Reproduction of the House mouse (Mus musculus) in farm buildings

摘要: Live and kill traps were used to remove House mice living in granaries, mixed-food stores, dairy units ancillary stores on farms. Structural weaknesses common all buildings. Cavities walls, particular, provided favourable nesting quarters for rapidly exploited. The body-weight structure reproductive traits of the populations different habitats compared. onset maturity, both sexes, was closely related increase 10 14 g range. Breeding, unlike that most out-door temperate climates, continued throughout year. Ancillary buildings holding limited food supported small reservoir populations. Mice inhabiting containing pelleted cattle feed tended be heavier than those sampled elsewhere females produced largest litters. Reproductive performance farms intermediate between occupying urban corn ricks. There evidence environmental behavioural factors operating limit numbers units.