of small, dark, cylindrical droppings
- Visible rodents, which may be seen at night
- Unpleasant, unexplained odors
- Teeth marks or holes in cardboard food packages
Keep Rodents Out of Your Illinois Home
When rodents move into your Illinois home, you need a skilled exterminator to evict them. Anderson Pest Solutions can kick rodents to the curb and leave your home quieter, safer, and cleaner. To learn more about our rodent control services, contact our experts today!
