Mice are on the march

“With La Nina we’ve had a bit of rain and with the rain comes food,” he said.

“The weather is just right for them; they are breeding up at the moment.”

Mr Treves, who has been in the industry for 14 years and operating his own business for the past seven years, said inquiries about rodents were on the rise.

He said homeowners could take preventative measures, including by removing rubbish and potential food sources.

“We bait them, that is about all you can do, we have lockable stations we can bait,” he said.

“There are electronic devices you can get that do deter them if you buy a decent one . . .”

The fallback option when a house is invaded is the old-fashioned mouse trap.

Here are some tips for controlling mice:

● Don’t attract mice with food. Where possible food should be stored in plastic or metal containers. Regularly clean under stoves, refrigerators and cupboards;

● Fit bristle (or brush) strips to the bottom of doors to prevent entry;

● Seal holes around existing or new pipes with coarse grade stainless steel wire wool and caulking;

● Plug any holes that are larger than 5 mm;

● Cover vents with fine galvanised wire mesh;

● Fix damaged roofing and use wire mesh to seal gaps;

● Keep grass mown short to reduce shelter and seeds for food.