Who digs tunnels in a garden without a mound?

Where do shrews live?

It is noteworthy that severe hunger can turn an insectivorous mammal into a real predator.
In the fight for prey, a shrew can fight with its fellow tribesmen, mice or lizards. Where does the shrew live? In forests, on the banks of reservoirs, in meadows, in foliage and last year's grass. She especially loves secluded tree crevices or rotten hollows, where she can sleep sweetly during the day.

Basically, this insectivore prefers to “work” at night. Geographically, the shrew lives all over the globe, with the exception of the polar regions, where the cold reigns - there it can be found very rarely. But in fact, this animal is not afraid of either heat or cold.

Lifestyle

Pests of gardens and vegetable gardens - field rats remain active throughout the year because they do not hibernate. In winter they are only underground and seal the entrance to their burrows, protecting themselves from the influx of cold air. In hot summer weather, they also close access to their home, protecting it from too high a temperature.

Earth rats leave their shelters for a short time in the evening and at night to feed on plants or root crops. They do not stray far from the hole and, in case of danger, quickly hide in their shelter.

Rats dig holes in the ground and make numerous labyrinths at a distance of 10-20 cm from the ground surface. The nest is surrounded by a network of tunnels and has several storerooms where the animal stores supplies for the winter.

How to drive earth rats out of your dacha and garden?

Tips on how to deal with earth rats in the garden. How and where they live, methods of destruction - poisons, baits, traps, repellents. Hills of fresh earth often greet owners when they arrive at the site. It immediately becomes clear that moles were in charge here. Tree trunks eaten together in winter indicate the joy of hares in the absence of their owners. Especially if they forgot about the precautions that should have been taken in the fall. Among the numerous rodents there are dangerous species that do not quickly reveal the secret of their presence. Only accidentally noticed, moving mounds of dry grass and last year's leaves will indicate that earth rats have appeared. And also dug-out spring beds, decorated with holes and pits. How to deal with earth rats in the garden on the site?

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Fighting earth rats
To get rid of an earth rat, you need to make sure that this is exactly the rodent that does not allow you to work in peace on your site. Maybe your neighbor has become a mole. He is also capable of digging up the entire garden and vegetable garden and destroying the harvest. It is worth looking at a photo of an earthen rat and then deciding on methods of struggle.

There are different ways to solve the problem, depending on what the intended goal is: to completely get rid of the pest or to drive it out of your territory. The following methods are used for these tasks:

• mechanical – traps, traps, ultrasonic repellers;
• chemical – poisons and poisons for rats, toxic substances;
• animals on the site - cats, dachshund dogs;
• smoking;
• planting fragrant plants;
• filling holes with water.

Let's take a closer look at how to deal with earth rats mechanically. The option is lengthy and requires some patience, since you need to find rodent holes, dig a 15-20 cm hole in front of them, set a trap or trap for rats and disguise them so that the animal does not notice them. You can use electronic traps that electrocute the victim. But rats are smart creatures and will not come a second time to where their relative died.

Chemical poisons or drugs that are toxic to pests, if used incorrectly, can ruin not only the harvest, but also cause poisoning of humans or pets living in the house. This path is not the safest to use. Justified in the case where a large number of pests have grown on the site and it becomes simply impossible to catch them.

There are more humane ways to fight. Cats and dogs living in the house will hunt rodents and force them to leave the inconvenient territory. Ultrasonic devices will also drive them out, creating certain frequencies that constantly irritate the animals. Ultrasonic rodent repellers do not pose a danger to humans.

The proximity to black elderberry, the root system of which releases cyanide substances that are poisonous to rats, will also help to repel earth pests. True, it will take a long time to smoke out the aliens, since they will not want to immediately leave their home.

Another method is a safe method used by summer residents: filling holes with water. Earth rats swim well, but the increased humidity of the nest will force its owners to leave their habitable place.

Control options are varied, but which one will be more effective will depend on the specific situation in your area.

There are several ways to destroy an earthen rat in a garden plot: trapping, baiting, expulsion. The choice of a specific method largely depends on the number of parasites and individual preferences of a person (some are categorically against the use of poisons against any living creatures). Next, we will consider each method separately, and study the pros and cons of each method of fighting the earthen rat.

A more effective method is to hunt earth rats using special breeds of dogs. An excellent option for your own homes is the dachshund. This breed of dog readily chases rats. Biological weapons are a method for lazy people. After all, a person is only required to acquire a predator. The animal itself will feed on rodents; some put the prey in front of the owner as a sign of devotion.

