A mole rat does not appear in the garden as often as a mole, for example, or a shrew, but it can damage the crop much more. This rodent is capable of digging long passages, where it arranges special places for storing crops grown in the garden.
Getting rid of such a pest is not so easy and the fight against it does not always give a positive effect. Sometimes you have to use a whole set of tools.
Few people know that there is also such a pest that can take a significant part of the crop from the owners. It is almost impossible to see it on the surface of the soil for such an occupation as the destruction of the crop.
Pest information:
- The pest can grow up to 30 cm in length.
- It has no eyes, and in their place there is a fold of skin, in the upper part of which coarse hairs grow.
- The tail and ears are not at all large, and the front legs are short.
- The coat of the animal has a dark gray tint with blue, and adults are distinguished by a characteristic “gray hair”.
- The pest has powerful front incisors that help it dig long underground passages. Only the 2 anterior incisors are clearly distinguished.
- The pest digs long tunnels in several tiers.
- The diet of the animal includes potatoes, carrots, beets, worms, insects, etc. He loves onions the most.
- When the mole rat appears on personal plot, then begins to destroy large plants, dragging them into a dug underground passage. After that, he eats the tops, and places the root crops in his storage. Sometimes in its vaults there are up to 50 kg of various root crops.
- It is not difficult to identify the presence of the animal if you pay attention to the peculiar mounds that look like the entrance to wormholes. Such mounds can be seen both in the garden and next to it.
Reasons for the appearance
This pest, like many others, is looking for something to profit from. Naturally, on the backyard or suburban area the owners grow everything that is necessary to feed the mole rat. In addition to vegetables, there are worms and enough insects on the site. The higher the yield on the site, the greater the chance that this pest will appear here.
The mole rat does not hibernate for the winter, so it needs a lot of food. It is possible that in the area where the crop is taken care of, the pest will definitely settle.
From the activity of this pest, long, several tiered passages remain in the garden, as well as underground pantries, in which the animal stores part of the crop grown by the owners in their gardens. As a rule, he eats first of all the green mass, and folds the root crops for the winter. Even one mole rat is able to take a considerable share of the crop. If several individuals appear on the site, then you can forget about the high yields of crops such as potatoes, onions, beets and carrots.
In addition, he digs rather large passages, with a diameter of 5 to 15 cm, due to which he damages some plants on the site. lower tiers can be located at a depth of up to 3 meters, and the upper ones - at a depth of 10 cm. Such a system of underground passages often does not give normal development to many cultivated plants.
How to get rid of mole rats on the site
Those who had to fight with this rodent paid attention to the fact that the mole rat burrows deep enough into the ground, which complicates the fight against it. As already mentioned, the animal can burrow to a depth of 3 meters, therefore, in order to get it, you will have to dig through the entire area. In this regard, many owners are thinking about how to get rid of the animal in order to save the crop. As you can see, the price of the issue is quite significant.
Experienced gardeners have tried a lot of ways and figured out how to get rid of such an unnecessary neighborhood. And here the most important thing is not to show excessive humanity, since several individuals with their cubs can deprive the owner of the crop, especially since mole rats breed quite quickly.
Traps are used to control many rodents, including mole rats. But first, it is better to determine who spoils the crop so that the effect of setting traps is maximum.
For effective fight the following steps should be taken:
- First of all, you need to carefully examine the site to find the entrance to the hole.
- In this place, you need to dig a hole well so that the mole rats have a draft. A recess is made near the main entrance at a distance of 50 cm and a trap is set. From above, the trap is covered with plywood.
- Since the pest is afraid of a draft, it will crawl out of the hole to cover it. As a result, the animal falls into the trap.
Some of the owners break the soil and install containers with water inside the multi-tiered passages, as a result of which the mole rats cannot get out. This is a rather laborious process, since you have to dig the ground deep. In addition, it is not always possible to obtain the desired result.
On a note! There is one, but effective way to get rid of such a neighborhood. To do this, you need to take a rag, soak it in gasoline, kerosene and other foul-smelling substances, and bury this rag in the ground at various depths. In addition, animals react negatively to essential oils plants such as eucalyptus, cedar, lavender and others.
Thanks to rapid development electronics, science and technology, managed to create modern devices emitting ultrasonic waves of different frequencies. A person does not perceive these waves, but many animals and rodents react negatively to ultrasound. sound waves This range causes a feeling of fear in rodents, as a result of which they begin to panic and try to leave the uncomfortable area as quickly as possible. Not much time passes, and the rodents leave this area in search of more comfortable conditions for your life activity.
For an effective fight, it is necessary to install several such devices. It does not make sense to install any additional traps. Ultrasonic repellers will operate throughout the site. They will help get rid of pests even if a good, promising crop for rodents is ripening on the site. Such devices will help the owner get rid of other pests, and not just mole rats. Moles, shrews, bears and other pests cannot stand ultrasound. The main thing is to choose the right devices in terms of power so that they protect the entire area.
DIY scare devices
In the process of fighting this voracious animal, it was found that he was afraid of noise. If there are constantly on the site loud sounds, then the pest tries to leave this area.
For implementation this method fight, you will need metal rods, up to 1 meter long. To these rods, any accessible ways cans of beer or condensed milk are attached. Under the influence of the force of the wind, they will make rather loud sounds that not only mole rats, but also neighbors may not like.
Many people think that the use chemicals struggle harms a person more than these rodents. Mole rats have a highly developed sense of smell, so they practically do not touch treats that have a strange smell, and why, if there is so much food in the garden. Therefore, most gardeners prefer ultrasonic devices and noise, improvised devices.
