SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) — Cooler nights and days may attract rodents to your home, but there are steps to take to stop that from happening.

Mice and other rodents are tiny animals that lose body heat rapidly, so they make nests or burrows to hide in when temperatures get cooler. Sometimes, that burrow is inside your home and it’s because your house is nice and warm.

It takes more consistently cooler temperatures for this to really ramp up, but the warmth of your home can also attract some insects.

22News spoke with Natasha Wright, an entomologist with Braman Termite and Pest Elimination Specialists, to find out what you can do:

“Ideally you would’ve done what we call exclusion prior to the fall season coming around. So making sure all your screens in your house as repaired, if you have any sort of door sweeps that are damaged. Any of those very obvious problems should have been taken care of.”

It’s also important to check the exterior of your home because mice can get inside through a hole as small as a dime. Rats can get inside your home through a hole as small as a quarter.

Make sure to keep your yard clean and trimmed as well; overgrown vegetation can also attract rodents. It also helps to keep your trash and food sealed. To be proactive, you can also set up some traps.

Mint leaves and bay leaves around your home have been known to repel mice.

We might have a few warm days this week, but the rest of the month will cool down quickly.