House Mouse (Mus musculus) is in the Old World Mice and Rats family (Muridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,665 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph House Mouse: observations by month (U.S.)
About House Mouse
The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a small mammal of the order Rodentia, characteristically having a pointed snout, small rounded ears, and a long naked or almost hairless tail. It is one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus. Although a wild animal, the house mouse mainly lives in association with humans.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
House Mouse by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 651 | October | Sep–Aug |
| Texas | 259 | November | Jun–Apr |
| New York | 225 | October | Jul–May |
| Pennsylvania | 190 | July | Jun–May |
| Maryland | 176 | October | Dec–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 168 | March | Dec–Apr |
| Oklahoma | 132 | November | Oct–Sep |
| Illinois | 114 | August | May–Dec |
| Utah | 108 | October | Apr–Jan |
| Hawaii | 105 | January | Oct–Aug |
| Colorado | 101 | October | Aug–Feb |
| Virginia | 98 | October | Feb–Dec |
| Ohio | 93 | October | Apr–Nov |
| North Carolina | 86 | December | Nov–May |
| Minnesota | 81 | October | Jul–Nov |
| Florida | 63 | April | Sep–Jul |
| Arizona | 62 | March | Feb–May |
| New Jersey | 62 | September | Jun–Nov |
| District of Columbia | 61 | October | Sep–Dec |
| Oregon | 60 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Indiana | 55 | November | Mar–Jan |
| New Mexico | 52 | November | Oct–Jan |
| Missouri | 49 | September | Mar–Dec |
| Washington | 46 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Tennessee | 39 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Nebraska | 38 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Alabama | 36 | February | Jan–Apr |
| Michigan | 34 | July | May–Oct |
| Louisiana | 33 | June | Feb–Jun |
| Georgia | 32 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Idaho | 32 | September | Sep–Dec |
| Montana | 32 | September | Jul–Dec |
| Arkansas | 31 | September | Sep–Feb |
| Wisconsin | 31 | August | Jun–Dec |
| Kentucky | 28 | November | Sep–Nov |
| Kansas | 26 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Alaska | 23 | September | May–Oct |
| Delaware | 20 | December | Dec–Jan |
| Connecticut | 19 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Iowa | 19 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Nevada | 18 | April | Apr–Apr |
| South Carolina | 18 | January | Jul–Mar |
| West Virginia | 15 | March | Aug–Jun |
| Mississippi | 14 | November | Nov–Dec |
| Rhode Island | 14 | April | Jan–Oct |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related mammals (Old World Mice and Rats)
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph House Mouse?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from September to August.
Where is House Mouse most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, New York.