Experts: Mouse Infestation Worst In At Least 40 Years

UNDATED -- If you are dealing with a mouse infestation this fall you are definitely not alone. Pest control experts say their phones are ringing off the hook.

Kathy Watrin is a co-owner of Granite Pest Control in St. Cloud. She says this is the busiest fall for mouse calls that they have had in their 40 years of business. Watrin says one reason for the spike in mice is the wet year.

We've had above-average rainfall and mice tend to live in lower areas, well most lower areas are well flooded and so they are moving up to dry land, and if they are moving they are getting closer to your home.

Watrin says another reason why there are more mice is that they have fewer predators.

Predators are down and mice are up.  Their natural predators are birds of prey, fox, coyotes, feral cats, we don't see much for wild cats anymore.

She says if you've never had mice before, but you're suddenly dealing with them now, it's probably because of natural shifts in your foundation.

We had 30 below polar vortex last winter, and this summer we had 90-some degrees, so our houses here move, shift, and they continually open up.  Maybe that hole was always there or maybe the cement steps pulled away from the front.

Watrin says it only takes a crack of six millimeters for a mouse to find their way into your home. And, she says, you don't want to ignore the problem.

Yeah, because the longer they are in your house the more it becomes their house, and they leave pheromones, their little odor, that attracts the others so if you get one generally speaking they are going to leave a welcome mat out and then the rest of the family comes.