How to get rid of a shrew on the land. Video "Who is a shrew"

For large agricultural lands, a small shrew can do more good than harm. But the owners of summer cottages are puzzled by the question of getting rid of the pest by any means. Since, as a result of its activity, numerous underground passages are created, which endanger the entire future crop due to damage to the root system of plants. From our article you can find out what the animal looks like, what are the pros and cons of its stay on the site, how to find a nest, how to get rid of a shrew in the garden using chemicals, folk remedies and repellents.

Shrews are commonly referred to as one of the smallest land mammals. With their very modest dimensions, these creatures always do a lot of harm in the country. Besides the fact that these are smart uninvited guests able to dig almost the entire earth in a couple of days garden plot, they still like to eat insects, including useful ones.

If you notice damaged plants, then other animals are operating on the territory.

In addition to this feature, shrews have external distinguishing features. Such an animal from afar looks like a field mouse. But he has a more elongated muzzle, thicker and longer tail. On the suburban area in the regions of our country, the most common are many-toothed (such an animal is also called the baby shrew) and tiny shrews. At the same time, the shrew is the smallest representative in its family. The body size of an adult does not exceed 5 cm. The wool is characterized by a light yellow color. It is the shrews of this species that give gardeners the most trouble. There is a version that the animals came to Europe in the holds of ships. Outwardly, shrews are animals with a grayish-brown coat that grow up to 7 cm. They are highly prolific. During the season, the female brings up to 4 litters. Childbearing age occurs in females by 1 - 2 months. In order to save your crop and get the shrews out of the garden, you need to act immediately when they are found, until the number of pests has become threatening.

Video "Who is a shrew"

From the video below you will learn and see what this animal is.

What is the harm and benefit

Shrews have a natural ability to quickly digest food. Therefore, around the clock they are puzzled by its extraction. They eat insects and larvae that come across on the way.
During the day, an adult eats a number of beetles and worms, almost 6 times its own weight! And the pest can have up to 80 meals per day. Having chosen a certain territory, all shrews in the garden may not create new moves, but use those left, for example, by moles. Pests gnaw on the root system of plants, root crops, especially lawns get a lot of harm from their activities. Mowed grass can be spoiled by the teeth of animals within a few days.

The benefit of staying such animals in the country is to improve the aeration properties of the earth due to the creation of underground passages by them. After that, cultures get the opportunity to fully grow and develop. The dead crop and damaged lawns make you forget about all the benefits of finding uninvited guests in the garden and garden, and also think about how to deal with a shrew.

How to find a nest

The task of the gardener before starting a merciless pest control is to find their nests. Rodents prefer to settle in damp places and live alone. They tend to dig holes on their own or occupy the empty ready-made housing of mice or moles.

Still shrews can be found in the voids of stumps or tree trunks that have fallen to the ground, under deadwood, occasionally they settle down in people's buildings. Rodents cover the bottom of the nest with found grasses and foliage for the purpose of warming.

Each of the animals has a feeding area. Its dimensions often reach several tens of square meters.

Methods of dealing with chemistry

Due to the frequent appearance of this type of pest, gardeners are interested in information about who the shrew is, how to deal with it with effective modern methods.

Chemical poisons cannot be considered humane, their use can be called a radical way to deal with shrews. Poison has shown itself well over the years. You can use the preparations "The Nutcracker", "Rat Death", "Hunter anti-rodent".
It is necessary to pour it into each mink. You can also sprinkle the product near the entrance. When using chemicals, take safety precautions so as not to harm the health of children and pets. When using "chemistry" be sure to protect yourself. Put on body protection clothing, gloves on your hands, a mask or respiratory respirator. Read the instructions carefully, use the drug only in the recommended dosages.

Folk methods

What to do if shrews are operating everywhere on the site? How to catch them, how to get them out of your territory? Not all gardeners today want to use chemicals, considering them harmful to the health and condition of the soil. There is a rational grain in this. In view of this, many land owners continue to use the experience of our ancestors accumulated over the years.

It is realistic to solve the problem by getting rid of shrews with the help of gas bombs or poisonous gases. In this case, the pests flee. Works in some cases and pouring water into holes through a watering hose. But in order to breed animals in this way, you need to have a large supply of water.

It helps to pour diesel fuel and kerosene into minks. Some summer residents prefer to use smoke bombs. Reagents with a strong odor are used. These include Pomethanol, Ecar, Creatol. But in this way it is not advised to use in a place where trees are planted, fruit bushes plants.

Get rid of shrews allow and mechanical methods. Traps and traps make it possible to get a caught pest through bait, which is also used for rats.
The effect of some odors, which has been known for many years to irritate the sensitive organs of smell of animals, is widely used. For example, shrews do not tolerate the aromas of naphthalene, kerosene, and rotting fish. Natural repellents are also used. Plants that can scare away pests are imperial hazel grouse, wormwood, mint, peas, beans, lentils.

Repelling and prevention

To protect your site from the penetration of uninvited guests from neighboring sites, digging around the perimeter of your sheets of iron or slate helps. Such building materials are advised to deepen a maximum of one and a half meters. In order to scare away the underground inhabitants, they are also used, placed on pegs, pre-cut in the neck area. plastic bottles or cans. Such turntables work when there is wind, they are free, which cannot but please summer residents.

At any summer cottage there are neighbors who periodically borrow vegetables and fruits. Moles, shrews - all these cute animals can harm the garden. It is not always possible to meet these animals, despite the fact that they are in an active state around the clock. Rodents settle in areas that are close to forests, dense plantings and rivers.

One adult animal can occupy approximately 6 or 12 acres of land. If you find small mounds of dug earth, then you have a new neighbor. In this article, we will describe in detail how to get rid of annoying rodents and at the same time not harm your loved ones and future crops.

A little about these animals

The mole is a predatory mammal, its size is not more than 15 cm, and its weight is only 140 g. This animal has elongated shape head, large paws with which he digs the soil, as well as as many as 44 teeth along with fangs! He has a unique sense of smell and touch, in his actions he is careful and accurate, has excellent hearing and sees well. The average life expectancy is no more than 6 years. Most active image The rodent leads its life in autumn.

