Field evaluation of three anticoagulant rodenticides against Mus musculus populations in apartmental buildings in New York City

Field efficacy studies using three anticoagulant rodenticides were conducted on House mice, Mus musculus under a variety of conditions in 35 apartment buildings scattered over four boroughs of New York metropolitan area. Percent control successes and relative efficacies of various rodenticides and their formulations were determined by recording pre and post control census for about four years. After four monthly treatments, the control success rate of bromadialone (0.005%, meal form) was highest (94.5%) followed by brodifacoum (0.005%, pellet form, 91.23%) and diphacinone (77.72%) in the wax cake formulation. However, build-up of the residual mice population was faster in the case of bromadialone treatment when compared to brodifacoum (P < .01). Results of intermittent control operation, bi-monthly and biweekly, are compared and discussed with respect to mice population dynamics and properties of the rodenticides