The common mole rat is completely devoid of sight, instead it has tactile hairs, a well-developed sense of smell and hearing. This animal is quite enough for a normal life, during which he almost never sees sunlight. For many owners land plots the mole rat has become a real punishment, because it is able to dig up the entire landing area and even affect the stability of the buildings located there.
Few people saw ordinary mole rats live because of their lifestyle. They rarely come to the surface, and their activity increases with the onset of darkness. So many people have to make up some idea of the size and lifestyle of the animal only from the traces left by it. To help those who want to know how the common mole rat lives and looks, there are photos and stories of biologists.
Description of the common mole rat
The maximum length of these rodents reaches 32 cm, and their weight is 700 g. They have an elongated body in the shape of a cylinder, a short neck, paws and tail, and a flattened head at the top. The ears of the animals are barely visible, and the eyes are hidden under the skin and completely atrophied. The color of different individuals may have some differences.
short soft wool mole rat usually looks like a mixture of brown, gray and brown shades in different proportions, sometimes there are light spots on the head and body. The rodent is usually painted black or. At the first meeting with the common mole rat, the upper and lower incisors extended far forward are striking.
Where do common mole rats live
For permanent habitation, the common mole rat usually chooses the steppe or forest-steppe for itself. He likes to settle near the beams, along the roads dividing the fields, and forest roads. It can be found in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. In the northern part of the range, the common mole rat is considered rare, although it is the most common species of its genus, which also includes sandy, giant, Bukovinian and Podolsk mole rats.
AT this moment the preservation of the population of the species is threatened by plowing of land, measures to improve the properties of the land and protect plants. Meanwhile, it cannot be said that this species is on the verge of extinction. The concern of the relevant organizations arises only about the conservation of populations in some northern and southern zones, where the common mole rat lives. Red Book International Union The guards have him on their lists. In view of this, the capture of animals in certain areas prohibited, and human activities in their native habitats are limited.
How ordinary mole rats live
The common mole rat, in short, all his life, and this is an average of 2.5-4 years, is underground, digs complex tunnel systems and extracts food. Most of all, the animal loves the roots, tubers and bulbs of plants, but it can also eat a stem with leaves. About 10 kg of food supplies must be prepared for the mole rat for the winter. At this time of the year, its vital activity is noticeably reduced, but the rodent does not hibernate.
The optimal common mole rat is 3 individuals per hectare, but this number can reach up to 20. With the help of sharp incisors and paws, the animals break through an extensive two-tier system of holes. The upper tier lies at a depth of 20-25 cm, and the lower one, where the mole rat forms galleries for nests and food supplies, at a depth of 3-4 m. External holes are not permanent, but are formed only in order to extract dug earth to the surface .
How the animal breeds
The social structure of the common mole rats is family groups consisting of one male and one or two females. If there are two females, they give birth in turn in a year. Mating takes place in the spring, and a brood of 2-3 cubs may be born from February to May. Half of the males live apart and do not produce offspring.
The resettlement of young animals occurs at a distance of tens or hundreds of meters. Females do this in the first year of life, getting to the surface, which explains their high mortality. Most often they are the object of hunting birds of prey and foxes. Males separate from their mother after a year without leaving the bowels of the earth. The main underground enemy of mole rats is the steppe polecat.
pest animal
Branched underground labyrinths are great for the life of mole rats, but can be a cause of concern for humans. If a garden or a personal plot becomes the habitat of this rodent, with the lion's share harvest you can say goodbye. Most likely, the animal will like carrots, potatoes and onions. He may also like onion flowers, legumes, corn and young trees.
Endless heaps of dug earth, subsidence of soil, the sudden disappearance of planted crops and even small trees - this is what people observe when an ordinary mole rat settles on their land. The description of his sabotage can be continued for a long time, and stopping them is an impossible task for many.
How to drive away a mole rat
Only one question arises when a common mole rat starts up on a personal plot - how to get rid of a pest? For many, this becomes a daunting task. After all, the animal is constantly hiding in the ground and its presence, creating new mounds and destroying planted plants, only at night.
It is best to try to create such conditions for the animal to leave on its own. land plot. A lot of ways have been invented for this, but none of them guarantees that the animal will run away forever. But still, it is worth making every effort to get rid of the mole rat without spilling his blood.
One of the commonly used methods is to flood its tunnel with water. But this may require too much water, as the underground passages of the animal are very branchy. And if the soil quickly absorbs moisture, this method is completely useless. Some try to smoke four-legged neighbor with the help of smoke, pouring kerosene or fetid mixtures into the hole. Another way is to create constant noise in the area of \u200b\u200bhis residence, which the common mole rat cannot stand. Alternatively, you can use the installation of an ultrasonic repeller.
Radical ways to get rid of a mole rat
When it is not possible to drive away the mole rat, some resort to a more drastic measure - murder. To do this, you can watch the animal by opening one of its moves. He does not like drafts, so he will definitely want to close the hole with earth. As soon as he approaches, there will be an opportunity to destroy him.
Another way is to make a hole in the hole and place a trap in it so that the mole rat gets into it on the way to the open opening. It is important that the trap does not have a human smell, for which it is worth rubbing it with potatoes or earth. You can use poison to kill rodents. But if there is something to profit from on the site, the rodent may not covet the poisoned food.
The common mole rat is a rodent that few have seen alive. An underground life with nocturnal activity has resulted in few being aware of its existence. Many would rather never know of the existence of such an underground dweller, instead of seeing him destroy the cultures that grow on the site.