Recently, more and more supporters of humane methods of combating parasites have appeared. Some people cannot kill rodents because of their religion. It doesn’t matter what makes you refuse to kill an earth rat, but getting rid of it is simply necessary. Many humane methods have been developed especially for such cases:

• use of an ultrasonic repeller. The product is not affordable for everyone, but it generates ultrasound, which is unpleasant to many rodents. Remember that the method is not always effective; earth rats are very tenacious and can adapt to new living conditions. Ultrasonic devices do not provide a 100% guarantee, often eliminating up to 80% of pests,
• flooding of holes Unlike other rodents, the earth rat is able to swim, so during flooding the pest will not die, but will definitely escape,
• smoking parasites out of burrows. Rats have a sensitive sense of smell, and the strong aroma of a flammable substance will force the rodent to leave its home. Use the smell of burning fur from the same rodent or rabbit. Rats have a negative attitude towards the aromas of wormwood, peppermint,
• When planting black elderberry on a plot of land, its roots release a considerable dose of cyanide into the soil, which is harmful to rodents, but does not affect the plants in any way, and even helps to increase productivity.

When you start fighting a rodent, remember the characteristics of the earth rat: some dig small holes, place a stick there, and tie several tin cans to it, which make a loud sound. Regular play of loud music is effective against pests. You can try different methods, no matter how funny they may seem. The main thing in the fight against parasites is effectiveness!

Many people, when they first meet a rat in the garden, think that they need to buy poison. The modern household market offers a huge number of products aimed at exterminating pests. They all act differently: some are aimed at causing suffocation, others - paralysis, there are even drugs that drive rats crazy.

Chemicals are a reliable method, but require special care. When baiting rodents, follow safety rules and never spill medications near food. To ensure the reliability of the method, feed the animal for several days; only after the parasite loses its vigilance, add poison.

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A huge disadvantage of the method is that other animals can be poisoned; the poison readily penetrates into the soil where vegetables grow. In some cases, you can become poisoned yourself from contaminated fruits. Additionally, carcasses of dead animals are difficult to find; they can be located under leaves, in secluded places. A detailed study of the instructions for the insecticide and impeccable implementation of all instructions will help to avoid a deplorable situation.

Folk remedies

Folk methods include sprinkling the minks of earth rats with special plants: chamomile, peppermint, St. John's wort, lemon balm and others that have a strong aroma. Rags soaked in kerosene, gasoline, and grease are a great help. The pungent smell will force the rodent to leave its home. Such methods are actively used as an additional means of control.

Special traps

The use of traps is the oldest method of getting rid of unwanted living creatures not only in the house, but also on the land. Currently, improved traps are being produced that do an excellent job. Arc traps are effective against earth rats. The products are placed at a depth of up to 20 centimeters; there is no need to fill them with earth on top.

For this method, self-made traps or store-bought traps (electronic ones with a current connected) are suitable. After falling into such a trap, the rodent dies on the spot. The method is quite effective, but not always. Rodents are considered smart animals: if one individual dies in this way, others may avoid traps.

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• mechanical – traps, traps, ultrasonic repellers,
• chemical – poisons and poisons for rats, toxic substances,
• animals on the site - cats, dachshund dogs,
• smoking,
• planting fragrant plants,
• filling holes with water.

You can smoke a rat out of a hole by placing there a burnt piece of rabbit fur, a rag dipped in gasoline, or a bunch of wormwood or mint. Rodents have a very sensitive sense of smell, so they immediately react to a pungent odor.

Let's start with the fact that this animal does not really like to look out into the white light (if you can say that about it). The fact is that the mole is blind due to his lifestyle. Its habitat is the upper layers of soil. There he feels quite comfortable and cozy. Before asking how deep the mole's hole is, you need to find out why he needs it.

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After all, such a “structure” depends on goal setting. Nature does not like empty movements. In any case, the wormhole proves precisely this principle. The animal devotes almost all its time to its work on “underground construction”. He debugs and improves it. A wormhole is a whole system of corridors and rooms, each of which is created for its own purpose.

There are passages, a latrine, a nest, and a warehouse. Of course, all terms should be placed in quotation marks. However, they carry a practical load very similar to that which we put into the corresponding names. For example, a latrine is used by an animal as a “toilet room.” Moreover, in other places the animal does not fulfill this natural need.

Let's start not with the house, but with the “appearance”. Scientists have found that the animal has an unusual coat. Its fur grows straight. This is designed so that it does not interfere with his ability to change the direction of movement in narrow passages. The wool lays quite calmly both forward and backward. But, due to constant friction, the fur coat quickly deteriorates.

The mole might just be bald. Nature arranges it in such a way that it sheds up to four times a year. It is very difficult for predators to hunt underground inhabitants. It is known that they are able to run along their passages at a speed of more than twenty-five kilometers per minute! Agree, it's very fast. By the way, such high-speed movement also has a negative effect on the fur coat.

