Mice are extremely common in the UK and can be a real problem in the autumn and winter months when they are looking for food and shelter – but there is a natural method to keep them at bay
As the weather transitions from summer to autumn and the nights grow colder, we all start to spend more time indoors during the last months of the year.
This is also true for the various creatures that scurry into our gardens and often, into our homes. Mice are a common sight in the UK, frequently seen darting into gardens, sheds, garages, greenhouses and inside our homes, especially at night.
Whether they’re dormice or field mice, they don’t hibernate, which means they can be a nuisance throughout the year. As per APC Management, there are approximately 5.4 million house mice in the UK, and their population increases throughout the late summer and early autumn months.
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The British Pest Control Association has reported around 80,000 callouts for mice every year. During the chillier months, when food is harder to come by, you might even discover them searching for sustenance in your home, having slipped through a crack in the wall or a gap in a floorboard, reports the Express.
According to the gardening website Polytunnel Gardening, you’re more likely to encounter mice in the autumn and winter, so it’s important to be ‘particularly vigilant’ during this period.
It explains: “Wood mice and field mice can easily get in your home since they are small enough to squeeze in almost anywhere. However, they are more likely to shelter in garages, sheds, and outhouses because they provide easier access to the outside world.
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“So, although the mice you see in your garden may come into your home, they are more likely to take refuge in your outhouses instead. You’re more likely to see mice inside during the autumn and winter months, so you should remain particularly vigilant around this time.”
To send them scarpering in the opposite direction, there are several natural items you can scatter around your garden which mice detest due to their highly developed sense of smell. Any one of these items left in your garden can work to deter mice and prevent them from entering your house too.
They added: “There are plenty of scents that deter mice because their sense of smell is so strong. Spread these smells around your garden, with particular focus on troublesome areas like food sources and nesting spots, regularly to notice a difference.”
Scents that deter mice include:
- Cinnamon
- Vinegar
- Peppermint
- Teabags
- Mint
- Ammonia
- Cloves
- Cayenne pepper
Of course, mice are an important source of food for other wildlife, including foxes and owls. Therefore you should only deter mice if they’re causing a problem in your garden or house.
