First it was a few, then a few hundred and now communities in the Orana region are swamped with mice.
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As farmers harvested a bumper crop late last year after three years of drought, delivering what GrainCorp said was record receivals, the rodents emerged.
They made their presence known at farms, and then they were spotted in towns in the region and at Dubbo.
By March, CSIRO mouse researcher Steve Henry said: "Certainly there are areas of northern NSW that you would have to say is a full-blown plague. Armatree north, basically."
Mice start to breed when they're about six weeks old, and then they can have a litter every 19 to 21 days after that, Mr Henry says.
"...they say a single pair of mice can give rise to 500 offspring in a season, basically," Mr Henry said.
The Daily Liberal has been covering this issue from the start. You can read all of our content on this issue below:
- Mouse in the house: Strong demand for baits as rodent numbers rise
- Mouse traps, baits continue to sell fast in bid to combat furry problem
- Why we have so many mice, and why they're 'absolute breeding machines'
- Rising mice population present double threat ahead of winter crop sowing
- Over 30 mice in the skimmer box in one night, farmer hopes 'plague' will end soon
- Residents urged to be careful as ouse bait misuse leads to poisoning
- No quick fix for mouse problems as rising numbers continue to cause concern
- Suspected poisoning prompts EPA help to remove unsafe mouse baits
- I'm being told people are being bitten by mice in their own beds: MP
- Minister offers advice to industry as 'mouse plague' preparedness questioned
- EPA spreads mouse bait safety message to community
- 'Drought created by mice': plague toll continues to rise
- Elong woman finds dead mice in water tank strainer, urges people to check, act
- 'Fantastic little' mouse-catcher Lulu brings in whopping nightly haul
- Inspect rainwater tanks daily when mice about: health district
- Mouse outbreak in parts of region a 'full-blown' plague: CSIRO researcher
- Mouse expert tackles a myth about the critters and their movement
- Mice getting worse, farmers concerned about winter sowing: Jackson
- Eight cases of rodenticide poisoning in one day, vet sees fallout from more mice
- Butler steps up calls for government to acknowledge mice, give bait subsidies
- Mice bites in hospitals, facilities step up baiting, trapping, deterrents
- 'Easily 500 plus' mice caught in one night, but 'I don't seem to be winning'
- Calls for urgent action on mice grow, minister tight-lipped on bait subsidy
- Is the rain going to end the mouse plague? We asked an expert
- Mice ruin hay, attack grain, but losses are more than monetary: farmer
- Scientist issues advice to battle mouse plague