Mice exclusion in Belmar, NJ

I arrived at a home in Belmar, NJ after the homeowner contacted Cowleys because of mouse activity. An important part of any rodent inspection is locating the entry points. I look for exterior entry points into the home from the perimeter (mice commonly enter homes through gaps or cracks in the foundation leading to the basement or crawlspace) as well as entry points being used by mice to access the home’s living spaces where they forage for food. 

While foraging, mice often travel through wall voids and other spaces, using holes or gaps to enter and exit different areas of the home without being seen. As shown, this home had two wide openings —  one of the holes was in the wall and the other was in the flooring. The floor hole was so large that you could actually see the basement below.  I knew that mice were using these holes because of all the surrounding droppings. They were using these holes to gain access to a nearby closet that was stocked with candy. Candy is not just an attractant for little kids! All stored food must be properly sealed or it becomes an open invitation for mice. 

This video clip shows me performing an exclusion, which is sealing up the holes to block the mice and bar further movement. Here, I neatly plug the holes with chew-proof copper mesh. Hopefully, the homeowner will consider a more permanent aesthetically pleasing solution, but my immediate concern is to close these holes in order to keep the mice out of the home’s living spaces. I separately treated the basement.  Also, when doing an exclusion of these small holes, it is important to use chew-proof materials. Malleable copper mesh is a favorite among pest control technicians.