A shrew is a small mammal that looks like a mouse with an elongated muzzle, its size does not exceed 4 cm, its weight is only 5 g, its nose resembles a small trunk. The shrew has small organs of vision, 32 molars, small paws, and the brain is a tenth of the total body mass, this unique ability surpasses human data.

These rodents deftly undermine the planted beds, throw out heaps of earth, which causes inconvenience, and because of the dug labyrinths, voids form, the plant loses contact with the soil and begins to wither, deteriorate or rot. There were cases when the trees could not withstand the resulting void and failed.

The benefits and harms of "dacha neighbors"

Some tend to believe that there are benefits from rodents in their summer cottage. For example, a shrew eats insects and seems to save all plants and seedlings, but this is not so. During the search and extraction of its food, it pulls out a large number of underground passages, which damages the root system and root crops of plants. The fight against this animal must be carried out quickly, because the shrew is an active mammal, and for short span time can cause tremendous damage to the entire crop. It is worth noting that this animal does not hibernate and can be harmful in winter.

The food of the mole is earthworms, insects, larvae of May beetles and moth pupae. These mammals do an excellent job with complete extermination harmful insects. Experts say that earth from molehills is useful for sowing any seeds, it has unique properties that contribute to the rapid growth of seedlings, plus the earth comes without weed seeds.

An interesting fact is that a few years ago in a small Czech town they caught all the moles from the local park, and after some time the park was simply filled with May beetles, which began to spoil all the trees. The management of the park decided to repopulate the moles. Perhaps these are all the advantages of the animal, and the harm from it can be no less. In search of food, it damages the roots fruit trees and bushes, spoils the roots of plants.

Methods for the destruction of rodents

There are a huge number of methods for the destruction of rodents. We will consider the most effective.

1. natural method. It turns out that by planting certain plants, you can get rid of annoying neighbors. One of these plants are bulbous, for example, daffodils. It turns out that these plants emit a smell that rodents can not stand. You can also use garlic, leek, onion and shallots. The planting of milkweed and castor beans is considered popular; these plants have a strong and pungent odor. However, it is worth considering that the fruits of these plants are poisonous, so if there are children and four-legged pets in the house, precautions must be taken.
2. Homemade traps and mole traps. most a simple trap you can make your own hands. They use a pot or a jar for this, tear out the ground, set up our homemade trap and cover it from the light. The rodent in the process of movement falls into it and can no longer get out. It's also a good idea to make a trap out of broken glass, blades, thorn branches. Modern mole catchers are made of plastic pipes with tin inserts at the ends. If the rodent gets inside, it will not be able to get out. If he is not removed from the mole trap in time, he may die of fear and hopelessness.
3. Poisoned baits. The most commonly used poison is zinc phosphide. For an effective result, it is necessary to correctly position the bait and track the main path of movement of the animal. Arm yourself with an iron rod, gently rotating it, make a small hole and lower the teaspoon with poison to the bottom of the tunnel. Using this method, you should not expect instant action, molehills may reappear after some time, so the option of re-placement of the bait is not ruled out.
4. The use of repellents. They are electronic, mechanical and electronic-mechanical. Electronic emit sound signals with a certain frequency interval within 400 Hz. Mechanical and electronic-mechanical emit broadband sounds, upon hearing which the rodents begin to dig the ground in opposite direction from the garden.

These funds can be purchased at any specialized store or made independently. To make a homemade repeller, you will need plastic bottles and metal wire, cut the bottles into strips and bend them. With the slightest wind, the strips will begin to rumble, which, in turn, will scare away the rodents.

1. The use of poisonous gases is also considered an effective method. Experts do not recommend using this product in highly branched rodent tunnels, as they can quickly close the gassed place and begin to further expand the passages.
2. Burrow flooding is one of the popular methods of getting rid of rodents, but, unfortunately, it is not effective. Due to the fact that it will not be possible to immediately flood the entire tunnel, the rodent will begin to break through tunnels in other parts of the dacha.
3. Use of repellents and poisons. Choosing this method, experts advise frequently watering the ground. This is necessary so that the poisons quickly enter the soil. Before using repellents, consider all possible alternative ways, and if you have children and pets, take precautions.

We get rid of rodents in a folk way

Put hemp in freshly dug passages, in the process of decay, it will begin to emit a specific smell that irritates rodents, and they will be forced to leave the cottage. This method is valid for 2 years.

Plant in your garden legumes, rodents do not like them, and you can put the tops or shoots of these plants in the tunnels.

Next to the beds, dig in rags previously soaked in tar, kerosene or gasoline.

Dig an empty glass bottle into the ground, with a stream of wind a sound will come out that scares away animals.

Make a castor oil remedy. Take 3 tablespoons liquid soap or shampoo, add 200 g of castor oil; The resulting mixture is diluted with 4 liters of water. After watering, spread the solution evenly throughout the garden.

Rodents feed on insects and worms, reducing the moisture in the soil, you can get rid of them, respectively, the rodents will be deprived of food and leave.

Speak the mole. To do this, you need to dig a freshly dug passage, these animals do not like open space, therefore, having felt Fresh air, the rodent will begin to close its tunnel. Take a shovel and carefully observe the opened passage. As soon as the mole appears and begins to restore its labyrinth, stick a shovel, closing the entrance. The animal starts to rush about, at this moment it is necessary to catch it, it must be taken between the head and the body, otherwise you can get severely injured from a bite.

It would seem that with their activities, moles and shrews should do more good than harm, because they not only loosen the soil, but also destroy dangerous garden and garden pests. garden plants. But in reality, their appearance in a country house or garden plot is a harbinger of problems. We will tell you with a detailed video instruction on how to make the fight against underground inhabitants effective.

