They will, however, take newly sown sugar beet seed, sometimes causing the field to be redrilled by the farmer. This can often be avoided by later sowing in spring, when densities of mice are lower and germination of the seed is quicker. They are killed by rodenticides put down for rats or house mice and may die after eating slug pellets spread on cereal fields. Wood mice have no legal protection and conservation does not seem necessary as recolonisation after mortality is often rapid. Wood mice can be beneficial to man by preying on harmful insects and many trees and shrubs germinate from forgotten wood mouse food stores.
Wood mice are extremely common and are found in almost all habitats.
They are an important source of food to many carnivores and birds of prey. They have no legal protection. Wood mice are pests in my garden. Damage caused by wood mice to crops is sporadic, usually when their natural food is scarce. Food shortages are often enhanced by the use of insecticides.