Mole rat

In many ways it is similar to a mole, although it is larger in size, but the marks it leaves behind are about the same. The main difference is that mole rats are voracious rodents, and the fight against them can be painful and long.

Mole rats are usually no more than 32 cm in length. They have very short legs and gray fur. The tail is not visible, as it is too small, the eyes are reduced and hidden under the skin.

The widest part of a mole rat's body is its head. If you look at the animal from above, it resembles a shovel. The mole rat's front teeth are long and protrude.

This pest especially loves potatoes and carrots; it affects garlic and beets, onions and bulbous flowers. It can also damage other plants, such as corn or beans.

Did you know? On average, one mole rat stores up to 13 kg of various crops.

Usually the animal drags the plants into its burrow, gnaws off the tops and leaves the lower part as a reserve for the winter.

The fight against mole rats, due to their underground lifestyle, is not always effective, but is still possible. Just remember that there is a giant mole rat listed in the Red Book.

Usually, when the entire garden is in holes, the summer resident is not particularly concerned about who did it, just to exterminate the pest. The giant mole rat is distributed mainly in sandy and clayey soils near water bodies.

They can be found in the Caucasus, in Dagestan, near the Terek, Sulak and Kuma rivers. It may turn out that just such a rare animal lives on your site.

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Therefore, it is better to try to determine in advance whether you have a common mole rat or not. The giant mole rat, of course, is better to catch or scare away.

Giant mole rat

Common mole rat

Mole rat minks

There are several ways to get rid of the pest.

The first way is to set traps. This method is not very effective, because mole rats are smart and cunning. It is best to get mole traps. When fighting a mole rat, you can be cunning.

Animals do not like open areas and wind, so you can dig up their hole and make another smaller one next door. Place a trap in the hole and cover it with something. When choosing from two options, the mole rat will, of course, choose the more protected one and will most likely fall into a trap.

The second way is to flood the holes. The mole rat is quite helpless against water. But if your soil is sandy and absorbs moisture well, then most likely this method of control will not suit you.

Important! To combat pests, you can simply call a specialist. This, of course, can cost a pretty penny, and the final result will depend on the qualifications and honesty of the specialist himself.

The third way is to use poisons and chemicals. But it may also not work. If there is enough food for a mole rat in your area, then it will not even look in the direction of the poison.

The fourth method and one of the most effective is noise and ultrasound. Mole rats hate noise. Therefore, installing noise repellers will not be superfluous. One of the surest methods is a vibration-sound repeller.

What does a mole eat?

A ground rat in a garden is a disaster for owners, because while digging holes, it destroys everything in its path. Loves to eat alfalfa, damages grains (wheat, barley), cotton and rice sprouts during the ripening period. Melons and melons, including melons and watermelons, are also not ignored.

If you come across young trees along the way, then rats in the countryside can cause their death. They gnaw seedlings at the root collar or eat away the bark, causing irreparable damage. Apple trees, bird cherry and willow trees are most often affected.

Earth rodents hunt small field mice, mollusks, crayfish, insects and other living creatures. They feel great in water, climb trees, attack bird nests, destroy them and eat chicks. They can live in houses, barns, cellars, destroying the harvest. In pursuit of food, they gnaw through adobe walls and dig labyrinths under the floor.

Not only useful plants, roots and tubers are eaten by these pests. Previously, it was thought that the weed could stop water rats, but in the absence of the necessary food, they eat everything that grows on the ground.

It is clear that with such a specific lifestyle, the animal must have a special diet. And they eat everything they meet along the way. These are mainly plant parts. Roots, tubers, acorns - all this ends up in their stomachs (and not only). Researchers of this interesting animal say that its reserves can be impressive.

For example, the mole rat makes several storerooms in which up to twenty kilograms of food can be found. Agree, one can envy the animal’s hard work. In addition, this factor explains to what depth the mole digs. Stocks are being made for the winter. Therefore, they should not “disappear”, in particular from the cold. This means that in those areas where there is more frost, the animal hides deeper and vice versa.

Shrew

The animal is similar to a vole, but has two obvious differences - a much longer tail and an elongated muzzle. There are two types of shrews: shrews and shrews.

The shrew reaches a size of no more than 7 cm and is gray in color, but most often a shrew with brown fur and no more than 5 cm in length appears in the garden.

shrew

Shrew

Don’t be fooled by the appearance of the animal, because just how cute a shrew looks in the photo does not mean that the damage from it will be minimal. In just a couple of days, the entire area can be dug up, and the lawn will be full of tussocks.