Shrews and moles: where they live and what they eat

In fact, moles and shrews are practically harmless animals, but there is one big “but”: these animals love to dig long and intricate earth labyrinths that are located close to the surface. Thus, they create voids in the soil, which leads to a loss of contact between plants and the soil and, accordingly, their death.

Before dealing with the issue of the extermination of rodents on the site, it is important to understand what they are and know what they look like. Let's consider them in more detail.

Moles

Moles are predatory animals. They are quite small in size - up to 20 centimeters in length, have an elongated mobile muzzle and an elongated body, completely covered with thick, dark hair. The weight of an adult animal is from 10 to 170 g. Their paws are quite powerful and large (like flippers), which have one feature - the palms are protruding outward, and not inward. The paws have large claws. The nature of moles also did not deprive the teeth of teeth: they have 44 teeth in their mouths, including fangs.

Attention! Contrary to popular belief, moles have quite tolerable vision. In addition, they have a very keen sense of smell and fine hearing.

Moles live mainly underground, where they build a complex system of passages. They love moist soil very much, so they can settle in a lowland, in wet garden plots, in a vegetable garden.

The mole loves to eat earthworms, but he is also a big fan of dart and beetle larvae (May, etc.). So, in fact, it is difficult to call this animal a pest, rather an assistant.

shrews

Very secretive creatures, although they are active 24 hours a day. Outwardly, they resemble a mouse, but close up they don’t look like it at all: a muzzle elongated like a proboscis, fluffy fur, tiny eyes, almost absent ears. Cats love to hunt them very much, but they don’t eat them, and it’s not surprising - there is a musky gland in the body of the shrew, which creates an unpleasant smell for cats.

The shrew, like the mole, belongs to the order of insectivorous mammals, but is a relative of the hedgehog. It also lives in burrows, but prefers ready-made burrows created by other rodents. Shrews have an unusually active metabolism, so they can go without food for only 6-8 hours. So they have to constantly hunt and eat as much per day as they weigh themselves. Prefer food of animal origin, often small rodents.

Shrew

Shrews bring considerable benefit to their habit of loosening the earth, because by doing so they saturate it with oxygen, and also often destroy insect pest larvae.

Reasons for appearing at their summer cottage

Reasons for the appearance of moles in the country and garden plots:

• loose, fertilized, moist soil;
• the presence of a variety of food - larvae, worms, insects, etc. (where there are many plants, there are many different pests);
• security of the territory (it is here that moles feel calm and comfortable, because there are no sworn enemies nearby - forest predators, and dogs and cats are not afraid of them, moles easily scare them away with their specific smell).

In shrews, the reasons for the appearance are very similar to those of moles, especially since, as mentioned earlier, they like to move through ready-made labyrinths.

You can scare away a mole with a sound

We fight rodents with folk remedies

Very often, many use shovels and guns, but since this is not humane and absolutely impractical, we will consider less cruel, but very effective methods of dealing with underground inhabitants:

1. Protective plants. Moles are very unpleasant mint and wormwood smell. garden trees, for example, you can sprinkle with peppermint oil. The shrew does not like legumes and strong-smelling plants (onions, garlic) very much, you can plant them around the perimeter of the site, not too often. Imperial hazel grouse is a very effective remedy against underground rodents. Plant it on the site and you will not see them again.
2. Traps. This will require a trap directly and preferably a dog. First you need to find the freshest mound of earth (this means that the pest is nearby). The dog will help correct the direction. Next, you need to dig a small hole, removing the top layer of earth from the mound (approximately 30-40 cm deep) and place a homemade / purchased trap there. The mole is not a fan of drafts, so he will definitely come to close the passage. Usually the waiting time is about half an hour. If the trap is humane, then release the animal at a distance in the forest or in the field. If the animal died, bury it away from drinking sources and water pipelines.
3. Sound repellers. Most effective against moles with their subtle hearing. There are various options for such funds. Consider the two most proven methods: reeds and plastic bottles.

If you use chemicals, you can harm not only moles and shrews, but also pets

• Reeds. We take reeds about one and a half to two meters long, plant them in the ground (directly into the tunnel exits) so that no more than half of the plant remains on the surface. In windy weather, thanks to the reeds, the effect of “howling” of the wind in the pipe is created. For sensitive mole ears, this is worse than the sound of scratched glass.
• Bottle repellents. The method is based on creating strong sound vibrations underground. We will need plastic bottles/tins and iron bars. Holes are cut in bottles/jars (for better penetration air), the rods are deeply planted in the ground, then bottles / cans are attached to them. Thus, with gusts of wind, the top of the structure will make loud noises and transmit them in the form of vibrations directly underground. This creates a terrible discomfort for the animals, forcing them to leave the territory.

Advice. Very often you can see information on how to scare away underground pests with foul-smelling substances, for example, rags soaked in gasoline or rotten fish. It is worth considering that the method is effective only until the smell disappears and then the animal will again come to visit.

Use of chemicals

Thanks to chemicals, you can achieve the desired result very quickly, but it should be borne in mind that chemicals (allowed) are phosphides. It is a deadly poison for many warm-blooded animals, including domestic ones. The ground treated with the chemical also becomes dangerous, this is especially important for those who have small children or pets.

Let us briefly consider the most commonly used tools in practice:

• Hunter anti-rodent - a strong poison that causes suffocation in rodents. It is made in the form of a briquette with cheese, flour and substances that attract rodents.
• Nutcracker is a very effective tool in the fight against shrews. A thick substance is located near the minks.

There is also an alternative method of dealing with moles and shrews that does not harm them - a special plastic mesh. When laying a new lawn, a grid is installed on the prepared soil, a thin layer of earth is poured on top and the grass is sown. You can do this around the perimeter of the suburban area. This creates an effective obstacle in the way of underground inhabitants.

Since moles and shrews are solitary animals, getting rid of them will protect your site from pests for a long time. Have a good fight!

