Mole rat animal. Lifestyle and habitat of the mole rat

Gardeners and summer residents of the central part of Russia, the western regions of the Caucasus and Left Bank Ukraine are well aware of who the mole rat is and what problems it can create.

Who is a mole rat

– this is a fairly large rodent (its weight is approximately 700 g, and its body length can reach 30 cm). The animal has no tail, the ears are not developed, the body is cylindrical, and the head is large and flattened. True to its name, the animal is not just blind, it has no eyes at all (in the place where they should be, there are dense folds of skin).

The mole rat's fur is hard, more like bristles, and long hairs protruding from the fur act as the animal's sense organs. The lips of the mole rat are also covered with folds, they protect the oral cavity from the entry of soil; only a pair of huge incisors stick out, giving the rodent a far from attractive appearance.

The mole rat's legs are short and weak; these organs do not take part in the work; the digging process occurs with the help of teeth.

The habitat of the common mole rat is steppe and forest-steppe areas near ravines, forest plantations and forests, as well as adjacent cultural crops. This rodent has close relatives: the Pontic, Bukovinian, Podolsk and Sandy mole rats. All of them are considered rare animals and are even listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

However, the common mole rat is also last years does not increase its numbers. It is interesting that this rodent is practically absent from the territories located on the right bank of the Dnieper. Apparently, for many years the animal was unable to overcome this natural barrier during the migration process.

The mole rat digs underground complex multi-pass “two-story” burrows with a total length of 0.25–0.35 km: the upper tier is in the fertile soil layer (10-25 cm below the surface of the earth), the lower one is at a depth of one to four meters.

On the top floor of the rodent there is a “dining room” - it is at this level that there are roots, tubers and other underground parts of plants that the animal eats as it moves. Below there is, in fact, a dwelling (nest), as well as “storage chambers” for food stored for the winter.

When digging a hole, the mole rat pushes a rather impressive pile of earth to the surface with its head, which betrays its presence on the site.

To make it easier to move forward, the mole rat hits its head against the upper wall of the hole and, based on the strength of the reflection of the sound wave, determines the direction in which it is more convenient to continue moving. In a similar way, rodents communicate with each other by detecting a partner based on the wave signals they send.

What harm does a mole rat do?

Both in appearance and lifestyle, the mole rat is similar to a mole, and yet they are completely different animals. They build similar burrows, and the entrances to such underground tunnels look the same in appearance, but these rodents feed on different foods: The mole is a predator, its food consists of worms and larvae, while the mole rat is herbivorous and, as was said, not only eats all sorts of roots and roots on its way, but also creates their impressive reserves for the winter.

So, if you want to know what kind of animal left you without a harvest of carrots, beets or potatoes, you can be sure: it’s a mole rat! In addition, this animal happily feeds on bulbous plants, so it is just as dangerous for a flower garden as it is for a vegetable garden. The animal does not disdain the green parts of plants (it likes legumes, umbelliferous and asteraceae crops most of all), pulling them underground and eating them, while the roots and tubers are used mainly as reserves.

In the bins of the mole rat, up to 18 kg of potatoes were found in one chamber, while in the neighboring ones there were reserves of roots, acorns and other delicacies almost similar in weight. It has been noted that the mass of food that a mole rat eats per day is approximately comparable to the weight of its body, therefore, taking into account the animal’s active preparation for winter, one can imagine what harm a single mole rat can cause to crops, flowers and other lovingly planted plants. plants on the site!

If such a disaster has befallen you, and your green spaces have been literally tormented by a mole rat with its terror, a reasonable question arises: what to do. In reality, there are many ways to get a blind man out of the garden. These include traps, repellers, toxic substances, and various folk techniques. The choice depends on your humanity, ingenuity and finances.

Setting traps

Many people think that the most in an effective way getting rid of a mole rat is physical destruction of an animal. There are various designs of traps and other mechanical traps for mole rats; they can be purchased or made with your own hands according to the drawing offered on the Internet.