March madness - this is how those who grow seedlings of their favorite vegetables themselves perceive the first calendar month of spring. In March, they sow their favorite tomatoes and peppers, carry out the first crops in the greenhouse and even sow vegetables in the beds. Growing seedlings require not only timely diving, but also considerable care. But only her efforts are not limited. It is worth continuing to sow in greenhouses and on window sills, because fresh herbs from the beds will appear not so soon.
While the buds have not yet woken up on the plants, or at the very beginning of growth, seedlings and delenki adapt much better. Although the main attention in March is still riveted to completely different plants - seasonal ones. Growing your own seedlings allows you to save money, find new varieties and ensure plant health. Moon calendar in March, for ornamental crops, it recommends choosing days more carefully, because unfavorable periods cover almost half a month.
In the month of March, most of the flowering annuals are sown, which need a seedling method of growing. Usually, these flowers take no more than 80-90 days from germination to flowering. In this article, I would like to focus on interesting annuals, which are a little less popular than ageless petunias, marigolds or zinnias, but they have no less advantages. And they are also worth trying to plant for flowering next season.
With the approach of spring, indoor plants gradually come out of dormancy and start growing. Indeed, already in February, the day becomes noticeably longer, and the sun warms up in a completely spring-like way. How to help flowers wake up and prepare them for the growing season? What should be paid attention to and what measures should be taken so that the plants are healthy, bloom, multiply and please? We will talk about what houseplants expect from us in the spring in this article.
Coconut cake with oil cream and whipped cream - a real treat. I made this cake based on the traditional German coconut pie - kuchen. Coconut cake "Kuhyun" is easy and quick to bake. The cake is soaked in heavy cream, so the cake based on it turns out to be moist and very tasty. In this dessert, coconut is everywhere - in the biscuit, in the cream, even in the whipped cream, I added a few drops of coconut extract. All in all, it was a heavenly delight!
One of the most important rules for growing strong and healthy seedling- the presence of the "correct" soil mixture. Usually, gardeners use two options for growing seedlings: either purchased soil mixture, or made independently from several components. In both cases, the fertility of the soil for seedlings, to put it mildly, is doubtful. This means that the seedlings will require additional nutrition from you. In this article we will talk about simple and effective top dressing for seedlings.
After a decade of dominance in the catalogs of the original variegated and bright varieties of tulips, trends began to change. At exhibitions, the world's best designers offer to recall the classics and pay homage to the charming white tulips. Glittering under the warm rays spring sun, they look especially festive in the garden. Meeting spring after a long wait, tulips seem to remind you that white is not only the color of snow, but also the joyful celebration of flowering.
Sweet Indian pumpkin chutney with lemon and orange originated in India, but the British contributed to its popularity around the world. This sweet and sour spicy seasoning of vegetables and fruits can be eaten right away or prepared for future use. For harvesting for the future, use fruit or wine 5% vinegar. If you keep chutney for 1-2 months, then its taste will become softer and more balanced. You will need butternut squash, ginger, sweet orange, juicy lemon and spices.
Despite the fact that cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables, not all summer residents, especially beginners, can grow its seedlings. In the conditions of the apartment they are hot and dark. In this case, it is impossible to obtain high-quality seedlings. And without strong, healthy seedlings, it is difficult to count on a good harvest. Gardeners with experience know that it is better to sow cabbage for seedlings in greenhouses or greenhouses. And some even grow cabbage by direct sowing of seeds in the ground.
Flower growers tirelessly discover new indoor plants for themselves, replacing one with another. And here the conditions of a particular room are of no small importance, because the requirements for their content in plants are different. Lovers of beautiful flowering plants often face difficulties. Indeed, in order for the flowering to be long and plentiful, such specimens require special care. There are not very many unpretentious plants blooming in rooms, and one of these is streptocarpus.
Chicken rolls "Cordon Bleu" with bechamel sauce - an excellent dish for holiday table and daily meals! It is prepared simply and quickly, it turns out juicy, and also a thick bechamel sauce - you will lick your fingers! With mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber and a slice of fresh bread, you will have a hearty and tasty dinner. Cheese for this recipe, choose according to your taste, it can be processed, it can be with blue mold. It is important that the cheese and ham are cut very thinly, this is the secret of success!
Calendula (marigold) is a flower that stands out among others with its bright color. Low bushes with delicate orange inflorescences can be found on the side of the road, in the meadow, in the front garden next to the house, or even in vegetable beds. Calendula is so widespread in our area that it seems that it has always grown here. Read about interesting decorative varieties of calendula, as well as the use of calendula in cooking and medicine in our article.
Elegant and sophisticated orchid - unique plant, it cannot be classified as an ordinary flowering crop. Growth form, requirements for growing conditions, type of rhizome - this plant is all different from other types of representatives of the flora! Some orchids grow indoors, hardy and not very whimsical, others are capricious plants that need special showcases and greenhouses. Exquisite flowers and care require special, competent feeding and watering.
I think many will agree that we perceive the wind well only in a romantic aspect: we are sitting in a cozy warm house, and the wind is raging outside the window ... In fact, the wind that walks through our plots is a problem and there is nothing good in it. By creating windbreaks with plants, we break a strong wind into several weak streams and significantly weaken it. destructive force. How to protect the site from the wind will be discussed in this article.
mole rat lives on the territory of Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, in the European part of Russia to the north approximately to the line passing through Rovno - Kyiv - Chernigov - Tula - Penza - Ulyanovsk, east to the Volga and south to the foot of Greater Caucasus and the Perekop Isthmus.