Fighting moles and shrews: video

Moles and shrews on the site: photo

How to deal with moles and shrews in the garden, there are many different methods. In the course are folk remedies, chemicals, special devices, attract biological enemies, use agrotechnical methods. in the summer cottage they bring more benefit than harm, but their excessive activity in the construction of labyrinths leads to damage to the root system of plants and trees.

natural enemies

Moles, shrews belong to the order of insectivores, but they are often personified with rodents. Cats and dogs are not averse to hunting for small animals, with the only difference being that they do not eat either. Animals have special odorous glands, which begin to intensively produce aroma in case of danger. This smell and discourages all appetite. However, this does not prevent cats and dogs from catching animals or scaring them away with their appearance.

In most cases and shrews, cats and dogs help voluntarily. Animals themselves find, wait for the animals. A person can only not interfere with this process.

I get them occasionally, but they don't really hurt me. The cat handles them with no problems. Carries the animals to me like a trophy. After a while, all remaining animals run away from the site.

Irina, Moscow

scare away

Folk remedies

The fight against moles and shrews in the garden is carried out with the help of smells. Animals have a keen sense of smell, they smell very well. Persistent aromas make the stay of animals on the site uncomfortable, they force them to flee to more favorable places.

• You can get rid of moles and shrews with castor oil. Mix 200 ml of oil with 2 tbsp. spoons, add 4 liters cold water. The agent treats the area after watering or rain. The unpleasant smell persists for several days, in order to get rid of the animals, you will have to repeat the procedure several times.
• Rags are impregnated with kerosene, naphthalene, gasoline, laid out throughout the land, stuffed into holes, loosening the molehill. The method is effective, but not everyone likes the specific smell on the site.
• It is recommended to plant calendula, marigolds, peppermint, narcissus, hazel grouse along the perimeter of the site, between the beds. Underground moles and shrews do not like the smell of onions, garlic, tobacco. Cigarette butts, ashes are scattered around the site, or paths are crushed with tobacco powder.

scare away folk remedies combined with others, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the chosen technique.

If you decide to fight odors, you can use castor oil. The tool helps more than others. It is also recommended to water the site abundantly, the animals do not like high humidity. Gasoline, kerosene also work, but not everyone likes their specific aroma on the site.

Elena, Tver

Ultrasonic repellers

Experts say that moles and shrews very well feel the vibrations and vibrations of the soil. Manufacturers have released a number that create mechanical vibrations that act on the nervous system of animals. With constant exposure to vibrations, the animals flee.

Modern devices create a different vibration frequency, which eliminates the addiction of pests. Batteries operate. Buried to a certain depth in the soil, included. The effect can be seen after 10-14 days. The remedy for moles and shrews is designed to expel pests from the site, to prevent their appearance. It is advisable to use the entire warm season.

The radius of action of ultrasonic repellers in open areas is on average 10 acres. Warranty period is 1 year. The price depends on the power of the device - from 1 thousand rubles. up to 50 thousand rubles Effective means Typhoon, Sonic, Saniko, Antikrot Maxi.

I bought a repeller not the cheapest. Krotov drove away, cleared the territory, but failed after a month. An effective tool, but it needs to be improved, it doesn’t last long, but it’s expensive.

Maxim, Voronezh

Pills

Gas tablets from moles and shrews - modern facilities fight with high efficiency. The main advantage of the method is that animals do not die, but flee from an unpleasant odor.

Tablets are thrown into the hole, sprinkled with earth. Under the influence of moisture, they begin to emit corrosive gas. Range - 4 m deep, up to 5 sq. m wide. On large areas, it is recommended to use several tablets. There are an average of 30 per pack. When working with the drug, rubber gloves should be used.

On a note!

You can notice the result in a few days. Chemical substance neutralized after a few days. One of the disadvantages is that it does not provide protection in the future. These means of struggle are considered the most effective, they allow you to clean the area from moles, shrews without much effort.

The following products are in high demand:

• Stop Mole;
• Green House Antikrot.

Biological preparations are also available in the form of tablets. Their active components are essential oils. Granules are buried in the soil at a certain distance. It is allowed to use the drug for prophylaxis. bright representative this group of repellers is Detia.

Used tablets Alfos mole. One of the most effective means. They threw the drug into the ground, sprinkled it, forgot about the existence of pests. Pleased with the fact that it does not kill animals, but simply drives them away. A week later, not a single new bump.

Natalia, St. Petersburg

Sound repellers

Do-it-yourself protection is no less effective than professional devices and tools. Moles, shrews do not tolerate noise, loud sounds. Gardeners and gardenerswho force the animals to flee from the site.

• Empty glass bottles are dug into the ground upside down. The wind, getting into the bottle, creates a rumble, vibrations, which repel pests.
• Near molehills, holes, metal rods are inserted, tin beer cans are put on them. They are pre-cut upper part, compress in the shape of a bell. Under the influence of the wind, a ringing is created that interferes with the normal life of animals.
• Plastic bottles worn on plastic pipe. The bottom is cut out in the bottles, the petals are cut out, wrapped up, put on the pipe. According to reviews, one of the most effective methods, but a large number of such devices must be placed on the site.
• Reeds at the slightest breath of wind rustle strongly, they are inserted into the molehill, all over the land.

The scare method is suitable for preventing their appearance. A positive result can be determined by the absence of new molehills in the garden.

He put tin cans on poles around the site. The ringing is terrible, not only moles and shrews have left the garden, but also the neighbor's cats. The more such structures on the site, the faster it will work. One of the most effective ways fight.

Ilya, Perm

Traps

If you can’t scare away, proceed to. The caught animal is taken out of the territory of the site, released. In nature, moles and shrews are useful creatures. The animals destroy the bear, May beetles, many harmful insects and their larvae.

One of the most simple options- use of three-liter jars. Moles, shrews dig passages at a distance of 5-50 cm from the surface. When labyrinths are found, they dig in a jar. On top they cover with a plank, plywood, any improvised means. The animal moves along the usual trajectory, falls into the jar.

Animals come across in a jar, but not very often. You can catch it, but it will take some time. The most important thing is to put the jar correctly, moles, shrews, bumping into foreign objects, bypass them.

