### MICE TAKE OVER: AUSTRALIAN FARMERS BATTLE AN UNPRECEDENTED RODENT PESTILENCE
Farmers across Western and South Australia are experiencing what experts call a *plague*—an explosive surge of mice which has already cost thousands of hectares in grain, machinery and labour. The crisis has coincided with volatile fuel and fertiliser markets, adding further strain to an already‑pressurized sector.
> **Geoff Cosgrove** (43, Mingenew, WA) runs a 14‑000‑ha wheat‑canola‑barley operation and recalls that apart from the 2021 outbreak, this year’s numbers are “way worse.” He spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on re‑planting and on applying pesticide‑laced, sterile‑seed baits—an expense he notes is far beyond the cost of the bait itself.
The latest wave first appeared in March on the Mingenew paddock and quickly spread into neighboring South Australian farms. The mice are not only consuming grain but also invading homes, kitchens and even air‑conditioning units. Cosgrove describes the nightly scene as “running around in the ceiling, fighting your mind” and breathes out a chilling image: “it’s like a decaying body.”
### BUMPED HARVEST FUELS THE SQUAD
Belinda Eastough, a 59‑year‑old agronomist and farmer, highlights recent record‑breaking harvests as a key driver. Last year’s flood‑spurred yield meant that excess grain in paddocks was essentially a buffet for mice. The summer rains that followed quickly pushed herb growth, adding “salad to the steak” and turning the paddocks into a mouse‑heaven.
Eastough estimates several thousand mice per hectare i.e., roughly the size of a rugby field. She warns that the mice will persist until food is scarce, a reality that keeps farms in a state of constant vigilance.
### THE COST OF EARLINESS
According to **CSIO research officer Steve Henry**, a plague is defined as 800 mice per hectare—but Western Australian reports exceed that by an order of magnitude. On a 100‑m strip 30‑to‑40 burrows were counted, implying thousands per hectare. Henry notes that mice reproduce within 6 weeks and can have 6‑10 litters every 19–21 days, and that a single female will be pregnant again within two to three days after giving birth.
> “During a drought you can shut the doors and rest, but with mice they’re at your cupboards, under your bed, destroying your peace and sleep.”
### LATENT MALADIA
Damian Ryan, a 67‑year‑old retiree, drives in a clutch of 20‑30 mice into his home and roughly 150 into his shed each day. “I’ve never seen it this bad – it’s literally a plague in the flesh.”
The situation is worsened by modern fuel and fertiliser costs; many farmers say they are paying twice the current price rates due to the broader global supply disruptions triggered by the Iran‑Israel unrest.
### A HOPES OF GROWTH AND REMEMPTION
The Australian government recently granted approval for a stronger, higher‑concentration baits program. Farmers across WA have begun to claim re‑duction in numbers as “cooler temperatures” and increased rainfall dampen the mice’s activity.
Cosgrove remains optimistic: “With winter on the horizon, the mice will eventually hunker down because the cold and wet become insurmountable.”
The swarming mice are a stark reminder that on a world increasingly interconnected by virtual reality and digital media, the plight of Australian farmers still unfolds in the rural valleys. For an immersive first-hand look, take your avatar into the mouse‑infested paddocks and witness the battleground for the future of grain.
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*Credit: Australian Broadcasting Corporation/Chris Lewis, 2024*
