Description:
The House Mouse is an introduced species in BC that ranges in colour from white to black but in the wild is most often grey on top and bottom (Nagorsen 2005). It has a long, naked scaly tail, large ears and coarse fur (Nagorsen 2005).
Distribution:
The House Mouse is an introduced rodent species in British Columbia that originates in Europe and likely arrived here with the first European settlers (Clifford and Guiguet 1958). It is mainly associated with human habitation and has been domesticated as a pet and for laboratory use (Wikipedia 2012). It is now found across British Columbia, including north to the Peace River area, but is found on only three islands (Vancouver, Pender and Moresby) (Nagorsen 2005). The earliest known records are from Kamloops in 1889 (Nagorsen 2005).
Biology:
This species nests in buildings or in underground burrows, and lives in small family groups (Nagorsen 2005). Nagorsen (2005) reports that on Pender Island it was trapped in hay fields, where it co-existed with Townsend's Vole. These sites were all close to barns, however.