The rear part of the head, back and sides of the adult common mole rat are characterized by a general pale-gray-brown tone. The bases of the hair are mouse-gray. When the tips of the hair having the color described above are worn out, gray tones predominate in the color of the fur. The anterior part of the head and cheeks are lighter than the coloration of the back. Sometimes a light spot with a yellowish tint is observed in the forehead area. Short vibrissae are whitish-yellow, long ones are whitish-yellowish. The ventral side in the region of the throat, chest and front of the abdomen is mouse-gray; in the middle and rear part - pale-brown. The length of winter fur is up to 14 mm, summer - 10-11 mm. In juveniles, gray tones predominate in coloration with a slight fawn tint at the ends of the hairs. The ventral side is intensely grey. The throat and chest are intensely grey. Belly hair with an admixture of fawn-brown hues. Many specimens also had irregularly shaped white patches on the chest and posterior belly. Occasionally, the phenomenon of complete albinism occurs in an ordinary mole rat.
Materials on mole rat molting are extremely incomplete. It is only known that in the common mole rat the change of thick winter fur to rarer summer fur occurs in May-June, and autumn molt- in September (Ognev, 1947).
The common mole rat is a characteristic inhabitant of the plain steppes and forest-steppe to the east of the river. Dnieper. In the Western Ciscaucasia it reaches the foothills. Settles mainly on the slopes of beams and other low relief areas with the most fertile soil chernozem type and abundant herbaceous vegetation; less common on sandy soils and cultivated lands (noted on crops of perennial grasses, rye, oats, corn and other field crops, in vegetable gardens, melons, in the field protection zone forest plantations). Separate holes were found even in the center forest areas and settlements. Avoids clayey and very loose, sandy soils subject to drying out, as well as heavily moist floodplain areas. N. M. Dukelskaya (1932) gives the following description of habitats typical for the common mole rat within the Petrovsky district, Saratov region.
In a significant number, the common mole rat was noted by S.I. Ognev (1947) in the steppes of the Voronezh region, where the most numerous traces of its burrowing activity were concentrated on the slopes of ravines and gullies, along the outskirts of forests, and occasionally in the depths of forests. Within the Khrenovskoye steppe, settlements of mole rats were noted on sandy and sandy loamy ridges located on the edges of the Khrenovskoye forest, overgrown with savory, wormwood, hare cabbage and feather grass. Under conditions similar to those described above, the common mole rat lives in the left-bank steppe and forest-steppe of the Ukrainian SSR (Reshetnik, 1941). In the Kuban steppes, the most characteristic habitats of this species, according to L. B. Boehme (1931), are virgin lands and fallow lands on chernozem soils with abundant vegetation cover from perennials. Sometimes it switches to crops of predominantly perennial grasses. Traces of digging activity in the form of heaps of earth are also found on melons and spring crops, and only occasionally in winter fields. Finally, in the conditions of the foothills of the Western and Central Ciscaucasia, according to K. N. Rossikov (quoted in: Ognev, 1947), it inhabits open and bushy slopes of moderately moist ravines with chernozem soil. Avoids clay and sandy places subject to severe drying. On the plateaus it is found in significant numbers in the valleys of the river. Malki and Baksana, where it lives in meadows, clearings, in gardens and orchards, in sparse thickets of blackthorn, plum, barberry and hawthorn in places where, again, chernozem prevails over sandy and clay soils. Information on population density in various biotopes is extremely scarce. It is only known that in the Kharkov region the approximate number of the common mole rat can reach 10 individuals on virgin slopes of beams, 5-7 on hayfields and 2 on cultivated fields per 1 hectare (Reshetnik, 1941).
The bases of freshly ejected mounds have rounded outlines. The heaps are made up of individual clods of earth, and some of them even retain the form of columns, the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the passage leading to the outlet through which the earth is pushed. As they dry out and under the influence of precipitation, the heaps take the form of flattened mounds. The size of individual heaps varies from 20 X 20 cm to 230 X 240 cm. Small heaps are ejected in one step, while large ones undergo in the process of their formation whole line changes and are obtained as a result of the merger of several small piles, in between which the earth is thrown out for a rather long period. So, according to the observations of N. M. Dukelskaya, the formation of a complex heap took place over 39 days. The distance between the piles is 20-1175 cm (most often 100-200 cm). The largest number land emissions are concentrated in the area of surface feeding passages. Deep passages usually do not have any external signs. However, in individual cases approximately above the nesting chambers, large heaps of earth were observed, represented mainly by bedrock, indicating the location of the vertical passage. Discarded land is not located above the main feeding passage. The dug earth is usually transported through a slop, which can be up to 75 cm long, ending with an outlet. Through it, another portion of the removed soil is pushed out. In this regard, the direction in the location of the heaps does not coincide with that of the stern passage.
According to the location of the discarded heaps of earth, N. M. Dukelskaya (1932) divides the burrows of the common mole rat into the following 4 groups.
1. Emissions are located in a straight line with one or two short branches. The total length of the section with emissions is different. In some cases, the distance between extreme emissions can reach 169 m, and the number of piles is 114.
2. Heaps are located radially with respect to one or two centers. In this case, the individual largest burrows can number more than 90 piles, and the total distance between the extreme emissions is about 250 m.
3. Heaps are randomly arranged. With this arrangement, 1 burrow can contain more than 100 emissions on an area of 100 m 2.
4. Some of the heaps are located in a straight line, and between them are groups of randomly scattered emissions. Burrows of this type usually occupy largest areas. For example, a mole rat, released on an experimental site, dug up 284 heaps of land over an area of approximately 61 hectares for 4 months (from May 9 to September 12).