The shrew has a high metabolism, so it is constantly looking for food, which results in furrows like those in the photo of its burrows.

The baby feeds on insects, and it would be quite useful if the harm it causes were not many times greater than the benefit. In a day, it destroys pests several times its own body weight.

The furrows it creates help the earth to become saturated with oxygen. But the fact is that there is usually practically nothing left to grow on such land - the shrew gnaws through the roots and plants that stand in its way.

The first way to combat shrews is with poisons and chemicals. Products such as Anti-Rodent are used against animals. It is important to remember that the poison can be dangerous for pets or children, so be careful and read the instructions for use.

The second method is to flood the shrews' burrows. In this case, it is better to flood any hole that causes suspicion.

The third way is to use items with a strong, unpleasant odor. Shrews have a very delicate sense of smell, so they cannot tolerate strong-smelling things. Place rotten fish or eggs in the holes. The shrew will not tolerate such aromas and will leave the hole.

Using traps against shrews is ineffective. And any of the above methods does not provide a 100% guarantee. Shrews can easily come back to your site, so you should be very careful.

How to deal with shrews

People go to various lengths to drive this voracious guest out of their area. Some methods are quite original and, at first glance, raise doubts about their effectiveness. However, it is not for nothing that gardeners advise each other certain techniques that have been known for decades. As practice shows, they really work; I’ll give a few examples here.

Methods to combat shrews:

• As mentioned above, this animal has an enviable sense of smell. If you find an animal's burrow, try to bury fish heads or entrails that were removed when cleaning the fish right there (during the move). After a short time, the smell of decomposition will drive the shrew out of the area. This method is also good in the fight against moles and mole rats.
• If you have a vigilant cat, then he can also become a good assistant in the fight against pests. The small animal really looks like a mouse and will cause a completely expected reaction in a hunting cat. According to reviews from summer residents, cats cope well with this mission, although they do not eat the prey afterwards. The reason for this is the characteristic odor released by the musk glands of the shrew.
• Water from a hose, which is poured into the detected pest passages. Sometimes quite a few liters of water may be needed, but this is an old proven method that allows you to “pour” a shrew out of its shelter.

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Prevention of occurrence

No one has yet managed to protect their site 100% from the appearance of various pests, including shrews. If there are few shrews, then they are only useful, but over time their population increases, and their benefit turns into harm. Unfortunately, this happens late and you have to think about how to get rid of them, otherwise serious crop losses are possible.

There are a number of options for using various homemade devices or planting plants that help a person fight the invasion of animals. For example:

• Repellers based on a wooden stick with plastic or cans on it work well. The noise generated by the wind scares away underground burrowing animals.
• Planting plants such as beans and other legumes, as well as mint, wormwood and other plants that have a persistent aroma, also helps regulate the number of these animals on the site.

Although traditional methods have their advantages, they do not provide the same effectiveness as chemicals or modern electronic devices.

When choosing one or another method of control, you should remember that these are mainly useful animals, unlike rats and mice.

How to recognize a mole or mole rat

And now let’s talk about the sore point, about such a complex and difficult fight against “moles”, namely mole rats, since it is not the mole, for which a plant-based diet is contraindicated, that rules our gardens, but the mole rat. The real mole, his appearance, habits and habits were discussed above. The mole rat is similar to the mole only in its manner of throwing out soil when digging holes and its exclusively underground lifestyle. You can see him extremely rarely; he leaves his underground galleries once, leaving his native nest at a young age.

The appearance of the mole rat is very unusual, the body shape resembles a plump cylinder, the geometric perfection of which is not disturbed by either the ears or the tail, since they are underdeveloped. The large head of the mole rat is flattened in the shape of a wedge. He is completely blind, in place of his eyes a thick fold of skin has formed, densely covered with bristly hair, even the fleas living on him are also blind.

The body of the animal is covered with thick silky ocher-brown fur, in which there is no down and guard hairs that are familiar to us; Hard hairs protruding from the fur are organs of touch. The mole rat's legs are short and weak; they do not take part in digging; the main digging tool is huge incisors sticking out. The lips are equipped with folds that close the mouth so that the earth does not get there during underground robots. The body length of the mole rat is 20-25 cm.

In the wild, mole rats feed on all kinds of green and underground parts of plants; on occasion, they eat sown acorns, seedlings and young seedlings of oak, maple and other deciduous trees; an important part of their diet consists of bulbous trees. In a cultivated landscape, they are most numerous in crops of perennial grasses and vegetable gardens, where they subsist on root crops, bulbs, and tubers. The lifestyle of these animals is still poorly understood and still leaves many questions.