The main problem is not getting a trap, but setting it correctly. The technology is quite troublesome and the result is by no means guaranteed. So, the first thing you need to do is find the freshest pile of earth that the mole rat has pushed out, and hope that the animal is somewhere nearby.

The principle of catching is based on the fact that the mole rat really does not like a draft, and if one forms in its hole, there is a chance that the rodent will go to eliminate the “mess” and fall into a trap.

We tear up the hole, find the main passage and clear it until we reach the earthen plug. This is what needs to be removed so that fresh air can begin to flow into the hole. The trap for the mole rat is installed at a depth of approximately 5 cm from the beginning of the move, its chain is brought to the surface, and the hole is sprinkled with earth or covered with plywood so as not to frighten off the pest. It is believed that you can check whether the event was a success within half an hour.

If you are lucky enough to have a hunting dog, it can help locate the rodent and save the owner from digging useless holes.

Both for the household and for the pet – excellent training in conditions close to combat!

In the same way, you can catch a mole rat using a hook or several hooks to which a loop is attached - the installation principle is the same, the hooks are dug into the ground near the exit of the hole, so that the animal will cling to one of them when it comes to fill the entrance.

It should be noted that the method under consideration for catching mole rats is not considered effective. Firstly, its success directly depends on correct definition location of the animal in this moment, and taking into account the total duration of the hole and the number of numerous “exits” this is not always possible.

Secondly, experienced gardeners note the extraordinary cunning of these rodents. Only a very young and stupid animal can get caught in a trap; in addition, if one mole rat has already been caught in this way, others begin to show double caution, and one cannot count on repeated success.

Surprisingly, sometimes pets - cats or dogs - help to cope with the problem. Of course, it’s unlikely that a neat and melancholy Persian cat will catch a mole rat; we’re more likely talking about a yard cat, preferably one with experience in catching mice, and even better, rats (admittedly, the latter is very rare).

True, some cat lovers note that a cat that feeds kittens in order to protect its offspring from a potential threat can simply work wonders! Representatives of the dog breed are also not suitable, since only a “professional”, specially trained in hunting underground animals, such as a dachshund or spaniel, can catch a mole rat.

Installation of ringing, rattling and vibrating homemade devices

The second way to get rid of a mole rat is scaring. For this purpose, you can use various devices, but the principle of their operation is usually the same: to create a vibration or noise effect using the wind. Having no eyes, the mole rat is very sensitive to sound waves. When the ground shakes, the rodent perceives this as a signal of danger. If strange vibrations or noises are repeated frequently, the mole rat will be constantly in a state of discomfort and will eventually prefer to leave the unpleasant place.

As a sound repeller, a system of wooden pegs driven into the ground is sometimes used, to which any impellers, for example, from children's toys, are attached. When there is a gust of wind, the blades begin to spin, and a hum occurs, which is heard underground and greatly irritates mole rats and moles. On the same pegs you can strengthen cans.

For the same purpose, you can bury it in the ground in different places. empty bottles, preferably large ones, for example, champagne bottles. The neck of the bottle should rise several centimeters above the ground, making it equal to sharp corner. If you take into account the most frequent wind direction when digging in a bottle, the created noise effect will occur much more often, and accordingly, the likelihood of scaring off an underground builder will increase.

Sometimes more complex designs are used, for example based on plastic bottles, which are cut and bent in a certain way, after which a wire is passed through the bottle, which goes deep into the ground, and a metal ball is placed in the bottle, creating an additional noise effect when there is a gust of wind. Based on this principle, you can come up with many other “noise makers” and “rattles”.

Did you know? The mole rat, like other rodents, does not like the aroma of some plants. In particular, it was noted that this animal absolutely cannot tolerate the parsnips that we love. Therefore, they say that if you sow this spice along the perimeter of the plot, preferably in several rows, you can forget about the problem of the presence of mole rats in the garden. It is only important to use long-rooted varieties so that the rodent encounters the plant as it moves. In any case, this method is much simpler than digging around the area with a metal mesh half a meter deep, and this type of pest control advice is also often found.