According to the data of Dukelskaya (1932), obtained as a result of excavations of the burrows of this species in the Saratov region, the root-tubers of the six-petaled meadowsweet, the bulbs of the scythe and the round onion, the roots, leaves and stems of the dandelion and the common cutter, the roots and stems of the common chicory, roots and leaves of mountain clover, leaves and stems of alpine clover, ranunculus many-flowered and forest forget-me-not, leaves of autumn kulbaba and femur, and, finally, shoots of field bindweed. Among the plants listed above, meadowsweet six-petal dominated. Sprouted acorns were found in burrows close to the forest. The latter are sometimes found in significant quantities. So, in one of the holes excavated in May, out of 916 g of the weight of all stocks of the common mole rat, 613 g accounted for oak acorns. E. G. Reshetnik (1941) gives the following list of fodder plants obtained during excavations of the burrows of the common mole rat in the conditions of the left-bank steppe and forest-steppe of the Ukrainian SSR: whorled sage, short-nosed goat-beard, Ukrainian goat-beard, common chicory, dandelion, tuberous rank, six-petaled meadowsweet, scabiose-like cornflower , pearl cornflower, carrot, field bluehead, bulbous buten, annual dried flower, straight goat, narrow-leaved yarrow, seguera, hedgehog licorice, wheatgrass, tuberous cornflower, Marshall's Corydalis, forest tulip, striped saffron, common cutter, clover. In forested areas and in the zone of field protection and park afforestation, the reserves may be dominated by the roots of tree species, as well as germinated acorns. Thus, according to Silantiev (quoted in Ognev, 1947), in the pantries of the common mole rat, which lived on the territory of the Veliko-Anadol forestry, Donetsk region, the roots of seedlings quantitatively prevailed and, to a lesser extent, acorns. In the conditions of park plantings within the city of Kharkov, during the excavation of a hole, the roots of young mulberry, seedlings of oak and white acacia were found in abundance (Reshetnik, 1941). Of the horticultural crops in stocks, the most common are potatoes, carrots and beets. Rarely came across corn, onions, beans and cucumbers. The total weight of the stored plant mass ranges from 8 to 14 kg. The distribution of stocks among pantries is uneven. Total feed increases as the depth at which the pantry is located increases. Forage storage occurs mainly in the summer months and early autumn. In addition to plant remains, the analysis of the contents of the stomachs occasionally revealed the remains of insects. Finally, the bones and wool of mouse-like rodents and the wool of the mole rats themselves were very rare (Varabash-Nikiforov, 1928; Reshetnik, 1941).
There is very little information about the reproduction of the common mole rat. According to N. M. Dukelskaya (1932), out of 11 females of this species, taken at the end of April in the Petrovsky district. Saratov region, there was not a single pregnant woman, and only 4 specimens had retracted nipples and developed mammary glands. This seems to indicate the end of lactation. Of the 15 females caught by E. G. Reshetnik (1941) in the Barvinkovsky district of the Kharkov region in the first half of April, 7 turned out to be lactating. At the same time, 4 of them were mined together with young animals. All this, apparently, indicates the appearance of young in March and the end of lactation by the end of April. In May and early June, their intensive resettlement is already observed (Dukelskaya, 1932; Reshetnik, 1941). Very close breeding dates are indicated by K. G. Rossikov (1887) for the common mole rat, which lives in the flat part of the Western Ciscaucasia. However, in the foothills he obtained a pregnant female in early June. According to Ognev (1947), this fact may indicate a delay in the timing of reproduction in the foothills of the Western Ciscaucasia. Most researchers are inclined to believe that the common mole rat breeds once a year and brings 2-6 cubs in a litter.
Diagnosis. The average size is similar to that of the sand mole rat (body length 197–232–290 mm; foot length 23.0–26.3–30.0 mm; condylobasal length of the skull 37.2–49.8–58.4 mm; length of the upper row, permanent molars 7.3–8.2–9.0 mm ; length of the lower row of permanent molars 6.8-7.6-8.4 mm). The rostral region of the skull gradually narrows forward, wedge-shaped. The width of the nasal bones behind is greater than that of each of the premaxillaries, and the latter, in turn, is less than half the anterior joint width of the nasale, or approximately equal to it. In addition, the width of the nasal bones in front is approximately twice or more than their posterior width (measured in all cases; at the level of the fronto-premaxillary sutures). The fronto-nasal and fronto-premaxillary sutures are straight, often slightly stepped due to the protrusion of the ends of the nasale behind the line of the fronto-premaxillary sutures. The notch between the nasal bones in the region of the fronto-nasal suture is absent or slightly marked, and therefore the posterior ends of the nasale are blunted. The length of the nasal bones exceeds the combined length of the parietal and frontal. The anterior-outer edges of the zygomatic arches are almost not bent down. Masseter platform shortened, with weakly developed anterior crest; its length is approximately equal to the distance between the anterior crest of the latter and the suture of the premaxillary and maxillary bones. The outer wall of the infraorbital process is narrow; its smallest width is less than the length of the anterior permanent molar. The auditory opening is small; its largest diameter is in most cases smaller, rarely approximately equal to the length of M1. The alveolar process of the lower jaw is much higher than the articular one (in adults and old specimens). The coronoid process is high. The coronary-alveolar notch is slightly inferior. The closed opening of the pelvic bone is large; its length approximately coincides with that of the acetabulum.