Krawczyk (snow beetle)

A representative of the dung beetle family. Only it differs from its relatives in that it feeds on herbivorous food. It was nicknamed the shear beetle because it literally cuts off plant stems with its powerful jaws.

The beetle is black, up to 2.5 cm in length. Its head is large and very noticeable, for which it is also called the bigheaded fish.

Red minnows dig deep burrows for themselves, which are quite complex and large. This happens mainly in early spring, during the mating period. Then the female begins building a burrow. A common, not yet branched burrow sometimes reaches up to 70 cm in depth.

From greenery and their secretions, they form enough cubes to fill a hole. The beetle larvae will subsequently feed on this mass. Next year the number of kravchiks will increase, and all cycles will be repeated again and again.

Kravychiki greatly damage corn, sunflowers and, of course, grapes. These beetles stock up on food for their children so carefully that they are able to literally cut off all the seedlings.

Chemicals are not very effective at getting rid of those that live deep in the ground. As a preventative measure, we can recommend a thorough and deep (60–70 cm) digging of the area. This depth should be enough for the holes to freeze over the winter. The main way to get rid of snow beetles is to pick them up by hand.

You can loosen the ground, filling up the entrances of holes, you can dig around the area around the perimeter, putting grass treated with special substances - pyrethroids - into the resulting grooves, but in any case you will have to collect pests and monitor their appearance.

Another effective method is to pour the most fragrant and cheapest vegetable oil, diluted with water, into the burrows, and after the minnows come out, collect and destroy them.

Features of a rodent

The parasite is not only capable of digging tunnels in the ground, but also swims beautifully, which causes it to move closer to garden plots in the autumn in search of food. In one year, the female produces offspring five times, each numbering from two to fourteen cubs. A young individual is capable of giving birth to offspring two years after its birth.

The difficulty of controlling the pest lies in its fertility and adaptability to various living conditions. The presence of favorable conditions can lead to the reproduction of rodents in catastrophic quantities. The ground rat is an attractive, fluffy animal. The rodent belongs to the order of voles.

The parasite feasts on root crops, tops, leaves, and bark of young trees. It can also eat frogs, shellfish, and field mice. In summer, the rodent prefers to live near bodies of water, looking for food and shelter there. In winter, the earth rat moves closer to humans, living in gardens and sheds. The rodent moves quickly through trees and is able to feast on small birds, chicks, and eggs.

As a home, the rodent chooses cluttered places with an abundance of old branches and unnecessary rubbish. In addition to tunnels, the earth rat is capable of building pantries where it hides food for the winter. In general, the parasite makes a hole through their numerous passages, a pantry, and a nest. Supplies include almost everything: potatoes, carrots, beets, grains, legumes. All “buildings” are located 20 centimeters underground.

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The rodent is considered the largest representative of the vole species. Body length is 25 cm, of which the tail length is 6–13 cm. Weight reaches 500 g. Body color is variable: gray, brown, black, with a white stripe on the back, light sides. But most often these are brown and black tones. The attractive fluffy animal resembles a large mouse or rat.

It feeds on seeds, roots, green parts of plants, and the bark of young trees. It can feast on field mice, mollusks, river animals, and frogs. Stores reserves for the winter. In summer, it settles near water bodies. With the onset of cold weather, it makes its way closer to a person’s home and his lands. You can see the earth rat in the barn, in the beds, in the garden. She deftly crawls through trees, destroys bird nests, feeds on eggs and chicks.

Selects cluttered places with a lot of branches and leaves to build burrows. In addition to passages and burrows, the earth rat builds storerooms. In general, the nest of a ground rat: a hole, a numerous network of passages, a nesting area, and a storage room for the winter. There she takes literally everything that is in the garden: potatoes, onions, beets, legumes, grain.

The appearance of the animal is more similar to mice than to rats:

• rounded body, large head with a blunt muzzle,
• small round ears, barely noticeable,
• the eyes are round and large enough,
• massive paws with long toes and slightly rounded claws.

There are still differences between rats and mice. The rodent's body length is about 22 cm. The tail is narrow, long, covered with thick, hard hair. There is a small brush at the tip. The coat is soft, but there are long, stiff fibers throughout the body. In winter, the cover becomes denser and fluffier. The weight of the animal is about 350 g.

The color of the ground rat depends on its habitat and age. The back is always darker than the sides. Mainly brown with tints of different tones of brown.

The abdomen is dirty white. Available in red or completely black. The yellow earthen rat looks like a hamster. The only thing that gives it away is its long tail and the absence of a light stripe along the back. A photo of an earthen rat is presented below.

Field rats prefer grain, cereals, flour, seeds, root vegetables, and juicy grass. It also feeds on small insects, fish, frogs, and mollusks. The land rat swims well, dives well, and is capable of foraging underwater.