Fighting mole rats with water

A separate way to get rid of mole rats is flood it, or rather, his hole. Considering the length and complexity of the underground structures built by the rodent, this method cannot be called simple. And it’s absolutely certain that you won’t get away with just a bucket of water here.

Important! Water should get not just into the hole, but into the nest of the mole rat, which, as we know, is located in the lower tiers of the underground passage. A certain clue can be obtained by carefully examining the clods of earth thrown to the surface by the animal. You need to pour into the entrance around which the clay will be visible along with the soil - it is located deeper in the ground, and there is a chance that in front of you is the right exit!

The hole must first be cleared to reveal the entrance to the hole. It is into this entrance that you should pour water, and it is better to stock up on a hose for this purpose, and not run around with buckets. How more water will be poured, the more likely it is that it will eventually reach the animal and it will float to the surface.

What to do with a caught animal is up to everyone to decide for themselves (and this is an additional drawback of the method under consideration: the rodent will either need to be killed, which not everyone is capable of, or taken somewhere, and this is also not the most promising option).
They use an even more sophisticated method of getting rid of mole rats using water. A trench 30 cm deep is dug along the perimeter of the site. Its edges must be strengthened in such a way that, once in it, the animal cannot get out (for example, by covering it with slate). At some distance from each other, grooves are dug inside the trench, which are filled with water so that the mole rat, moving along the trench, eventually falls into one of the holes and drowns.

The effectiveness of this method, however, raises strong doubts due to excessive labor intensity and the absence of any guaranteed success. And pulling a drowned man out of a ditch is not a pleasure for the faint of heart.

Use of poisons

Poison is another dubious method of getting rid of mole rats. In general, these rodents can be killed by the same drugs that are used against rats, but we must not forget that country cottage area- not a basement or a city dump, there are people here, children play and pets frolic. And plants treated with rat poison should not be subsequently used for food (even if you put the poison directly into the hole, it is still unsafe).

Important! The ineffectiveness of the poison in the fight against mole rats is also due to the fact that, as has been said, this rodent is very cunning. In addition, given that there is plenty of food for the animal on the site, the likelihood that the bait with poison will be chosen by the animal for the next lunch is very low.

If the desire to fight mole rats with radical methods is still not lost, for this purpose you can use, for example, the drug “Nutcracker” (the active ingredient is bromadiolone). Still, it is better to use products like “Krotomet”, “Anti-Krot” or “Detia”, their action is based on repellent aromatic substances, they are not toxic, although perhaps not so effective.

Installation of an ultrasonic repeller

Finally, there is a modern and humane way to solve the problem of how to get rid of mole rats in the garden - an electronic sound repeller powered by charger or on regular batteries. More expensive devices use solar energy to charge.

The principle of operation of the device is similar to sound repellers: it is aimed at the auditory sensitivity of the mole rat, but in this case the waves are transmitted not through the air, but through the soil. It is known that the mole rat, like other underground animals, has low-frequency sound reception; it is precisely such sounds that travel best underground, especially if there are air pockets there, that is, in underground passages.

The sound produced by the repeller is in the frequency range from 35 to 65 kHz. I would really like to say that the human ear cannot detect it, but in fact this is not so. However, manufacturers of repellers claim that the device can cause a certain amount of anxiety, even ringing in the ears and headaches, to a person only if he remains in close proximity (up to half a meter) to the sound source for a long time.

Therefore, to avoid negative impact It is enough not to point the device directly at yourself if you are going to relax on the terrace for a couple of hours. It is also recommended to take children a little further to the side. Otherwise, the device is completely safe.

So, the repeller produces permanent or short-interval ultrasonic vibrations, which are almost not perceived by humans, but are perfectly recognized by underground inhabitants. The range of such vibrations depends on the device model - from several tens to several thousand square meters, however, it should be remembered that in the presence of obstacles, the coverage area decreases.

Therefore, if the area is too uneven, there are elevations, structures, basements, wells, etc., it is better to use several repellers. The irritating power of the sound wave on the hearing system of moles and mole rats is such that the animals prefer to find a quieter place to live.

