House mice are another Old World species that came to Ohio with European settlement, and like the Norway rat, they’re now found almost everywhere humans have built something to live in. The state’s 174 records reflect that: this is a species whose presence tracks farms, homes, grain storage, and outbuildings far more closely than it tracks Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, or any other named wild place listed here.
The monthly record pattern stays fairly steady year-round, with a modest rise in July, August, and October. House mice don’t hibernate and don’t wait for a specific wild breeding season, they breed continuously indoors and in sheltered structures whenever conditions allow, so the seasonal signal in the data is muted compared to a native species tied to spring green-up or fall seed set. Ohio’s NatureServe rank is SNA, not applicable, the standard designation for a non-native species the state doesn’t formally assess for conservation status.
Full species profile