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The lack of food in the wild forces the animals to move to fields with grain crops. Rats dig holes in the ground, disrupting plant growth. With a large number of rodents in the field, it is impossible to harvest the crop using machinery. The spikelets fall, crumble, and get tangled.

The damage caused by the earth rat is irreparable for gardeners, gardeners, and farmers. A large colony of animals can destroy the entire crop. Animals are forced to sharpen their front teeth on hard surfaces to prevent their growth. They often gnaw tree bark. An attack by a large number of pasyuki is dangerous for poultry and animals.

If the relocation of the earth rat to the fields occurred due to flooding, you can take emergency measures, but do not worry too much about it. When the water recedes, the entire colony will return to its original location, since the animal cannot live without water.

A ground rat in a garden is a real disaster. The animal digs numerous tunnels, disrupts the growth of crops, and also gnaws on crops. If you let everything take its course, you can end up with nothing. Young trees suffer from the presence of voles.

Rodent control products

• It is not recommended to use strong poison for rats. The poison accumulates in crops and threatens the lives of birds, farm animals, and humans themselves. Preference is given to traditional methods with a deterrent effect. There is no need to exterminate voles; you need to force them to leave the territory.
• You can get rid of the ground rat using Vishnevsky ointment. The drug is diluted in water and the holes are watered. Or they treat the floors if a rodent has entered a house, barn, or barn.
• Wood ash is a universal remedy for pests among animals and insects. Small particles stick to the fur, get on the skin, causing irritation and severe burning. The rat will feel constant discomfort and disappear from the garden in a matter of days.
• Animals are afraid of black elderberry. If earth rats often appear in your dacha, you need to plant plant bushes in the corners of the plot, it will help drive out and prevent infestation. If this is not possible, they simply lay out bunches around the garden. Elderberry contains toxic substances.
• You can smoke a rat out of a hole with the smell of burnt wool and feathers. They set fire to old clothes, threads, or a dead mouse. Smoking with smoke and an unpleasant odor is a particularly effective method. You will have to smoke for several evenings.
• The weed can stop water rats. One option is burdock seeds. Bundles are laid out across the plot of land. The spines cling to the fur, dig into the skin, and cause discomfort.
• 2 buckets of water are poured into the hole. One is not enough, since the animal can dig a whole labyrinth of passages in depth and breadth. You will have to gradually drive out all the pests.
• A homemade trap made from buried cans is also a surefire way to catch pests. Dig holes throughout the plot of land and insert a 1 liter container. Getting rid of traps from jars is much more convenient than using regular mousetraps.

Everyone chooses control measures for themselves individually. However, you should always remember the safety of yourself and those around you. Poison is not prohibited; it is better to do without it in the garden.

Shrew: description

As already mentioned, the shrew has an external resemblance to a mouse, but differs from it in its long proboscis and tail. In temperate latitudes, you have to deal more with two types of shrews: the pygmy shrew and the tiny shrew. As a rule, the 2nd type is more widespread.

This animal can be distinguished from other similar animals by a number of characteristics:

• The shrew has a more elongated head with a movable proboscis of a lighter shade.
• The body, 18 to 25 cm long, is covered with short but thick hair.
• The fluffy coat is dark brown with a gray tint.
• The shrew's tail is thicker and longer than that of the mouse.
• The tiny shrew measures no more than 5 cm.
• The shrew moves quickly and builds long tunnels underground, similar to mole holes.
• As a rule, it is found mainly in mid-latitudes. Prefers more humid places with sufficient food available. They can often be found near bodies of water, where they occupy empty holes of mice and moles.
• The shrew does not feed on potato tubers, since its diet consists of organisms of animal origin living in the thickness of the earth.
• The nest of this animal is not large, therefore inconspicuous, lined from the inside with dry branches and leaves.
• Each animal has its own “hunting grounds”, several tens of square meters in size.
• The shrew's diet consists of small and large insects, earthworms, toads and small lizards.
• The shrew stores excess food in a nest, which is located underground.
• The shrew has a fast metabolism, therefore, it has to actively move underground most of the time in search of food.
• A shrew can fight to the death for its territory.

Danger of the ground rat

Due to its high fertility, it is not difficult to guess that an earthen rat is capable of destroying all food supplies not only in the garden, but also in a human home. If there is not enough food, rodents crawl into the house, even feeding on cereals, crumbs, and sausage. In addition to stealing the crop, the rodent's moves spoil the root system of plants, which leads to a decrease in their fertility and further drying out.