Important! No one wants to leave a house that is carefully built and complex in design, so device manufacturers warn that the repeller does not provide an immediate effect: only after making sure that the problem is not being solved does the mole rat make the difficult decision to move away from the source of concern. Sometimes it takes up to one and a half months from installing the device to obtaining the desired effect.

The repeller must be installed directly into the ground - in no case into a hole, since the vibrations produced by the device are transmitted in the ground, and not through the air, so its effectiveness directly depends on the density of contact of the device with the soil.

The device is dug into the ground, about 5 cm should remain on the surface, then the earth around it is well compacted. The lid of the device must be tightly closed to prevent moisture from entering, which can damage the batteries.

If after a long time the mole rat has not left the area, you can try to move the repeller to another place - perhaps the animal managed to find a corner in its corridors that the waves do not reach, and then a simple procedure can correct the situation.

It is quite obvious that such an electronic device has a number of advantages compared to almost all of the methods of rodent control described above.

Firstly, it is environmentally safe and acts specifically on underground pests, without causing any harm to people, pets, birds, bees and other welcome guests on the site.

Secondly, this is an absolutely humane method of fighting a generally innocent animal; the device does not kill the animal, but simply makes it leave.

Third, the device is not an expensive device, does not take up much space in the garden and does not turn your plot into a branch of a “skillful hands” circle with various jingling tin cans tied on strings.

Another advantage The advantage of the device is that it can be used for several years (you just need to change the batteries on time or charge the battery, and if you purchased a device that runs on solar batteries, you don’t need to do anything at all, the device recharges itself).

Well last good news: The mole rat is a solitary animal. If he leaves your site, the problem will indeed be solved for a long time.

If we talk about the disadvantages of this method of fighting mole rats, then, perhaps, only one can be highlighted: the animal is not exterminated, but simply leaves.

And considering that it has to move underground, it will most likely not move too far.

Therefore, if around your site there are not virgin lands, but neighboring dachas, it is likely that, having solved your problem, you will simply shift it onto the heads of those who live nearby. In any case, kill or drive away - the choice is yours!

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Introduction

Common mole rat (Spalax microphthalmus) - a mammal of the genus Mole rats of the Rodent family, leading an underground lifestyle.

1. Appearance

A relatively large rodent (body length of adults is 20-32 cm, weight up to 700 grams or more). The body is elongated, cylindrical, without a pronounced neck. The limbs are greatly shortened, the tail is reduced and hidden under the skin. The head is flattened, wide (wider than any part of the body), and shaped from above to the bayonet of a shovel. The eyes are largely reduced and hidden under the skin. The outer ear is presented in the form of a small cushion hidden under the fur. The nasal section is covered with a bare horny sheath and is usually colored black or brown. The front incisors are large, protruding far beyond the oral cavity and clearly visible. The general tone of the fur color is pale-grayish-brown; there is significant color variability between individual individuals.

2. Distribution

The distribution area is the steppe and forest-steppe zone of Russia and Ukraine between the Dnieper and Volga. The southern border of the range is limited by the Caucasus Range. Distributed in areas occupied by herbaceous vegetation, in forested areas does not go far deep, although it is found on the edges, in forest belts, in clearings and along forest roads. In plowed areas, the population size decreases, individuals concentrate on hay and pasture lands, near ravines, and on the boundaries between fields.

3. Conservation status

A common, fairly numerous species, generally not in need of protection, with the exception of local, isolated populations, mainly in the northern part of its range. Among anthropogenic factors, the population of the species is negatively affected by plowing of land, the use of land reclamation and plant protection products.

