House mouse
Background
The house mouse likely arrived in Australia with the First Fleet. Mice are now found all over Australia, and due to their close association with human activity, are most active in agricultural and urban areas.
The introduced house mouse should not be confused with native rodents, pygmy possums or marsupial mice.
Impacts
Mice have little impact when numbers are low. But when conditions are favourable, mice numbers can increase exponentially to plague proportions and they become a serious pest.
In South Australia, plagues occur every 4–6 years, causing substantial economic and social hardship. Mouse plagues are most problematic in low rainfall, cereal-growing areas where they damage sown crops.
Mice can damage infrastructure and furnishing by chewing on wiring, upholstery and motors. They impact on pig and poultry farmers through:
- consuming feed
- attacking stock, causing stress and injury.
Mice also pose a health risk to humans and livestock as they can transmit disease.
Controlling mice
Landholders are responsible for the control of mice on their properties under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. The most effective ways to control house mice are:
- reducing food sources
- reducing available shelter
- baiting
- monitoring of presence, e.g. mouse sightings, burrows, droppings and crop damage.
There are registered bait products available to control mice. Your local chemical retailer can advise on the right product for your circumstances.
Bait mixing stations are also available, allowing farmers to have poison bait mixed into their own grain.
Seasonal report and recommendations (April 2024)
Mouse numbers are considered to be low to moderate across South Australia.
The chance of an outbreak in the Adelaide Plains in Autumn 2024 is also considered low to moderate.
- Eyre Peninsula
- Mouse activity continues to be at low levels.
- Adelaide Plains
- Activity highly variable.
- Moderate mouse numbers have been found in some areas, while low activity has been found in other areas.
- Yorke Peninsula
- Activity highly variable.
- High mouse numbers have been found in some areas, while low to no activity has been found in other areas.
We recommend:
- Actively gauge numbers of mice by walking through paddocks.
- If mice are present at sowing, bait off the back of the seeder to prevent damage to the freshly sown crop.
- Baiting at sowing is most effective if no other food sources are available.
- Talk to bait suppliers early to ensure timely supply. As with use of any agricultural chemical, use the product in accordance with the use conditions on the label – go to the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Management Association website to report a problem with a chemical product.
The National Mouse Group has produced the Monitoring mice in Australia () update on mouse activity, including GRDC-funded CSIRO monitoring data.
Reporting mice
MouseAlert provides a tool for reporting of mice, management activities undertaken and photos of the impacts of mice.
The information is used to identify practical solutions and coordinated control of mice. Complete a MouseAlert report and help to identify the risk of mouse plagues in your area.
More information
- About house mice – Pestsmart
- Prevention and control of rats and mice – SA Health
- Tackling Australia's persistent mouse problem – CSIRO
Contact
For advice on mouse control specific to your situation, contact your local agronomist.
For advice on using poison baits, contact:
Biosecurity SA – Rural Chemicals Operations
Phone: 1300 799 684
Email: PIRSA.RuralChemicals@sa.gov.au