Back in the late autumn of 1785, a poem was written in Scots-language by a fellow distraught after disturbing a field mouse in its nest.

“Wee, skeetet, cowran, tim’rous beasties, O’what a panic’s in thy breastie!.....Thy wee-bit housie, too in ruin! An’ naething, now, to big a new ane.”

Robert Burns poem is a best-loved well-known piece. And it is a lovely piece of writing with heartfelt emotion. However, Robbie was not well informed nor far-reaching in his thinking. For even as he wrote, there were no doubt mice in his house. And those mice, as all the mice we encountered today, were and are public health pests.

Robbie’s work would have served us better had he called for panic when humans saw a mouse. Through their saliva, urine, feces and in the dust they create by chewing and nesting, mice carry and transmit salmonella, a bacteria food-borne illness, as well as the life-threatening disease, Hantavirus. They carry and can transmit lymphocytic choriomeningitis - a virus that causes neurological problems. And if those are not enough troubles for you, bear in mind that mice carry fleas.

Mice wreak havoc.

QFI Pest Management’s team knows the science of mouse biology and behavior. They know how mice eat, act, think and react. Armed with their knowledge and state-of-the industry safe equipment QFI’s team deliver uncompromising quality and service with regard to mouse control. They will inspect your place indoors and outdoors – garage, attic and basement and create a customized rodent control plan for you.

You can help out by being careful not to attract mice with food. Store food in plastic or metal containers and regularly clean under stoves and refrigerators, and in cupboards.

Make sure you outside doors fit snuggly. And while you are at it, check your exterior walls for any hole larger than 0.5 cm. That’s all a mouse needs to gain entry into your home. Don’t forget to check pipe work and cables. Seal holes with a coarse grade stainless steel wool.

If you are not able to do all of the exterior and interior work, ask QFI for help.

Do admire and enjoy Robert Burns poetry. He was brilliant. And if you so desire, with a wee dram of Glenmorangie in hand, delight in knowing he wrote Auld Lang Syne to a tune of a very old traditional folk song. That's a good thing.

But don’t be wasting kind thoughts (nor lovely single malt scotch) on mice. Just call QFI’s team to get the mouse problem under control.

#mice #mouse