4. Lifestyle

The animal leads an exclusively underground lifestyle, coming to the surface on rare occasions. Creates an extended, highly branched system of burrows, usually consisting of two tiers, of which the most extensive is the upper “feeding” one at a depth of about 20-25 cm. In addition to the feeding tier, it creates a system of summer and winter nests, as well as food storage facilities, connected by a second, more deep (up to 3-4 meters) layer of passages. When digging passages, the animal loosens the soil with the help of incisors, then discards it with its paws and subsequently moves it to the soil surface, where characteristic so-called. “Mole rats” are heaps of discarded earth of significant size (about 50 cm in diameter, the weight of discarded earth in one mole rat is about 10 kg). The feeding area of one adult individual is 0.02-0.09 hectares, the length of feeding passages varies widely and can be up to 450 meters or more per individual. Population densities also vary widely, reaching 20 or more individuals per hectare. In a long-term context, the population density is quite stable and is not subject to sharp fluctuations. The optimal population density is 3 individuals per hectare; if the population drops to 1.8-1.1 individuals per hectare, there is a high risk of population degradation. A change in population size is possible with a significant change in environmental conditions, in particular, droughts, periods of increased moisture, and plowing of land have a negative impact. The common mole rat is a strictly herbivorous animal; its diet is based on rhizomes, bulbs and tubers of plants. In spring and early summer, the above-ground parts of plants (stems and leaves) are also actively used for food. The range of forage plants consists of several dozen species, among which Compositae, Umbelliferae and legumes predominate. By winter, the animal makes large (more than 10 kg) reserves. The animal is active all year round, does not hibernate, although by winter its activity decreases sharply. On a daily basis, they are most active at night and in the afternoon. Adult individuals live separately, showing strong aggression towards relatives (if retreat is impossible, collisions usually end in death). At the same time, the population has a certain social structure, consisting of family groups (male and 1-2 females), the burrows of which are connected or located nearby. Family groups are stable and disintegrate only with the death of one of the partners. About half of the males live outside family groups, thus being excluded from the breeding process. Mole rats live quite a long time for rodents, the average generation duration is 2.5-4 years, some individuals live up to 9 years. The survival rate of young animals is high, about half or more of the individuals.

5. Reproduction

Only one female breeds in a family group each year; if there are two females in the group, then in the spring the male leaves the area of the breeding female and forms a pair with the female who will breed next year. Cubs are born from late February to mid-May. There are 2-3 cubs in a litter. The main reproductive contribution is made by females aged 3-7 years. From the end of May, the settlement of young animals from broods begins, partly on the surface, partly underground, the settlement continues until autumn. Young males predominantly settle in the second year of life and mainly underground, females - in the first year and often on the surface, which leads to greater mortality of females in the first year of life. The dispersal range varies from several tens to several hundred meters.

6. Natural enemies

7. Relationships with a person

It can harm agricultural crops, especially in vegetable gardens and personal plots (potatoes, carrots, onions and bulbous flowers are most affected). Damages crops of corn, legumes, and woody plants (eats germinating seeds and young plants). Soil emissions can make it difficult to carry out field work (especially mechanized mowing of perennial grasses for hay), and also damage field roads. Due to the underground way of life, the fight against the animal is difficult (mainly mechanical traps and repellent devices are used) and is often ineffective.

Today we will talk about a representative of the mole rat family. The mole rat, the photo of which will be presented below, is different from the mole appearance, food addictions. It happens that one fine day summer residents discover earthen mounds and dug underground tunnels in their garden. You walk along the site, and your leg suddenly sinks to your ankle or even lower. Often the first thought that comes to mind is moles! But it is not always the case. Let’s not downplay the mole’s “merits” in this case. But this is not about him. In different areas, the mole rat is called differently: Zinsky puppy, earthen puppy, earthen dog, blind man.

Photo of the mole rat:

What does a mole rat eat and what does it look like?

In fact, mole rats cause more significant damage to the garden than moles. Insectivorous diggers are a nuisance by digging hills and burrows in the area, but mole rats are real rodents.

What does a mole rat eat in the garden? They love to feast on root vegetables: potatoes, beets, carrots, they do not deprive stems and leaves of attention, they also like flowers with a bulbous root system. Closer to winter, the rodent makes significant reserves (about 10 kg). It is active all year round, does not hibernate, but before the cold weather approaches it becomes a little calmer.

