Comments on: Fall Close Up at the Cottage http://cottagedaily.com/2007/09/24/fall-close-up-at-the-cottage/ Online Guide to Cottage Living Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:44:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Julie http://cottagedaily.com/2007/09/24/fall-close-up-at-the-cottage/#comment-375 Julie Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:03:40 +0000 http://cottagedaily.com/2007/09/24/fall-close-up-at-the-cottage/#comment-375 Those are great suggestions, thanks Ed and Jo. I also find steel wool is good when you can't seal a hole, as mice cannot chew through it. Cheers, Julie Those are great suggestions, thanks Ed and Jo. I also find steel wool is good when you can’t seal a hole, as mice cannot chew through it.

Cheers,
Julie

]]> By: Ed & Jo Nelson http://cottagedaily.com/2007/09/24/fall-close-up-at-the-cottage/#comment-373 Ed & Jo Nelson Tue, 25 Sep 2007 05:35:16 +0000 http://cottagedaily.com/2007/09/24/fall-close-up-at-the-cottage/#comment-373 One of our experiences over the many years we have been at the Lake is "Pest Protection". Mice squirrels, bats, insects and other nasties are a fact of life. Good idea to check all those nooks and crannies and try to seal everything as much as possible. Make sure all windows and doors fit tightly. Weather stripping around doors and windows is a great idea. Squirrels come in from those overhanging trees so cut the branches back, and seal up the holes in the eaves, gables and vents. Bats like crevices and will squirm in between flashing in search of a snug hibernation spot. Mice come up from the ground so keeping shrubs, debris, and wood piles away from the cabin is a start. They love to find a cozy corner in a drawer so putting those linen drawers on the counter in the open air, makes it less attractive, less protected. Remove all food or put in tight containers. Caulk and fill holes around wires and pipes. A mouse can fit through a crack the size of a quarter...or less! Those pests keep coming back until you convince them it is not worth it. Even the cute little deer mouse can cause a lot of damage, so consider rodent bait which, hopefully, sends the victim outside in search of water. But...be prepared for a messy cleanup in the spring! One of our experiences over the many years we have been at the Lake is “Pest Protection”.
Mice squirrels, bats, insects and other nasties are a fact of life. Good idea to check all those nooks and crannies and try to seal everything as much as possible. Make sure all windows and doors fit tightly. Weather stripping around doors and windows is a great idea. Squirrels come in from those overhanging trees so cut the branches back, and seal up the holes in the eaves, gables and vents. Bats like crevices and will squirm in between flashing in search of a snug hibernation spot. Mice come up from the ground so keeping shrubs, debris, and wood piles away from the cabin is a start. They love to find a cozy corner in a drawer so putting those linen drawers on the counter in the open air, makes it less attractive, less protected. Remove all food or put in tight containers. Caulk and fill holes around wires and pipes. A mouse can fit through a crack the size of a quarter…or less!
Those pests keep coming back until you convince them it is not worth it.
Even the cute little deer mouse can cause a lot of damage, so consider rodent bait which, hopefully, sends the victim outside in search of water. But…be prepared for a messy cleanup in the spring!

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