Description.Rostral skull not widened, gradually narrowing in the forward direction. Its width at the level of the anterior margins of the infraorbital foramina always exceeds that in the middle. The joint width of the nasal bones at the back is always more width premaxilla, and the latter, in turn, is inferior to or approximately equal to half the anterior joint width of the nasale. In addition, the nasal bones are strongly narrowed in the posterior region; joint width of nasale twice and more in front than width behind. The notch in the region of the fronto-nasal suture is absent or slightly outlined, and therefore the posterior ends of the nasal bones are blunt and do not form the forked bifurcation characteristic of S. graecus. It should also be noted that the nasal bones of the common mole rat are on average relatively longer than those of the giant mole rat and, apparently, of the sand rat. The ratio of their length to that of a series of permanent molars is 231.0–259.5–306.0 in adults and old specimens and 205.0–220.0–231.0 in young and semi-adult specimens. In addition, the nasale in front, on average, seems to be relatively wider than in the giant mole rat; the ratio of their joint width to length M1-M3 is 84.5-96.4-121.0 in adults and old and 77.1-82.1-87.0 in young and semi-adults. The length of the nasal bones, as a rule, exceeds the combined length of the frontal and parietal; the value of the corresponding ratio is 95.0–106.5–120.0 for adults and old specimens and 94.2–101.9–106.7 for young and half-adult specimens. Structural features of the fronto-nasal and fronto-maxillary sutures are noted in the diagnosis. The nasal opening is relatively narrow, although on average it seems to be wider than that of the giant mole rat; the ratio of its width to the length of a row of permanent molars is 70.8–88.0–101.0 for adults and old specimens, 70.8–77.2–80.7 for young and semi-adult specimens. The postorbital constriction is less pronounced than in mole rats from the giganteus group; the ratio of the postorbital width to the length of the row of permanent molars is 77.9–94.2–114.0 for adults and old, 166.0–176.0–195.0 for young and subadults. The fronto-parietal section is shortened; the ratio of the joint length of the frontal and parietal bones to the length of M1–M3 is 218.0–233.5–302.0 and 209.0–218.0–227.0, respectively.
parietal bones relatively long, strongly widened; the ratio of the length and width of each of them to the length of a row of permanent molars is 107.0–130.0–156.0 and 45.3–68.4–92.9, respectively, in adults and old ones; 116.0-128.0-134.0 and 71.9-86.2-94.2 in young and semi-adults; joint width ratio 80.2-140.0-179.0 in adults and old, 166.0-176.0-195.0 in young and semi-adults. Their seams form a pentagon, shaped like a regular five-pointed star. The triangular fossa on the frontal bones at the divergence of the sagittal crest is not pronounced. Fronto-parietal and fronto-temporal sutures form obtuse angle. The upper diastema and hard palate are elongated. Thus, the value of the diastema-tooth index is 204.0–241.0–317.0 in adult and old specimens and 177.0–192.0–214.0 in young and semi-adult specimens, and the ratio of the length of the hard palate to the length of the row of permanent molars is 334.0–378.0–463.0 and 302.0–322.0, respectively. -347.0. The structural features of the masseter platform and alveolar tubercles are fully noted in the diagnosis. The hard palate at the level of the anterior permanent molars is, on the whole, apparently wider than that of the giant mole rat and narrower than that of the sand mole rat. Its width in adult and old specimens only slightly exceeds the length of M1. The zygomatic arches are thin in front. Their anterior-outer margins are almost not deviated downwards. The zygomatic angle is much less than 45°. The outer wall of the infraorbital foramen is narrowed; its smallest width is noticeably inferior to the length of the anterior permanent root.
Samo infraorbital foramen high; its height considerably exceeds the length of the upper row of permanent molars. Posteriorly, the zygomatic arches are considerably elevated in relation to the fossa glenoidea. The suture between the zygomatic processes of the jaw bones and the frontale (located at the beginning of the outer wall of the infraorbital foramen) is strongly oblique. The inner crest of fossa glenoidea is sharper than that of the giant mole rat and weaker than that of the sand mole rat. The articular surface itself is expanded. The base of the occipital bone is expanded, in connection with which the auditory drums are widely spaced. So, the greatest distance between the outer edges of the lateral pharyngeal tubercles significantly exceeds the length of M1-M2. The auditory drums appear to be on average relatively wider than those of the giganteus group. The ratio of their width to the length of a row of permanent molars is 92.8–101.5–116.0. Features of the structure of the auditory opening are noted in the diagnosis. The occipital region of the skull, on average, seems to be relatively higher than in all living representatives of the genus; the value of the ratio of the height of the occipital bone, measured from the upper edge of the foramen magnum, to the maximum width of the occiput is 52.5–55.0–66.1.
upper incisors relatively narrow (for representatives of the genus); ratio of width to anterior-posterior diameter; 104.4-112.0-120.8. Their anterior surface is flattened.
M1(length 2.4-2.7-3.2 mm; width 2.1-2.5-3.0 mm; ratio of width to length 80.6-91.1-107.1) only in very young specimens has a type of structure of the rubbing surface, similar to that of the giant and sandy mole rats, and from the number of representatives of the microphthalmus group is in S. graecus (the paracone is not fused with the anterior collar, but communicates with the neck connecting the protocone with the hypocone; two incoming loops in the outer row. In the vast majority of cases, in the early and middle stages of wear (in young, half-adult and partly in adult specimens) the median outer tubercle is fused with the anterior collar, but separated from the neck connecting the anterior and posterior inner tubercles, as a result of which the tooth is characterized by the presence of only one incoming loop in the outer row. inner part the outer incoming loop closes in the mark. The protocone and hypocone are in most cases fused, occasionally separated. Traces of metacone occasionally persist in the very early stages of tooth wear. In adults and old people, the rubbing surface is generally similar to that of the giant and sandy mole rats. The incoming loops are closed into marks as the teeth are erased in the following sequence: the inner part of the outer, the outer and, finally, the inner. There are two roots - a powerful anterior-internal (formed by the fusion of the anterior external and the only internal roots) and a less developed, free posterior-external. The antero-internal root does not show signs of bifurcation. Apparently, there is also no fusion of the posterior outer root with the anterior inner one.