Who is a mole rat? It is often confused with a mole, and is even often called the mole mole, but this is a misnomer. A mole is a mole, and a mole rat is a mole rat. He is much larger than his “colleague”. The mole digs the ground with its paws. But in the mole rat they are poorly developed (five-fingered, with small claws), so it digs tunnels up to 450 meters long with its powerful teeth. With its wide incisors, the animal seems to gnaw out the ground. The lips are located behind them and have many folds - this nuance helps prevent soil from getting into the animal’s mouth. His head is flat, spade-shaped, his eyes are reduced, and in their place there is a fold of skin. The ears and tail are also weakly defined, the entire body is covered with thick, dense hair.

Blind rodent, photo:

The rodent's habitat is steppes, fields, virgin areas, forest belts, and gullies. The common mole rat digs multi-tiered burrows with a complex system of passages. The so-called feeding passages are located at a depth of 10-30 cm. Deeper fragments branch off from them. These are nesting and storage compartments located at a depth of 80 cm to 3 meters. In the process of digging passages, the animal throws heaps of earth to the surface, which can reach impressive sizes. Getting rid of a mole rat is associated with certain difficulties, since most for a while he remains underground.

Traces of rodent activity, photo:

The mole rat, how to deal with it, methods, means, traps

An effective way to combat pests is strong poisons, similar to those used for baiting rats. But in this situation there is another side to the coin - pets or even children may suffer. Installing traps or live traps will require time and prudence from you, since mole rats are quite smart and often avoid dangerous places. Old, experienced rodents are distinguished by their instincts, they often bypass cunning traps, they can even show aggression - growling when they suspect a threat to life. Traps should be placed near the entrance to the burrows.

Traps and traps for mole rats, photo:

If you have an active cat or a cat that has previously successfully caught rats, you can try introducing them to mole rat hunting. This method has been successfully and tested more than once by summer residents.

This is done like this: the location of the rodent’s underground passage is determined (the soil collapses underfoot), and with the help of a shovel, about half a meter of the hole is torn off. Since the mole rat is sensitive to changes in temperature and drafts, it soon appears to fill the open entrance with earth. After this, do not waste time, in the area of the exit from the hole, dig a wide hole (50 cm), approximately 30-40 cm deep, then take a tailed partner and wait for the rodent to appear. Young individuals are less agile and easier to catch. By the way, dogs are no less reliable helpers in this matter.

Experienced mole rats can be caught using the hook method. To do this, again, the entrance to the hole is excavated, a long wire with a hook at the end is inserted inside (two or three hooks are possible). At the other end of the wire there is a loop with which the hook is secured in the hole (so that the mole rat does not inadvertently drag away the trap). Having reacted to a draft, the rodent will rush to the exit and get hooked; any movements to the sides will only aggravate its situation. When you come to inspect the holes, you can remove the animal, remove the hook - then decide its fate at your own discretion.

How to catch a mole rat using water? In this case, you will not get by with one or two buckets. It's good if you have a long irrigation hose, otherwise you will need about 10 buckets of water. First, you need to determine the tunnel leading exactly to the hole. Ordinary moves can be calculated by the type of land, which is dug in the form of mounds. The passage leading into the hole will be distinguished by the presence of clay in the hill. The nests of mole rats are located at great depths, where clay is present.

You need to dig a hole near the clay embankment and direct a continuous flow of water deep into the passage. Such holes usually have a screw-shaped depression; if you generously pour water into them, the mole rat will sooner or later float out. Grab the animal and follow at your own discretion.

Crossbows, traps, poison are methods that lead to the death of a rodent; water and an electronic repeller (for example, “Tornado”) are more humane. Sometimes on forums you can see recommendations regarding “smoking” a mole rat out of a hole using a hose connected to the exhaust pipe of a car. This method helps to drive animals away from the site for a couple of months, but due to significant soil contamination, I would not recommend it.

The electronic repeller of moles and mole rats gives a very good effect - rodents cannot tolerate vibrations and try to get out of the area as quickly as possible. The main thing in this matter is not to skimp on the repellers themselves (it’s better to have a lot of them) and on high-power batteries for them.

