In February, homeowners and business owners alike often assume that most pests are dormant or gone for the season. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for mice. Mice don’t hibernate. They can thrive during the coldest months. By this time of year, hidden infestations have often been growing unnoticed for weeks or even months.
Poulin’s Pest Control urges property owners to stay alert and take proactive steps before mice affect health and cause expensive property damage.
Why Mice Infestations Surge in February
Mice are resourceful survivors. When temperatures drop, mice seek warmth, shelter, and food, three things homes and businesses can provide them, unintentionally. Mice can hide deep within walls, attics, crawlspaces, and basements, making them harder to detect. Their gnawing, nesting, defecating, and food scavenging continue, leading to property damage, health risks, and electrical issues caused by chewed wiring.
In winter, mice can breed, and a female mouse can give birth to many pups. As spring approaches, populations can surge into major infestations that can affect entire homes or commercial spaces.
How to Spot a Hidden Infestation
The earliest clues of a hidden rodent problem are subtle. You might hear faint scratching or scurrying inside walls, notice chewed packaging in storage rooms, detect an unpleasant musty odour, or find droppings or urine. For businesses, especially restaurants, retail stores, or warehouses, mice may leave tracks behind shelving, under appliances, or near dumpsters.
Conducting regular pest inspections is the key to find signs of rodents and control infestations before they escalate. A home pest inspection can uncover hidden entry points around the house exterior. For commercial properties, Poulin’s Pest Control provides scheduled regular pest control services to monitor activity and prevent rodent populations from becoming established.
Mouse Prevention Tips for Homeowners and Businesses
Stopping mice starts with closing entry points and eliminating food sources. Here are some practical mice prevention tips for homeowners and commercial property managers:
- Seal all cracks and openings larger than a dime on the outside of structures, especially around doors, foundations, and utilities.
- Store food in hard, sealed containers and keep indoor and outdoor garbage bins tightly sealed.
- Regularly clean and sanitize kitchens, breakrooms, and food storage rooms to remove crumbs and spills that attract mice.
- Clear clutter in basements and storage areas because mice prefer nesting in quiet, undisturbed places.
- Schedule professional pest inspections regularly to detect early signs of mice before they grow out of control.
Poulin’s Pest Control combines prevention, removal, and exclusion methods to ensure long-term protection. Our technicians are trained to identify the most discreet signs of mouse activity and to use safe, humane, and highly effective control techniques customized to each property type.
More Than Mice: Other Winter Pests to Watch
Mice are not alone in seeking shelter indoors. Other common household pests that stay active through February include cockroaches, which thrive in kitchens and bathrooms, and bed bugs, which hide in areas where people sit or sleep. Occasionally, squirrels make their way into attics looking for warmth, creating noise and contamination similar to mouse infestations.
These pest problems share a common theme: they usually go unseen until populations are large and costly to remove. That’s why pest control isn’t just for summer. February is a perfect time to schedule inspections and treatments.
Why Action in February Matters
Waiting until spring to deal with rodent problems can allow infestations to grow and become much more difficult to eliminate. By February, mice may have already nested, reproduced, and chewed their way through insulation and wiring, posing both fire hazards and contamination risks. Proactive inspection now prevents extensive cleanup later.
Don’t wait until you see a mouse scurrying across the floor to act. Mice may be small, but the damage and disruption they cause can grow fast, especially when hidden infestations are overlooked during winter.
Poulin’s Pest Control offers comprehensive residential and commercial pest services, from detailed inspections to customized prevention programs for properties in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Poulin’s Pest Control is a proud member of the Canadian Pest Management Association, National Pest Management Association, and Pest Management Association of Alberta.
Contact us today to schedule your service and stop hidden infestations of mice before they take over.