Alexander, Moscow

Poison baits

And shrews are used if other methods of struggle do not give the desired result. The product is produced in the form of granules, tablets, gel, paste, briquettes. Buried in the ground throughout the site, thrown into a hole. The poison works very quickly. Attracts animals by smell.

Once in the stomach, disrupts the work nervous system, provokes muscle paralysis, death. Or it causes internal bleeding, suffocation. Death occurs within a few hours. Neutralizes the effect of poison left in the ground for a month.

I am not a supporter of cruelty to animals, but I had no choice. I have already tried everything, the bumps on the site only became more. The young trees have begun to dry up. The poison works very quickly. Almost everyone died within a week.

Sergey, Voronezh

barrier method

On sale there is a special mesh from moles, shrews with different mesh sizes. In the garden, it is advisable to use the perimeter as protection. They dig a trench 30 cm wide, at least 80 deep. Put it in a trench, sprinkle it with earth, ram it. A kind of fence 30 cm high is formed above the soil surface.

High-quality products are made of plastic, which does not lend itself to erosion, decay, does not lose strength. Protection is up to 25 years. This method it is advisable to use on lawns. In this case, the grid is also laid over the entire area at a depth of 20 cm, sprinkled with earth on top.

If you need to protect your lawn, one of the best practices. He laid it on the site, forgot about the existence of pests for many years. Only it is necessary to set the grid both horizontally and vertical position. If the lawn is large, you will need equipment. It is necessary to dig trenches and remove the topsoil.

Igor, St. Petersburg

Before you start fighting moles, shrews, you need to evaluate the benefits and harms. In most cases, animals destroy harmful insects, increase soil fertility. If you decide to fight, you should give preference to scaring methods, the barrier method.

Shrew or mole how to determine

Hello! Neighbors sometimes come to me with such strange questions that it seems as if they have not lived on their plots for ten years.

Last spring, a neighbor complained that after the winter there were a lot of small earthen hills all over the site.

She could not understand whether the moles were causing her this inconvenience or other inhabitants of the underworld. Want to know how to tell if a shrew or a mole is digging holes? What actions can be taken to prevent their activity? In the article below I will write everything in detail.

Moles, mole rats and shrews. Similarities and differences between rodents

Information about these underground inhabitants is often contradictory, since their way of life is not fully understood and has many blank spots.

About the benefits and harms of these funny animals, especially among summer residents, the most incredible rumors and “tender-hearted” stories are spread, more like fictions and fantasies, since shrews and moles are accused of all conceivable and unimaginable misadventures of gardeners, hanging almost all of the poor animals " dogs."

So, how to distinguish a mole from a shrew, what is the difference between them and in fact these animals are so dangerous and harmful. Let's figure it out.

Few have seen this animal live, since it lives underground. The shrew looks like a mouse, but has a more elongated muzzle with an elongated proboscis. Her coat is soft, fluffy, velvet, gray color. The ears on the head are practically absent, and the eyes are very small and blind.

The length of the shrew reaches from eighteen to twenty centimeters and has a very long tail. The weight of the baby is no more than fifteen grams.

Predatory animals such as foxes, dogs and domestic cats sometimes catch and suffocate shrews, mistaking them for mice, but do not eat them, because thanks to the musky gland, the animal emits a strong unpleasant odor, which discourages any appetite from pursuers.

Only some species of birds of prey do not feel disgust for shrews, for example, owls and small wild animals like ferrets and weasels, for which an unpleasant spirit emanating from the animal is not a hindrance.

Like all its closest relatives, such as hedgehogs and moles, the shrew belongs to the order of insectivorous animals and, like most rodents, lives in burrows, feeding mainly on animal food. Scouring underground in search of food and using the passages left by mice and other rodents, shrews devour insects, worms, larvae, and other small animals.

Since the shrew has a powerful metabolism and cannot go without food for a long time (no more than seven to nine hours in a row), it has to constantly find food and eat more food during the day than it weighs itself.

The most common are two types of shrews:

• Shrews (lat. Crocidura)
• Shrews (lat. Sorex)

As the names of the animals imply, in some the tips of the teeth are painted white, while in others they are Brown color. In addition, shrews tend to be much smaller.

Since the shrew is a predator, it benefits by destroying the larvae of harmful insects that live underground. In addition, these animals excellently loosen the soil, saturating it with oxygen and thus aerating the soil.

The mole (lat. Talpa europaea) is a close relative of the shrew. It has powerful front paws, well adapted for digging the ground, a muzzle with a maneuverable trunk and a short tail. The length of the animal reaches twenty centimeters.

Like the shrew, the mole is an underground dweller, building an intricate system of passages, and appears on the surface only in an emergency. All excess land, which is formed during the construction of moves, the mole throws out. These land heaps in the form of small tubercles are popularly called molehills and are a clear sign that a mole has settled in this area.

It should be noted that the mole does not inhabit gardens and household plots, but can live in the garden if it has sufficiently moist soil.

Like the shrew, the mole is a predatory animal, consuming a large number of earthworms and earthworms, actively feeding on the larvae of beetles, butterflies, beetles and other harmful insects, thereby bringing invaluable help to gardeners and summer residents.

Well, finally, we got to the true pest, since it is the mole rat that is the thunderstorm of gardens and summer cottages, outrageous and outrageous to the fullest.

For a mole rat, animal food, which his relatives eat, is strictly contraindicated.

Like all of the above "relatives" of the mole rat, he diligently digs passages and holes and leads an exclusively underground lifestyle, leaving the shelter only once in his life - at the moment when in adolescence leaves his father's house to start an independent adult life.

Like a mole, a mole rat can be found on the site by mounds formed on the surface, resembling small earthen slides.

In addition to the common mole rat, there are several more species of this rodent: “sandy”, “Pontic”, “Bukovina” and “Podolsky”, and all these species (with the exception of the common one) are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the habitation halo of the common mole rat is limited only to the left-bank Ukraine, since, apparently, the Dnieper River is an insurmountable barrier for the animal.