The mole rat, the photo of which now will not allow you to confuse it with another animal, is a voracious pest, and it is also a long-liver. To protect your harvest, choose the method that you prefer.

Watch the video of a mole rat digging a hole in the wild:

The mole rat appears in the garden less often than the mole or shrew, but the harm from the animal’s activities affects the owners. The rodent digs long underground passages and creates “cellars” in which it stores crops grown by its owners.

The fight against a mole rat is difficult and not always successful, but no one wants to put up with a thrifty “neighbor”. How to remove a mole rat from the garden? You'll have to try several methods.

Mole rat: who is it?

Not all owners know what the animal looks like, taking most of the harvest from the plot. It is difficult to see a pest on the surface, happily eating various vegetable crops.

General information:

a large rodent grows up to 20–30 cm;
instead of eyes, the voracious creature has a noticeable fold of skin, over which bristly, stiff hairs grow;
the front legs are short, the tail and ears are inconspicuous;
the fur coat is dark gray in color, with a bluish tint, in adult rodents - with a characteristic “gray hair”;
the animal has powerful incisors placed forward. With their help, the mole rat breaks through long underground passages. Only two central incisors are clearly visible, then all the teeth are covered by folded lips;
the rodent digs deep holes. Feature– arrangement of passages in several tiers;
The mole rat feeds on carrots, potatoes, insects, worms, and beets. One of the delicacies is onion heads;
After settling on the site, the pest selects large plants, pulls them into the dug tunnel, eats the green mass, and transfers the root crops to special “storages.” Some gardeners found 50 or more kilograms of carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables in underground warehouses;
You can suspect the appearance of a pest on the site by the mounds that resemble the entrance to a wormhole. Most often, burrow entrances are noticeable not only in the garden, but also on the approaches to it.

Reasons for appearance

The mole rat is looking for something to profit from. There is so much nutritious food in the beds with carrots, onions, and potatoes; there are always enough worms and insects in the garden. The better the owner’s harvest, the higher the chance that a large rodent will choose this particular area for habitat and arranging a pantry.

The animal does not hibernate, for this reason it requires a lot nutrients. A well-kept garden with a variety of vegetable crops is an ideal habitat for a voracious creature.

Harm

Long multi-tiered underground passages and “storerooms” filled with crops taken from the owners - this is the result of the activity of a large rodent. The mole rat actively eats young plants and stores root crops for the winter. One adult individual is capable of taking a considerable part of the grown vegetables from its owners. If a family of animals with large incisors has settled on the site, you can forget about the high yield of potatoes, beets or carrots.

Another unpleasant point is that the diameter of the underground passages is from 5 to 12–15 cm. The rodent is quite large, digs actively, and damage to the underground part of the plants is clearly visible. The animal creates recesses and holes for movement, starting from a depth of 10 cm. The lower tiers stretch 1–3 meters in depth. An extensive system of underground “communications” and exits to the surface interfere with the normal development of plants.

Effective methods of control

Owners who encounter mole rats complain that the animal burrows deeply and is very difficult to get out. Often underground “warehouses” are located at a depth of 1.5 meters. Attempts to get to the storage facility lead to unnecessary digging of beds and damage to the crop. How to remove a mole rat from the garden? Many gardeners are looking for an answer. The price of the issue is preserving a rich harvest.

Experienced gardeners offer several effective methods to get rid of the neighborhood with dangerous rodent. It is important to act quickly and not spare the animal. Excessive humanity often fails the owners, mole rats actively reproduce, and a colony of five to eight individuals can leave the owners without a harvest.

Traps

An effective way to catch a large pest. Traps, crossbows and snares are only suitable for catching large rodents. Before starting the fight, it is important to find out who is spoiling the crops and soil in the garden.

How to increase your chances of catching a mole rat:

go around the area, find a hole;
dig a hole well. 50–100 cm from the main entrance, dig a deep hole, place a trap, and place plywood on top;
a draft will appear, which mole rats are afraid of. The animal will get out to close the passage and fall into the trap.

