Mice presence has been sporadic in Victorian cropping farms so far this sowing season, but it has prompted call from a leading researcher for farmers to not be complacent.
CSIRO research officer Steve Henry said he was hearing from right across the cropping region in Victoria that large numbers of mice may be in some paddocks, but not venturing at all into other paddocks.
"I [recently] got a report of many mice running across roads at St Arnaud, but others in the Wimmera have also told me of mice presence, but not at significant numbers," he said
Dr Henry said there was some isolated reports of big mice on properties where farmer have begun baiting their crop, but believed it was not at a mice plague level.
"But we are saying that the farmers need to be really vigilant so they need to get out go for a walk, work out what's happening in their paddocks and if they've got mice, be prepared to protect their crop."
Dr Henry said he has been also advising farmers to focus on paddocks which had been difficult to harvest had significant grain losses last year.
READ MORE:
"They're the paddocks that are most likely to have mice," he said.
"Barley stubbles are a classic example of lots of crop residue being left behind... and because last year's crop was so difficult to harvest, there was more food put out the back of machines as well.
"So that means lots of food, lots of shelter, and that added moisture makes really good conditions for mice in localised patches."
Dr Henry said that mice running across roads were also an indication that there was probably pressure in adjoining paddocks for mice to move in an effort to look for food and shelter.
It would possibly mean there was a possible high presence of mice nearby.
While he did not advocate for baiting if there were absolutely no signs of mouse activity, farmers that were proactive now could have "positive knock on effects" in the spring.
"When you are driving along, you probably don't see that act of running across the road consistently, but it means there are patches where people need to be really paying attention," he said.
"When I was driving through New South Wales at the height of the last mice plague, there were wheel tracks of many mice squashed on the road."
Sporadic sights of mice running across roads have also been seen in parts of NSW.
NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said he recently saw mice "swarming all over the road" near Coonabarabran.
"The worst of it was probably at least half a kilometre long," Mr Martin said.
"I came into some big patches where there were hundreds of mice running backwards and forwards in different directions looking for food.
"Members are telling me they're seeing mice again all the way from Queensland down to the Victorian border and out west towards Adelaide."
with Australian Associated Press
