Wood mouse in the house
WE have this device in our house that magnetises the electrical wires and deters mice from entering our attic.
We haven’t been bothered by them for years, so they must have cleared off into some other darkened hole.
Gone are the days of putting cruelty-free mouse traps in the loft, catching mice, avoiding the dog and taking them far enough away so they wouldn’t come back.
Come to think of it, isn’t that a bit cruel removing the mice from their close families?
Of course I am talking about the house mouse that is seen as a pest, yet in our gardens there are lots of wood mice, which can delight us.
Street smart house mice will avoid cats, but the common wood mouse will often end up in those feline claws and jaws.
They will be a little less aware of the cat’s attentions.
So you are more likely to see them in your home.
The wood mouse is one of our most common rodents.
It is similar to the house mouse, but has larger ears and eyes relative to its size.
Often known as the long-tailed field mouse, it is probably most common in woodland, rough grassland and gardens.
It is mostly nocturnal so it’s not too common a sight, however, it climbs with great dexterity and you might see it hanging off plants.
Wood mice will gather food stores of berries and seeds in the autumn, which they keep in underground burrows or sometimes in old birds’ nests.
Females have up to six litters a year of between four and eight young and may even breed over winter if food is abundant.
The wood mouse is golden-brown, with a pale underside, large ears and eyes and a long tail.
It is bigger than the harvest mouse and browner in colour than the house mouse.
They are so common that their numbers affect the feeding patterns of tawny owls.
If wood mouse numbers are low, tawny owls may not bother to breed which would lead to their young starving.
So we need plenty around to fulfil their link in the food chain.
Of course, mice love cheese; we have all seen the cartoons.
In fact, mice will eat a lot of things, but wood mice will tend to stick to their own outdoor food.
And don’t be surprised to see them on your bird table.
My brother, Brian, often has lots of invaders on and around his bird feeders.
To be honest, it’s a lovely, busy sight and it may also tempt some birds of prey into your garden for an easy feed.
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