The agricultural pest, known as the "earthen rat", actually belongs to the family of mouse voles and is its largest representative. Initially, an earthen rat was found only in the southern regions, but gradually migrated to the north. Now it occupies the territory of the temperate climatic zone almost to the border with the subarctic.
This rodent, having a body size of up to twenty-five centimeters, was erroneously ranked as a rat. But according to all habits, this is a real vole, except that an overgrown vole. Earth rat eats everything that grows, giving preference, naturally, to cultivated plants, as more nutritious and juicy. If it appears on your site, you will see it on the completely destroyed beds. Onion, dill? Yes easily. Roots? It's not bad too. What is there - a flower bed with flowers? She does not disdain the flower garden. According to gardeners whose plots were invaded by this rodent, the earthen rat prefers saffron for some reason, which it mows no worse than a lawn mower.
The largest individuals of the earthen rat have a mass of up to half a kilogram, and their fur is quite thick and long. Under favorable conditions, the rodent reproduces very quickly.
The female gives birth up to three times a year, and in one litter there are three to five cubs. The kids of the earthen rat are very nimble creatures, and a month after their birth, they leave the parent, starting an independent life.
The earthen rat leads mainly an underground lifestyle, preferring to settle in the river valleys and on the banks of natural and artificial reservoirs. As a rule, it doesn’t penetrate into cities, since real gray rats “staked out” the territory drive off weaker aliens.
The fight against earthen rats goes in different directions. This is the use of traditional poisons, as well as more modern, sophisticated methods. In order to drive away uninvited guests, the method that is successfully used against other underground pests - moles - will also work. This is the use of ultrasonic repellers. Several emitters are installed in a certain order on the site (the installation instructions are attached to the device), and after a short time the mole or earthen rat leaves to eat field plants, leaving your site alone.
Some use fox terriers to fight these rodents. However, dog baiting is unlikely to give a one hundred percent result, the earthen rat is too cunning. The struggle with it made some gardeners use very simple, but, according to the inventors, very effective methods. Fragments of reinforcement fifty to seventy centimeters long are staggered into the ground in a checkerboard pattern after four to six meters, and tin cans of beer or other drinks are put on them. In the wind they begin to rattle, and rats supposedly leave the territory from this sound.
There are many ways to deal with these giant voles to choose the one that suits you the most and will be more effective.