Parasites dig tunnels close to the surface, spoiling not only vegetable plantings, but also flower ones. In Holland, the earth rat is considered the main enemy of tulips. The earth rat does not disdain even weeds. During the harvesting of grain crops, the pest's passages greatly complicate this process. The parasite chews off the bark of young trees, which leads to freezing of the plantings in winter.

Rat

Rats are very smart. And also, like any rodent, they are dangerous because they are carriers of many diseases. In the countryside, you can most often find a gray rat. People call it pasyuk.

It is quite large, can reach 27 cm in size. Pasyuk is omnivorous and swims well. It is he who digs holes in vegetable gardens, not particularly deep, but branched.

The rat is prolific - per year it can give birth to 3 litters of up to 10 cubs each. This large pest will also fight a large enemy if there is no place left to run to. Pasyuk can even attack a person.

Due to the mole cricket's addiction to cabbage, it is also called cabbage.

The cabbage nests are shallow - only 10–15 cm from the surface. In them, the female takes care of her offspring. The nest has many branches and exits.

The female regulates the conditions inside for the best development of the larvae - she opens and closes the entrances, gnaws out the roots of plants so that the nest warms up better. So the root system of plants is sufficiently affected, which leads to their death.

The mole cricket can overwinter in the ground at a depth of up to 2 m, and can also overwinter in manure. Often it is with compost that it ends up in gardens.

Fighting mole crickets, like other pests, is not easy. Getting rid of cabbage weed needs to be approached comprehensively, focusing on its characteristics and habits. Let's look at some preventive and preventive measures.

The first method is loosening and digging. You should try to dig no less than 15 cm deep. This procedure needs to be done about 3 times throughout the entire season. This way you will find mole cricket nests and eggs in the soil.

The soil with eggs must be removed from the garden - poured into a bucket or other container. And if you come across an adult mole cricket, then it also needs to be destroyed - crushed or chopped.

The second way is to lure with manure. In the spring, you can spread heaps of compost around the garden - mole crickets will find this a good place for their nests. Check the piles periodically, and if you find eggs or an adult, destroy them.

For wintering, the mole cricket will also prefer compost. At the end of autumn, dig several holes in which to place manure. When frost sets in, destroy and scatter the manure from the holes. The mole cricket simply won’t have time to hide in the ground and will freeze.

If the mole cricket has already started and can simply destroy your garden until late autumn, then you can remove it as follows.

The first method is detergents. Water mixed with powder or laundry soap and poured into the holes of the cabbage will either kill it or force it to crawl out. Then it can be destroyed manually.

The second way is poisons and chemicals. Preparations such as “Grom” or “Medvetox” can simply be poured into the minks, or they can be mixed with wheat porridge and placed in places that most need protection, or next to the minks. You can also use kerosene against cabbage weeds. The third method is traps. Kapustyankas are very fond of beer and honey. A jar with a small amount of beer (up to 100 g) should be buried at an angle in the ground, leaving the neck at the top.

The neck must be tied with gauze. The mole cricket will gnaw through the fabric and fall into the jar, and it will no longer be able to get out of there. Once the jar is full, the pests can be killed very easily.

If any of the above pests have appeared in your garden, prepare yourself for a long fight and be sure to first determine who exactly is digging the soil in your dacha.

Most likely, some of the methods will not suit you, but there will probably be one that will be life-saving. The best solution would be to use comprehensive control, using all possible methods.

The most dangerous pest of household plots and summer cottages is the ground rat or water vole. The animal belongs to the genus of mice, but has nothing in common with them. The way of life of an earth rat is somewhat similar to the way of life of a mole: it digs passages in the ground, so after its life activity small holes remain in the garden. In addition, the animal feels great in water, which complicates the fight against it.

This text describes the life functions of the earth rat, its harm to humans, as well as effective ways to get rid of this animal. If the presence of a water vole is detected on the site, then you need to immediately begin expelling it from the site. If you do everything correctly, following useful tips, then this procedure will not be so difficult.

Preventive recommendations

The main bait for the earth mouse is the presence of food; it is impossible to get rid of it. There are useful recommendations that reduce the risk of a rodent appearing in a garden plot many times over:

• get a cat, a dog. Pets will not only please the eye, they will be able to scare away uninvited guests, even with their specific smell,
• regularly inspect your possessions, if several individuals are found, immediately begin to destroy them,
• Sometimes play loud music in the garden or hang tin cans on sticks. During strong winds they will create a hum that will scare away many parasites,
• Order in your own home plays an important role. Immediately throw away unnecessary boards, old trash, and gardening waste. All secluded places can quickly be chosen by a variety of pests.

