Between October and November we receive many more calls about mice and rats. It is no coincidence: when temperatures drop, rodents look for a warm, dry place close to food, and cellars, garages, attics and storerooms are the ideal shelter. In Potenza, which sits more than 800 metres above sea level, the cold arrives early and this movement already starts in mid-autumn.
Signs you should not ignore
Rodents are often noticed through the traces they leave rather than by seeing them:
- small, dark droppings along walls, in kitchen cupboards or near food supplies;
- noises at night in false ceilings, wall cavities or technical rooms;
- gnaw marks on packaging, electrical cables, seals and wooden or plastic materials;
- dark, greasy smears along their usual routes, left by fur rubbing against walls;
- a pungent smell in closed, rarely used spaces.
If you notice one or more of these signs, act quickly: a pair of rodents in a sheltered place with food available breeds fast.
Where they get in
A mouse can squeeze through gaps less than a centimetre wide and a rat through openings of two centimetres. The most common entry points are:
- unsealed holes around pipes and cables;
- garage and cellar doors that do not close flush with the floor;
- damaged ventilation grilles or grilles without mesh;
- drains, manholes and cavities;
- roofs, gutters and tree branches touching the building.
What you can do to prevent them
- Seal entry points: close holes and gaps with materials rodents cannot gnaw through, such as steel wool, mortar or sheet metal, and fit brush strips under doors.
- Keep food out of reach: store food, animal feed and pet kibble in rigid, closed containers, including in the cellar.
- Manage waste: use bins with lids and do not leave bags on the ground, especially near entrances.
- Tidy up: piles of cardboard, firewood and stacked materials offer shelter; keep them off the ground and away from walls.
- Check outside: trim vegetation touching the building and make sure manholes and grilles are intact.
DIY baits and traps rarely solve the problem: they catch a few rodents but do not address the causes, and poisons used carelessly are a risk for children and pets.
When you need professional rodent control
If the signs continue after a few days, or if it is a food business, an apartment building or a company, it is time to call a professional. A proper treatment always starts with an inspection to find passages, entry points and nesting areas.
At New Service we prefer eco-friendly rodent control: multi-catch devices that are hygienic and harmless to people and pets, where captured rodents are held in a tank with an anti-putrefaction disinfectant liquid, with no unpleasant smells. The stations are checked periodically and, for businesses, every inspection feeds into a technical report on the infestation level. When the situation calls for chemical rodent control, we use locked, numbered and signposted bait stations and rotate active ingredients to prevent resistance.
Noticed signs of mice at home, in the cellar or at your business? Request an inspection or find out how our eco-friendly rodent control in Potenza works.