M2(length 2.1–2.4–2.8 mm; width 2.1–2.5–2.9 mm; ratio of width to length 92.3–105.3–124.0) is similar in the structure of the rubbing surface to the sand mole rat molars of the same name. However, it appears to be relatively narrower on average. Quite clearly differs from mole rats of the giganteus group in the almost constant presence of three roots - a powerful internal and less developed anterior and posterior external.
M3(length 1.6–2.1–2.4 mm; width 1.9–2.2–2.6 mm; ratio of width to length 90.5–107.0–120.0), like the previous molar, is generally similar to that of the sand mole rat. However, in the common mole rat, apparently, completely separated anterior and posterior internal tubercles are more common, and on the teeth of young ones, there is a more pronounced tendency to complicate the entire rubbing surface due to the formation of additional tubercles and folds. In addition, M3 S. microphthalmus is characterized by a less pronounced degree of reduction of the anterior external root. The latter is almost always not fused with the posterior-internal (the fused posterior external and unpaired internal roots) and is represented in the alveolus by an independent nest.
Lower jaw with elongated diastema; the diastema-tooth index is 98.9–117.0–138.7 in adults and old specimens and 92.0–106.0–125.0 in young and semi-adult specimens. The horizontal branch is relatively high; the ratio of its height to the length of the lower row of permanent molars is 109.0–129.2–146.4 in adults and old specimens and 92.0–106.0–125.0 in young and semi-adult specimens. The alveolar process, like that of the sand mole rat, is high; in adults and old people, it significantly exceeds the articular process in height. The height of the process on the inner side, starting from the adult state, as a rule, noticeably exceeds the length of the lower row of permanent molars (the value of the corresponding index in the common mole rat is 95.0–114.4–138.6).
lower incisor on average, apparently, relatively wider than in all currently known representatives of the genus; ratio of width to anteroposterior diameter 100.0–109.5–120.7.
M1(length 2.2–2.5–3.0 mm; width 2.1–2.4–2.7 mm; ratio of width to length 79.3–94.5–108.3) differs from the same-named permanent indigenous sand mole rat in the presence of an additional anterior incoming loop in the outer row or its traces in young and semi-adult specimens in the form of a small anterior mark, and also, on average, apparently less reduced entoconid. In addition, the metaconid at the indicated stages of wear is fused with the anterior collar, and through it with the protoconid. In some cases, the neck of the anterior internal tubercle at the point of confluence with the anterior collar bears distinct traces of ligation. The protoconid and hypoconid are fused at all stages of wear. Since the tooth in young and semi-adult specimens has additional outer (almost always) and inner (occasionally) incoming loops, the number of the latter in the outer and inner rows at these stages of wear can vary from one to two. In adult and old specimens, the tooth always has one inner and one outer incoming loop. The order of closing the incoming loops in the brand is as follows: the front internal and external additional in the indicated sequence, the main internal and, finally, the main external. The tooth has two roots; the posterior is more developed than the anterior.
M2(length 1.9–2.2–2.7 mm; width 2.1–2.5–2.9 mm; ratio of width to length 95.4–110.7–128.5) on average, apparently, relatively wider than in the previous species. According to the general configuration of the rubbing surface, it is basically similar to the same-named permanent indigenous sand and giant mole rats. Two roots; the posterior is more developed than the anterior. Sometimes the roots tend to merge.
M3(length 1.9–2.2–2.5 mm; width 1.7–2.2–2.7 mm; ratio of width to length 81.8–101.4–121.0), like the previous molar, in terms of the relative width of the crown and the nature of the structure of the rubbing surface and roots, in principle, it is similar to the constants of the same name indigenous sand mole rat.
Measurements. Condylobasal skull length 37.2–50.0–58.4 mm; main skull length 34.3–46.8–54.2 mm; length of nasal bones 15.8–20.9–25.9 mm; joint length of parietal and frontal bones 15.9–19.9–24.0 mm; length of parietal bones 8.9–10.7–12.8 mm; length of the upper diastema 13.4–19.4–24.7 mm; length of hard palate 23.0–30.7–37.1 mm; the length of the upper row of permanent molars is 7.0–8.2–9.0 mm; nasal opening width 5.3–7.1–8.5 mm; incisal width 7.0–8.7–10.3 mm; width of nasal bones in front 5.4–7.8–9.6 mm; rostral width 9.3–11.6–14.7 mm; postorbital width 6.7–7.9–9.9 mm; width of two parietales 8.7–11.8–15.4 mm; parietal bone width along lambdoid crest 3.9–5.4–6.7 mm; zygomatic width 31.1–39.7–45.9 mm; occiput maximum width 26.3–33.9–38.8 mm; length of auditory tympanum 10.7–12.7–14.5 mm; width of auditory tympanum 7.4–8.2–9.1 mm; upper incisor width 2.2–2.9–3.4 mm; anterior-posterior diameter of the upper incisor 2.0–2.6–3.3 mm; nasal opening height 2.4–3.0–4.0 mm; condylar length of the lower jaw 24.2–33.0–40.1 mm; angular length of the lower jaw 23.3–32.2–39.8 mm; length of the lower diastema 6.7–8.8–10.4 mm; the length of the lower row of permanent molars is 7.3–7.6–8.4 mm; the height of the horizontal branch at the level of the posterior edge of the alveolus M1 from the outside 7.3–9.6–11.2 mm; the thickness of the horizontal branch at the M2 level is 3.5–4.7–6.5 mm; the height of the alveolar process is internal 3.7–8.2–11.2 mm; lower incisor width 2.1–3.1–3.8 mm; anterior-posterior diameter of the lower incisor 1.8-2.9-3.7 mm.