The mole rat, unlike its counterparts, is a herbivore and feeds on the underground parts of plants. In the wild, the pest consumes mainly bulbous crops, acorns and eats seedlings of oaks, maples, and other trees. hardwood, and getting into the garden, it becomes a real disaster, as it destroys root crops, bulbs and tubers of cultivated plants.

As stated above, this species rodents, due to their secretive habitation, is still poorly understood and keeps many secrets.

In appearance, the mole rat has a rather squared body, resembling an outwardly voluminous cylinder up to twenty-five centimeters in length. The head of the rodent has a flattened shape. The main digging tool of the mole rat is the huge sharp incisors sticking out. In place of the eyes there is a wide fold of skin, completely covered with bristles. The skin of the animal is yellowish-brown.

Attention!

It is noteworthy that the organs of touch in the mole rat are separate hard hairs sticking out of the fur, thanks to the sensitivity of which the animal receives information from the outside.

An interesting fact is that the fleas that live on the animal also assimilated safely and, like their owner, are completely blind.

It is well known that the mole rat creates a significant supply of food, storing them for a long time. winter period. For example, in the pantry of one prudent and hardworking animal, eighteen (!) Kilograms of potatoes were found.

However, scientists have found that daily rate the consumption of plant foods in a mole rat is equal to its own weight (and this is about half a kilogram of weight), that is, with such a rate of consumption of these products, it is clearly not enough for the whole winter. It is possible that during the period of dead winter the animal falls into a state of suspended animation, which is why the metabolic process slows down, and the mole rat feeds only from time to time.

The main habitat of the mole rat is located approximately at a depth of ten to twenty-five centimeters and burrows, as a rule, are located in the soil layer in two tiers.

In the upper tier, the animal feeds (because its main food base is located at this depth), and in the lower tier, the mole rat builds nests, creates its own pantries and establishes latrines. It is noteworthy that the lower "floors" can go to a depth of four (!) Meters, but generally do not exceed eighty centimeters.

Building its tunnels, the animal loses a lot of energy, so it has adapted to overcome obstacles and heavy patches of land, using the technique of creating small earthquakes, for which it makes headbutts, and then evaluates the reflection of seismic waves.

This method allows the mole rat to break through passages with less labor, since it was calculated that the total length of the holes of one animal can reach three hundred and sixty (!) Meters in length.

The method of tapping the head on the ceiling allows individuals of different sexes to communicate with each other during the mating season.

The mole rat is inherently a hermit, but in March it begins to look for a mate, and already in April, offspring appear in the newly-minted family, consisting of two or more (up to six) cubs, which the mother feeds with milk.

Pest control methods

Pest control methods can be divided into two main groups:

• Deterrent measures
• Extermination measures

It has long been noticed that moles and mole rats do not like the strong smells of certain plants, and in particular they do not accept the harsh spirit of mint and wormwood. Well repels these rodents and imperial hazel grouse, the bulb of which emits a strong smell that repels animals.

Practice has proven that if several rows of parsnips are planted in the habitat of a rodent (you need to find a variety of a plant that has a long root), then the mole rat will leave this area. Well repels pests black elderberry and medicinal black root.

There are also different varieties of repellers that make sounds and produce vibrations. To this end, on personal plot it is necessary to drive wooden stakes into the ground, into which an ordinary impeller is inserted from above.

At the moment the wind blows, the impeller rotates and creates a rumble and vibration, which the mole rats clearly do not like. For the same purpose, specially cut cans of beer or cola can be placed on wooden pegs, which, when rotated, create a similar effect.

Some gardeners and gardeners bury a metal mesh (chain-link) around the perimeter of the site and thus protect themselves from uninvited guests. The only difficulty is that the net has to be buried quite deep (up to a meter deep), while taking into account the depth of possible holes in the lower tier.

But the most effective method of pest control is its physical extermination. For this purpose, either chemical or mechanical means are used.

The chemical method of struggle is the simplest, but it is fraught with serious consequences, since pets and even people can suffer from the strongest poisons that belong to the phosphite group (the poison negatively affects all warm-blooded organisms).

Therefore, before using chemistry, it is necessary to try out safer and less harmful methods for the outside world, because the use of poisons can eventually turn into a tragedy.

The mole rat, as a rule, leads a hidden and solitary lifestyle, therefore, having driven or exterminated the animal from the site, you can finally take a deep breath.

source: http://agrostory.com/info-centre/knowledge-lab/kroty-slep/

Moles (mole rats), shrews, fight against moles in the country, traps

In summer cottages, mole rats, shrews and moles live in large numbers. However, not all of them are harmful and we must fight them, we will also get acquainted with useful "underground inhabitants".

shrews

It is very rare to meet them and examine them - they do not like to show themselves in front of the eyes, although they are active around the clock. Unless you go out early in the morning to the yard, and on the grass - the fruits of the night hunting of a tireless cat. Look closely at the animal.

He does not look like a mouse at all, his muzzle is elongated into a proboscis, his ears are almost invisible, his eyes are tiny, his fur is velvety. And the cat didn’t eat the animal because it smells very bad, the musky gland, which is present in many species, is to blame for this.

Meet this shrew, the closest relative of everyone's favorite hedgehog. And shrews, and hedgehogs, and moles belong to the order Insectivorous (Sorisiformes). Like rodents, they live in burrows, although they prefer to use the passages left by rodents. The basis of their diet is animal food.

With indefatigability, the ever-hungry shrews search for insects, earthworms, and often attack small rodents. They have a very intensive metabolism, they can live only 7-9 hours without food, so they have to eat more food per day than they weigh, and look for it around the clock. Shrews (Sorex) and shrews (Crocidura) live in our area.

Among other differences, in shrews, the tips of the teeth are colored brown, in shrews, the teeth are white, the body length is 6-8 cm. These crumbs are of great benefit in that they loosen and thereby saturate the soil with oxygen (aerate), and also destroy the larvae of harmful insects .

