Will Pest Control Get Rid of Mice?
You hear them scampering around at night as they sneak through the household and you see the trails of crumbs they leave around as a result of their thieving. The sneaky little thieves in question are the mice that a random crack, a hidden hole, or an open door invited into your living space, and the mischievous mammals are making the most of the opportunity given to them.
Not only do they eat your hard-earned food and keep you awake at night, "they are sources of allergens that can trigger asthma symptoms in sensitized individuals, and they may increase the risk of allergic sensitization" (Effectiveness of an Integrated Pest Management Intervention in Controlling Cockroaches, Mice, and Allergens in New York City Public Housing).
As they easily avoid your traps and continue their siege on your food, you begin to think of how in the world you will be able to finally rid yourself of these pesky pests. Well, if you want them gone for good, then pest control, more specifically integrated pest management, is probably the best option for you.
What is integrated pest management? That is a good question, but let's talk about what it isn't. Integrated pest management is not extermination: extermination simply kills the animals that made their way into the household without making any attempts to solve the real problem, which is how those pests got into the house in the first place.
Even if all the mice in the house were to be killed by an exterminator, "extermination is almost always a temporary fix to a much larger and extensive problem" and "some exterminator companies don't return to pick up the dead rodents, and expect you to dispose of them yourself" (What Exactly Do Exterminators Do About Mice?).
Imagine not only having to deal with disposing of decaying mice, and their odor that "doesn't go away too easily", but then also having a new set of mice or other pests coming in from the unaddressed entrances (What Exactly Do Exterminators Do About Mice?). Not exactly a pretty picture, so let's paint another one.
What is integrated pest management? Integrated pest management is pest control that balances the use of chemical solutions and practical pest exclusion. First, there will be an inspection in order to determine the entrances and exits of the mice routes in the household, to try and make an estimate of numbers, and to decide on what tools will need to be implemented.
Second, traps will be set and entrances will be sealed. Chemical solutions are always the last resort in any instance due the fact that they may harm all biological life in an area; non-chemical traps are ideal because they will typically allow for the mice to be caught and dealt with rather than them dying in an unknown region of the house.
Third, cleaning and sealing of food storage with the intent of taking away the essential needs of the pests. While this method might take longer than a genocide with pesticides, integrated pest management is "more effective than the regular application of pesticides alone in managing pests and their consequences" (Effectiveness of an Integrated Pest Management Intervention in Controlling Cockroaches, Mice, and Allergens in New York City Public Housing).
So, will pest control get rid of mice? The answer is a resounding yes.
Author: Kanoa J.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Will Pest Control Get Rid of Mice — Kanoa's student essay
Will Pest Control Get Rid of Mice?
Arizona State University