Some owners install containers of water inside multi-tiered passages, from which the rodent cannot get out. This work is labor-intensive; it is necessary to dig the soil to great depths, but the success of the operation is not always noticeable.

Advice! One of the methods for scaring away a voracious animal is to bury rags soaked in foul-smelling liquids at different depths. Kerosene and gasoline are suitable options. Sometimes animals are repelled by the scent essential oils. To combat mole rats, esters of eucalyptus, lavender, and cedar are suitable.

Ultrasonic repellers

Modern devices expel pests from the site. Sound waves actively affect rodents, cause panic, the animals cannot orient themselves, understand in which direction to move and look for food. After a while, large rodents will certainly leave the area in which they cannot feed and reproduce normally.

Installing several ultrasonic repellers in the garden will help increase the effectiveness of the fight against mole rats. When using modern devices, you should not additionally set traps with poisoned bait: the device operates anywhere in the area and expels pests even if there is a good food supply.

Ultrasonic devices protect the garden not only from mole rats. The devices drive away pests such as mole crickets from the site. The devices are designed to affect areas of a larger or smaller area. Several powerful devices, and there will never be harmful rodents and mammals in the garden.

Homemade repellent devices

The owners noticed that the animal with large incisors, breaking through multi-tiered passages, could not stand the noise. Loud sounds cause the rodent to leave the area. It is important that the effect, which is unpleasant for the mole rat’s hearing, lasts for a long time.

The owners recommend installing steel bars (up to 1 meter long) throughout the area. Place empty beer or condensed milk cans on top of them, and the homemade repeller is ready. When the wind blows, the cans hit the steel bars and make a loud, unpleasant sound.

Chemicals

Most owners consider the use of toxic drugs to be ineffective. The reason is that mole rats are reluctant to eat treats with a strange smell, because there are enough juicy carrots, beets and potatoes in the garden. Spraying plants causes more harm to the owners than to large rodents. Gardeners recommend more effective methods– and homemade noise devices.

When holes and gnawed plants appear in the garden, you will have to suspect not only a mole, but also a common mole rat of pest activity. Large rodent appears less often in areas, but the harm from its activities is very great. There are no special preventive measures: a rich harvest and an abundance of food always attracts the pest. Main rule: do not wait until a whole brood settles in the garden instead of one individual. To combat mole rats, it is advisable to use an ultrasonic repeller that has proven effectiveness.

Video - lesson on how to catch mole rats in the garden:

Niramin - Nov 25th, 2015

The common mole rat (Spalax microphtalmus) is a rodent mammal that leads an underground lifestyle. Found in steppe and forest-steppe zones Moldova, Ukraine and Russia, mainly on pastures and unplowed land, along forested areas.

Appearance

This animal reaches 30-35 cm in length, striking at first meeting with the complete absence of eyes and ears, and looks quite unusual. However, the mole rat does have these sense organs, although they are underdeveloped and hidden under the skin. The large spade-shaped head has prominent incisors, developed enough to make underground passages. The entire body is covered with gray-brown fur.

Lifestyle and habits

Lives underground, prefers a solitary lifestyle. It constructs several tiers of underground labyrinths connecting residential burrows with utility chambers and “latrines.” The mole rat uses its nose to push soil to the surface when digging tunnels. In the spring it makes new moves, by winter it clogs summer surface burrows and settles down to spend the winter in the central part of its “apartments.”

It feeds on plant rhizomes and their aerial parts. It remains active all year round and does not hibernate, but makes reserves for the winter that are 10-20 times its body weight. When a mole rat settles near potato crops or other crops, it causes significant damage to the crop.

Reproduction

The male makes his way to the female, guided by the vibration of the soil and the sounds she makes. Mating usually occurs in late February - early March. A young female brings one cub, an adult – 2-3 in a litter. Sexual maturity occurs at 2-3 years of age. They communicate by tapping on the walls of the passages and characteristic puffing.

Life expectancy is about 5 years, although they can live up to 8-9 years under favorable conditions.

Common mole rat in the photographs below:

Photo: Common mole rat in a hole.