Preventive measures

The main reason why a pest settles in a garden plot or country house is the availability of food in an accessible form. Therefore, to get rid of the pest, you need to work hard. If you follow useful tips, you can reduce the risk of a rodent appearing on your property several times. What should be done:

• Get a cat and a dog. These animals will help in the fight against rodents, scaring them away even with their smell.
• Regularly inspect your property for the presence of such rodents.
• Often play loud music on the street or dig several sticks in the area, hanging several tin cans on them. When exposed to wind, the jars will make loud sounds, which will repel pests.
• Frequently clean up the house, throwing out old, unnecessary things. A pile of junk attracts many parasites.

The water vole can cause a lot of harm if you do not start fighting it in time. It is important to choose the right way to get rid of the pest without causing damage to yourself, pets and plants.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
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Ground rat in the garden

It is not difficult to guess that with a large number of pests in one area, the entire crop may suffer. The rat stuffs small potatoes into the pantry, and gnaws large ones on the spot. The same thing happens with carrots and beets. In addition to stealing the crop and damaging it, the earth rat damages all vegetation with its moves.

They are located close to the surface of the earth. In the process of digging, the rat touches roots and stems. They end up on the soil surface, dry out over time, and the plant dies. In Holland, the ground rat is considered a dangerous pest of tulips. There is nothing in the garden or flower beds that a rodent would disdain. Even weeds are used.

When harvesting grain crops, mounds on the surface of the ground make harvesting difficult. In addition, the earth rat covers the fallen stems with earth. The pest gnaws the bark of young trees. After a feast of several individuals, the tree dries up. It is difficult to overestimate the damage caused by the earth rat. With strong reproduction, the pest can destroy literally everything. Considering the great fertility of the earthen rat, the reaction to the presence of rodents in the garden should be immediate.

Distinctive features of shrews and habitat

For shrews to appear on a summer cottage, certain conditions are required. They choose well-moistened soil, since the hard soil does not allow them to dig even shallow holes with narrow earthen passages. Therefore, animals prefer shaded places with dense vegetation near bodies of water or in areas that are watered on a regular basis. If there is a greenhouse in the garden, then the shrew will definitely get inside through the underground labyrinths.

Animals use dry leaves and branches to insulate their underground nests

Shrews make their nests underground from dry branches and leaves, as a rule, in other people's burrows, free from their previous owners - moles, mole rats and field mice. At the same time, the animals stay apart and militantly defend the boundaries of their territory from their relatives. Special glands secrete a pungent musky odor , which allows them to repel natural enemies (the exceptions are owls, ferrets and weasels).

Researchers have discovered a strange, unique ability of shrews, the so-called “Denel effect,” when in the fall young animals experience a decrease in body size and a flattening of the skull. This phenomenon is due to the fact that in winter they do not hibernate, and the volume of their usual food is reduced. From April to June, body parameters increase to their previous sizes.

An animal eats an amount of food equal to its own weight in three hours, and dies from seven-hour hunger.

Voracity is directly related to the small size of these warm-blooded animals

Maintaining a constant body temperature and accelerated metabolism force animals to spend time around the clock in search of food , taking a short break to sleep. Their day is divided not into day and night, but into periods for sleeping and hunting. Different species of shrews have their own days: some divide them into 10 periods, others, for example, the shrew, go to bed 78 times in 24 hours and wake up the same number of times in order to get food for themselves.

In spring and summer, the diet of these predators includes a large number of beetles and their larvae, other insects and earthworms; they can also attack frogs, lizards and young small rodents. In winter, even under the snow, they find sleeping insects and plant seeds.

Harm and benefit

Whether it is necessary to get rid of the presence of these animals on the site is an open question, since the real benefits they bring are obvious, and each gardener can assess the harm they cause in their own way. In order not to engage in lengthy reasoning, we present the main arguments in the table:

Beneficial pollinating insects, such as bees, also suffer from shrews - a nimble insectivore can destroy up to four bees in an hour

If you still intend to fight these small predators, then they can not only be exterminated with the help of pesticides. There are many other, humane ways to drive away or scare away animals.

Expulsion by folk methods

The ground rat does not like strong odors. There are several ways to free the territory:

• burn the rubber, put the smoking one in a hole,
• burn the rabbit skin, stuff the remains into holes,
• pour kerosene on a dead rat carcass, burn it, put the remains in a hole,
• fill the hole with water and soot,
• soak rags in machine oil, kerosene, gasoline, and stick them in holes.

In addition, you can use plants. These creatures cannot tolerate the smells of wormwood, tansy, chamomile, elderberry, hawthorn, and mint. By the way, plants can be used for prevention purposes. You can plant mint and chamomile among the beds.

Whatever method of exterminating a rat is chosen, the main thing is to act quickly. These creatures multiply so quickly that you risk being left without a harvest at all.