Their close relative the mole (Talpa europaea) has velvety black fur, powerful burrowing forepaws, a short tail and the same muzzle with a movable proboscis, and its body length reaches 20 cm. The mole rat is often incorrectly called a mole.

The only thing they have in common with the mole rat is that, like the mole rat, the mole is underground dweller and builds a complex system of underground passages, which he leaves only as a last resort. When the passages have to be laid deep and in dense soil, then the excess earth through temporary passages is thrown to the surface in the form of small piles, the so-called molehills.

From these piles, one can understand that a mole lives here: molehills are smaller in size than mole rat emissions, and the mole does not settle in vegetable gardens. But in the lowlands, in wet areas of the garden, it can settle.

Attention!

The benefits of the mole are the same as those of shrews, and although he is a great lover of earthworms, he also destroys in large numbers the larvae of click beetles, which we call "drotyanka" and the larvae of May and other beetles. So not all of the animals that burrow in your yards are pests!

The mole rat is related to the mole only by the manner of throwing out the earth while digging holes and an exclusively underground lifestyle. You can rarely see him, he leaves his underground galleries one day, leaving at a young age from his native nest.

The appearance of the mole rat is very unusual, the shape of the body 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 form of a wedge.

He is completely blind, in place of the eyes a thick fold of skin has formed, densely covered with bristly hair, even the fleas that live on it are also blind. The body of the animal is covered with thick silky ocher-brown fur, in which there is no down and outer hair 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 cover 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 addition to the common mole rat, there are four more species - the sand mole rat, the Pontic mole rat, the Bukovinian mole rat and the Podolsk mole rat. All of them, except for the common mole rat, are listed in the Red Book.

Scientists studying these rodents note that the number of the common mole rat is also declining in the west and north. We also note that the common mole rat lives only in the Left-Bank Ukraine, the Dnieper is an insurmountable obstacle for it.

What do they eat?

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 hardwoods in bulk, important part their diet is made up of bulbs.

In the conditions of the cultural landscape, they are most numerous on crops. perennial herbs and gardens, where they hunt for root crops, bulbs, and tubers. The lifestyle of these animals is still poorly understood and still has many questions. For example, they are known to stock up for the winter.

At first glance, the mass of prepared food is impressive: 15-18 kg of potatoes in one pantry, in other pantries - up to 14 kg of tree roots and sprouted acorns.

But if in the warm season the animal eats a mass of food approximately equal to its body weight per day, and this is about 500 g, then it becomes clear that these reserves will not be enough for the whole winter, apparently, in the cold season, their metabolism slows down, and food less is consumed.

Mole rat burrows

Mole rat burrows are arranged in two tiers: a complex system horizontal feeding passages are laid at a depth of 10-25 cm. It is in this soil layer that the underground organs of plants are located, which the animals feed on as they move.

From them, steeply downward passages lead to the lower tier, where nesting chambers, storage chambers and latrines are located. The lower tier is located at a depth of 80 cm to almost 4 m. When laying burrows through a temporarily arranged outcrop, the earth is pushed to the surface with the help of a head, forming a heap of impressive size.

When it becomes difficult to push out portions of the earth, the mole rat clogs the hole with earth and at the end of the move lays a new one and throws out a new pile of earth. The total length of the passages of one mole rat reaches 275-360 m.

late autumn the second construction season is coming, which we, who live on the surface, cannot see - mole rats expand and improve the passages and chambers of the lower tier, and the earth is not thrown to the surface, but clogged with it in the upper feed passages.

Making passages and looking for food, they lose a lot of energy, for this reason, mole rats, trying to get to the roots and overcoming obstacles in their path, use the technology of small earthquakes.

They behave underground like specialists in seismology, hitting their heads against the ceilings of the corridors they have dug, creating micro-earthquakes and, estimating the strength of the reflection of seismological waves, dig tunnels that are convenient for them with less energy.

Parental chores

Continuing the theme of seismology, we add that they communicate with each other, tapping their heads on the ceiling of the passage.

Mole rats live as hermits for most of the year, the dating period begins in early March, and already in early April, happy mothers feed from two to six cubs with milk.

Just imagine - the beginning of spring, it is still cold and hungry, but not for a mole rat, apparently, the main food reserves are reserved for this time. Mole rats give only one offspring per year, and they begin to breed at a very respectable two to three years of age, compare with mice and voles!

The meaning of mole rats and moles and their burrowing activities

In places of mass impact of mole rats, as a result of digging, mixing plants with soil, sprinkling plant substrate, enriching the soil with animal secretions, the thickness of the humus horizon increases.

Its lower boundary drops by 10-20 cm, the humus composition improves, that is, the process of soil formation becomes more intense. In addition, seeds of many plants germinate on the ejecta of the earth, which cannot germinate on undisturbed plots of the earth and thus increases species diversity plants.

The burrowing activity of mole rats is very useful not only for plants, but also for animals - various rodents settle in otnorks, and the passages are inhabited by predators: weasels, ferrets.

Such are our extraordinary mole rats. But, having settled in the garden, they cause a lot of damage to our crop.

Mole control methods

We will divide the methods of protecting garden and garden plots from mole rats into deterrent and extermination.

Deterrent measures. Among the repellent methods, sonic repellers and planting certain types of plants are the most popular.

Attention!

The success of these methods depends on many components: the location of your site, the proximity of perennial grass fields, hay meadows, the composition and placement of cultivated crops, whether there are abandoned vegetable gardens nearby, etc. It’s up to you to choose and check their effectiveness.

The fight against moles folk remedies. Moles do not like the smell of mint, wormwood. Young trees of the most valuable varieties can be sprayed with mint oil. Plant an imperial hazel grouse in your summer cottage. The bulbs of this plant emit an odor that repels rodents.

Near the burrows, you can lay out scaring plants of black root, branches and leaves of black elderberry. These measures help against all rodents. One can only add that the mole rat cannot stand the presence of parsnips. If you sow parsnips along the perimeter of the garden in 2-3 rows, namely long-rooted varieties, the mole rat will leave this area.

