Glue Traps work on the same principle as flypaper: when a rat or mouse attempts to cross the glue board, the Rat gets stuck on the board due to sticky surface. Glue boards are much more effective for mice and rats.

• Step 1: Observe mouse activity. If you see a mouse in particular area repeatedly, it is a sure sign that he probably has an agenda. Perhaps he is looking for food. Or this could be the area where he enters your home.

• Step 2: Place traps with precision. If you often see a mouse in more than one location, go ahead and set out several traps in various areas to increase the chance of capture. For instance, place one under your refrigerator, inside a cabinet and behind the microwave to cover high and low spaces.

• Step 3:Put out bait. If a few days pass and you have no luck, consider placing a tasty treat on or near the glue trap. Chances are the mouse will make a dash for the food and get stuck to the glue trap in the process. Crackers, bread or granola bars make good mouse bait, and they are easy to clean up.

• Step 4: Check Glue traps often and replace if necessary. Sometimes mouse or rat becomes so accustomed to the trap's location that he avoids it completely. Replacing and moving Glue traps at intervals can increase the chance of a catch.

Identifying The Rat

People do not often see rats, but signs of their presence are easy to detect (see sidebar). In India the most troublesome rats are two introduced species: the roof rat and the Norway rat. It is important to know which species of rat is present in order to place Glue Traps in the most effective locations.

While rats are much larger than the common house mouse or meadow vole, a young rat is occasionally confused with a mouse. In general, very young rats have large feet and large heads in proportion to their bodies, whereas those of adult mice are much smaller in proportion to their body size. While both rats and mice gnaw on wood, rats leave much larger tooth marks than those of a mouse.

How to Spot a Rat Infestation

Because rats are active throughout the year, periodically check for signs of their presence. Once rats have invaded your garden or landscaping, unless your house is truly rodent proof, it is only a matter of time before you find evidence of them indoors. Experience has shown it is less time consuming to control rodents before their numbers get too high, and fewer traps and less bait will be required if control is started early.

Damage Caused by Rats

Rats consume and contaminate foodstuffs and animal feed. They also damage containers and packaging materials in which foods and feed are stored. Both species of rats cause problems by gnawing on electrical wires and wooden structures (doors, ledges, in corners, and in wall material) and tearing up insulation in walls and ceilings for nesting.

Norway rats may undermine building foundations and slabs with their burrowing activities. They may also gnaw on all types of materials, including soft metals such as copper and lead as well as plastic and wood. If roof rats are living in the attic of a residence, they can cause considerable damage with their gnawing and nest-building activities. They also damage garden crops and ornamental plantings.

Among the diseases rats may transmit to humans or livestock are murine typhus, leptospirosis, trichinosis, salmonellosis (food poisoning), and ratbite fever. Plague is a disease that can be carried by both roof and Norway rats, but in California it is more commonly associated with ground squirrels, chipmunks, and native wood rats.