Got mice? You can thank Minnesota's recent extreme weather

MEDINA, Minn. — The highs and lows of Minnesota's recent weather could have you seeing unwanted visitors.

"We had less snow making the mice survive much better," said Dr. Mohammed El Damir, an entomologist and technical and training director at Adam's Pest Control.

El Damir says our warmest meteorological winter on record, coupled with a warm, wet spring, built an ample food supply leading to a rise in rodents.

"These mice have all the resources available for them. You're probably going to end up with a couple thousand mice by the end of the year," he said.

They may not enter your home in those kinds of numbers, but as temperatures cool, deer and house mice are looking for food, water and shelter.  

Trapping them is one control method, although the key is keeping them from ever getting inside your home.

El Damir says you want to check around windows, doors and plumbing because with rodents, they can get in holes as small as a dime.

Mice are also excellent climbers, so you're going to want to check around the roof line and the attic, too.

"They climb anything, and if you do have trees and you have overhanging branches, then they jump," he said.

Find out how they're getting in, and don't overlook the small holes and seal them.

You can also make your home less attractive for rodents by securing people and pet food, keeping trash away from your home, and removing shelter and other places to hide.

Dr. El Damir cautions not to underestimate mice. The house mouse is the second most successful mammal on earth.

"They can find ways. They learn and they teach each other," he said. "Basically, you know, you are dealing with a survival animal."