Mice in the compost - useful or harmful?
Hardly anyone likes mice in compost, but they cannot cause much damage. Some gardeners are even of the opinion that the uninvited visitors loosen the compost in addition and like harmful insects Maggots and devour larvae of the black weevil and other beetles.
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- Can bread be put on the compost?
Basically, it can be said that you don't necessarily have to fight the mice. Inevitably, however, seek ways to drive the rodents away rather than kill them. It is even better to prevent an infestation from the start.
Very useful in compost is the shrew, which is not a mouse. It is an insect eater and eats the maggots and larvae of harmful beetles and other insects that are undesirable in the garden. You should therefore never fight shrews.
Mice as carriers of diseases?
The fact that mice in compost transmit diseases is now considered out of date. At best, they are a hygienic problem when they rummage through the food supplies in the pantry or leave their droppings in the house.
How to fight mice in the composter
Mice are kept warm by the warmth prevailing in the composter Temperatures dressed. Only when it gets too hot for them at over 40 degrees do they withdraw by themselves.
If the compost is not warm enough, you should rearrange it so that the outer layers get inside. This will give you another hot rot. At the same time, you make the mice too uncomfortable in the compost.
Mice also occur more frequently if you fill the composter incorrectly. Never throw the following waste on the compost:
- meat
- sausage
- cheese
- cooked leftover food
Tips
To the intrusion of mice and Rats and to prevent you from getting down in the compost as Underground lay out a mesh mat. The holes should only be large enough to allow earthworms and other microorganisms to access the compost.