Do-it-yourself fight against moles. There are many designs of sound homemade repellers. For example, wooden pegs are placed on the site, and an impeller from the breeze is attached to them. The impeller is not nailed too tightly to the peg, so that at the slightest breath of the breeze it immediately begins to spin. This creates a rumble in the ground, which is very disliked by mole rats.

You can bury a few bottles of champagne upside down. It is necessary to bury at an angle of 45 °, while the neck should protrude 2-3 cm above the surface.

It is advisable to dig in the bottles, taking into account the direction of the prevailing winds, so that the winds create noise in the bottles as often as possible. Empty metal cans of beer are placed on wooden pegs, the effect is similar.

Ornamental plant collections can be protected by planting bulbs, for example, in pre-punched plastic bottles. You can also fence the flower garden metal mesh, which must be dug into the ground at least 80 cm, that is, it must be buried deeper than the feed passages, taking into account the lower tier of passages.

How to destroy moles. And yet the most effective method is the mechanical extermination of rodents. I will not write in detail about chemical methods I am a determined opponent. Since the chemicals allowed for use belong to the group of phosphides.

These substances are the strongest poison for all warm-blooded animals, they prevent the process of blood clotting. The use of such products in the open field can be tragic for many domestic, wild animals and even humans. I definitely do not recommend using them!

Among mechanical methods trapping there are several options. If your site is located near the village, it is easier to contact its residents. As a rule, at least one experienced craftsman who deftly sets special traps is sure to be found. In addition, some summer residents are lucky - they have a tireless hunter cat or a reckless hunting dog.

Many pets successfully catch mole rats in the areas. But if you do not have a skilled neighbor and your pets do not have the desire to save the master's garden, you will have to take up the matter.

So, we already know the design of the mole rat's hole, and therefore, armed with a trap and knowledge, we get down to business. First you need to find the freshest release of earth, which means that the mole rat is digging somewhere nearby. By the way, a dog can help here, if you have one, she will immediately let you know whether or not to dig a fresh, in your opinion, mound.

Then, having discarded a heap of earth, you should dig a hole in the pit (earth ejections are formed right here) about 40 x 40 cm. Here you will find the main passage in which you need to clear both holes. The mole rat does not like drafts and after about 20 minutes he will clog the passage from which he digs a passage.

Well, you, having found the passage where the animal digs, destroy the soil plug and, stepping back about 5 cm in depth from the beginning of the passage, put a trap on the mole rat. He will return to the beginning of the turn to close it and will inevitably fall into the set trap.

The mole rat is a territorial animal that leads a solitary life, therefore, having driven away or exterminated the animal on the site, you can live in peace for some time.

source: http://gardenx.ru/sad_i_ogorod/kroty_slepyshi_zemlerojki_borba_s.html

The smallest mammal on earth

Since ancient times, the owners of agricultural land have developed a bad relationship with the shrew. Previously, the epithets "dangerous", "aggressive" and even "poisonous" were applicable to it. Over the years, people have managed to reconsider their attitude towards a small animal and learn how to benefit from being close to it.

What kind of animal?

Often the shrew is identified with the mouse in view of the outward resemblance of these far from closely related animals. After revising their position in the animal kingdom, scientists assigned these individuals to the shrew-like order, previously they were classified as insectivores. Mice are representatives of the order of rodents and have little in common with insectivores.

Relatives of shrews are moles and hedgehogs. With more careful observation, you can find similarities between these animals in terms of movement, nutrition and lifestyle.
Shrews are one of the smallest ubiquitous animals. Some of them have the honorary title - the smallest mammal on Earth.

The giant shrew is considered to be a giant among shrews, reaching a length of 12 cm. You can learn more about these animals in the article about types of shrews.

Shrews are the most common subfamily of tiny underground insectivores, including many species: common (forest), dwarf, tiny, brownie, water, elephant. An article devoted to the common species of shrews, in addition to interesting information contains many photos of our little neighbors.

Appearance and structure

The shrew looks like a mouse: a small head with tiny eyes, a short neck, a body set low on thin legs, and a long tail. The size of the animal is also "mouse" - its length rarely exceeds 10 cm. The entire body of the shrew is covered with short thick brown hair.

The fur cover of the animal is constantly smeared with the secret of special glands that produce a fat-like substance with a repulsive odor. This is another cunning acquisition of a defenseless shrew, protecting it from the attack of formidable predators.

In the course of evolution, shrews have lost their sharp vision. They are guided by the sense of smell, using the nose located at the end of an elongated pointed muzzle as a compass-navigator. Widely spaced ears pressed to the head are necessary for the animal for echolocation.

The ends of the animal's sharp teeth are covered with a strong protective brown enamel, which wears off by the end of the shrew's life. No wonder, after all most In his short life, a small animal leads a meal.

You can see what the shrew looks like in the photo below:

Nutrition

Shrews eat an incredible number of insect pests: beetles, bears, caterpillars, wireworms, wood lice that live underground. During the day, the animal can destroy hundreds of grams of insects, which is 4 times the weight of the little workaholic itself.

Attention!

Eating voracious pests, shrews bring undeniable benefits to the owners of summer cottages and vegetable gardens. Moreover, the underground passages along which animal shrews move provide drainage for plant roots.

The animals do not differ in foresight: they often plunder their food supplies for the winter themselves in the warm season. Unable to withstand a long winter hunger, they die. You can find out more interesting things in the section on the nutrition of amazing animals.

reproduction

For my short life the shrew leaves up to 6 litters. From 3 to 10 tiny blind babies are born at one time.

Is the shrew a mammal or not? Without a doubt, the answer is yes, because. a caring mother carefully feeds her babies with milk, gradually transferring to an adult diet.

How long do shrews live? Animals become completely independent by the end of the 3rd week, which is not surprising, because the maximum life expectancy of shrews is only 1.5 years.

Shrews have long ceased to be unknown and mysterious to humans, but disputes about the benefits and harms of small insectivores are still ongoing.