Pheromones: The Rodent Facebook
Rodents are social animals. Their main platform for communication & status updates occurs through releasing pheromones. A pheromone is a chemical released by animals that provides other “like” animal messages. The message found in a pheromone can influence other animals within the same species. Mice can sense a pheromone trail left by a peer and instinctually understand many things surrounding their environment. You can check out a study regarding this if you want to learn more.
What Rodents Learn from Pheromone Trails
- Who is looking for a mate?
- Whether or not the environment is safe
- If the environment has food
- If one of their peers is in danger or in distress.
- The social status of their peers
Why Are Pheromones Important To Solving Rodent Problems?
We know mice get into our home through some opening or structural deficiency. But how and why do mice pick or home or structure to enter? Mice have very poor vision… So they rely heavily on their other senses to paint a picture of their environment. So how does a mouse actually gain entry to your home? Their sense of “touch” & “smell” will deliver them to the structure. Mice will recognize a trail of pheromones from previous mice. Rodent pheromones are most commonly communicated through urine. A rogue mouse or a rodent family will follow these pheromones directly to the entry point or structural deficiency. They will also “feel” warm air flowing from the inside of the home. This is known as the “entry point”. An entry point is and gap, crack, hole, or opening that will allow rodents into the structure.
Do you need information on catching mice? If so, check out this article on baiting snap traps to catch mice. Still, have questions?? Feel free to give us a call today to see if we may be of service to you! 815.215.7211
A.N.T. Pest Control is a licensed, certified, and insured company. We serve New Lenox and its neighboring communities.