The common mole rat largely retained similarities with the fossil Pliocene Azov S. minor. This, with a sufficient degree of probability, allows us to consider it as direct descendant the last one. Holocene remains from localities associated with mole loess are ubiquitous within the range of the species. Findings of similar forms are also known from Pleistocene deposits (mole loess).
Literature:
1. Mole rats. Topachevsky V. A. In the series: Fauna of the USSR, Mammals, vol. III, no. 3. 1968. Publishing house "Science", Leningrad. otd., L. 1-248.
2. Sokolov V. E. Taxonomy of mammals (Orders: lagomorphs, rodents). Proc. allowance for un-comrade. M., "Higher. school", 1977.
Having met a mole rat in nature, it is difficult to recognize in it an animal that belongs to a number of rodents, so amazingly its entire structure is adapted to constant underground life. Only the presence of one pair of extremely strong incisors of a sharpened, chisel-shaped shape, which expressively, unlike other shrews, protrude from the mouth, and the absence of fangs indicate that this animal belongs to a detachment of a number of rodents. The upper lips of mole rats go inside oral cavity and form a kind of valve that reliably prevents the earth from entering the mouth. A kind of adaptation to the underground life of mole rats is their clumsy body with a very wide flattened spade-shaped head and short neck, undeveloped auricles, which are not even visible from the fur and which look like a skin fold around a small ear hole. The eyes of mole rats are also completely atrophied and their remnants are hidden under the skin. On both sides of the head stretches a row of hard elastic bristles that act as a sense organ. The nose of mole rats is wide, covered with a strong layer of very keratinized skin. The tail is very short and invisible from the outside. The legs are also very short. The mole rat differs from such shrews as moles in that its forelimbs do not look like digging organs. Mole rats dig numerous underground passages exclusively with the help of wide incisors, with which they bite into the soil. The loosening soil is pushed with the head like a shovel.
The body length of mole rats does not exceed 35 cm. hairline short, dense, silky, without separate awn. The color is brownish-yellow, with a yellowish tint. The lower part of the body is painted in the same way as the upper.
Mole rats live in Ukraine in the steppe and forest-steppe regions. live on open spaces, the remains of virgin areas not occupied by crops cultivated plants, on the slopes of beams, hayloft, etc., choosing mainly chernozem soils covered with dense grassy grassy vegetation. Mole rats spend their whole lives in burrows that lie at a depth of 15-20 cm. The system of their underground passages is of great length: it stretches for a distance of up to 400 m. much more sizes(up to 40 cm in diameter and up to 30 cm in height). Such heaps are located close to each other, so behind them you can determine the direction of the underground passages of the mole rat. Lacking permanent outlets, these animals rarely come to the surface. To do this, each time they work out a special hole outward. Returning to the hole, the exit is carefully covered with earth.
Mole rats are very vicious, often attacking each other, biting cruelly and inflicting serious injuries. Breaking through the moves, they show exceptional caution. In the case of the least disturbance of silence, they hide and stop digging for a long time. Mole rats are exclusively herbivorous animals, they feed mainly on succulent roots, rhizomes, tubers, young roots of tree species, only occasionally consume green parts. wild plants. Penetrating into agricultural lands, they willingly consume potatoes, carrots, onions, etc.
They do not hibernate in winter, they just stop digging. In autumn, when the soil has not yet frozen, mole rats make large reserves for the winter. vegetable feed, mainly roots and rhizomes, laying them in special fodder branches (pantries dug near the nesting chamber).
Mole rats arrange nests for the birth and breeding of babies at great depths (it can reach 2 m or more). Here, once a year, in March, the female gives birth to two or four babies, which develop rapidly. In the second half of May or early June, they already begin to live independently and even dig holes for themselves. If mole rats settle on cultivated land or in forest nurseries, they can cause significant losses to the national economy. In the potato field 
one mole rat gnawed up to thirty bushes in a single night. Mole rats on perennial grass haymakers complicate mowing with their earth emissions. But they do especially great harm when preparing winter stocks. Interesting fact, in one pantry of a mole rat, about 15 kg of stocks were found - 8 kg of pieces of roots of oak seedlings, 2 kg of acorns, 5 kg of potatoes, etc.
Even in the recent past, mole rats were numerous rodents on the territory of Ukraine and they were classified as especially harmful animals, but due to the economic development of free, unoccupied lands, mole rats lost their characteristic natural environment and their number has declined sharply in recent decades. Currently as rare species animals of the fauna of Ukraine, they no longer threaten the human economy and are even listed in the Red Book, therefore, they are subject to protection.
Mole rats have few enemies, their underground way of life reliably saves them from many predators. The victims of predators are more often young animals, which begin to settle on their own. The fur of mole rats, which had a good gray color with a silky sheen and a strong mezra, was prepared as an ornament until recently.
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