In its August Mouse Update, produced in conjunction with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), the CSIRO says mouse numbers are moderate to high in many regions of Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland.

A moderate or high number of mice is a serious concern for this time of year, the CSIRO says, as mice will begin breeding shortly and conditions are highly favourable with lots of food, cover and moisture.

The CSIRO expects mouse numbers will increase once breeding starts and peak in late autumn next year.

Primary producers should consider zinc phosphide baiting (50g ZnP/kg bait) before seed set of crops and growers should actively monitor mouse activity (with mouse chew cards, for example) or by regular crop inspections.

Mouse activity can be reported and mapped using MouseAlert (www.mousealert.org.au) which helps other growers to see what mouse activity is being observed in their neighbourhood.

Other resources to help with mice can be found at https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/resources/mouse-management