The common mole rat is completely devoid of vision, instead it has tactile hairs, well developed sense of smell and hearing. This is enough for the animal to live a normal life, during which it almost never sees sunlight. For many owners land plots The mole rat has become a real punishment, because it is capable of digging up the entire planting area and even affecting the stability of the buildings located there.
Few people have seen common mole rats in person due to their lifestyle. They rarely come to the surface, and their activity increases with the onset of darkness. So many people have to get some idea of the size and lifestyle of the animal only from the traces it leaves. To help those who want to know how the common mole rat lives and looks, here are photos and stories from 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, short neck, paws and tail and head flattened at the top. The animals' ears are barely noticeable, and their eyes are hidden under the skin and completely atrophied. The color of different individuals may have some differences.
Short soft wool mole rats usually look 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 colored black. When first meeting a mole rat, the upper and lower incisors that are pushed far forward are striking.
Where do common mole rats live?
For permanent habitat, the common mole rat usually chooses a steppe or forest-steppe. He likes to settle near beams, along roads dividing fields, and forest roads. It can be found in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. In the northern part of its range, the common mole rat is considered rare, although it is the most common species of its genus, which also includes sandy, giant, Bukovina and Podolsk mole rats.
IN this moment The conservation of the species' numbers is threatened by land plowing, measures to improve the properties of the land and plant protection. Meanwhile, it cannot be said that this type is on the verge of extinction. The relevant organizations are concerned only about the conservation of populations in some northern and southern zones, where the common mole rat lives. Red Book International Union security has him on their lists. In view of this, catching animals in certain areas prohibited, and human activities in their indigenous habitats are limited.
How do common mole rats live?
An ordinary mole rat, briefly speaking, spends its entire life, which is an average of 2.5-4 years, underground, digging complex systems tunnels and obtains food. Most of all, the animal loves the roots, tubers and bulbs of plants, but it can also feast on stems and leaves. About 10 kg food supplies it is necessary to prepare the mole rat for the winter. At this time of year, its vital activity noticeably decreases, but the rodent does not hibernate.
The optimal number of common mole rats is 3 individuals per hectare, but this number can reach up to 20. With the help of sharp incisors and paws, the animals dig through a branched two-tier system of burrows. The upper tier lies at a depth of 20-25 cm, and the lower one, where the mole rat forms galleries for nesting and storing food supplies, is at a depth of 3-4 m. External holes are not permanent, but are formed only in order to bring dug up earth to the surface .
How the animal reproduces
The social structure of common mole rats is made up of family groups, which include one male and one or two females. If there are two females, they take turns giving birth every other year. Mating occurs in the spring, and a brood of 2-3 cubs can be born from February to May. Half of the males live separately and do not produce offspring.
The dispersal of young animals occurs over a distance of tens or hundreds of meters. Females do this in the first year of life, climbing to the surface, which explains their high mortality rate. Most often they are the object of hunting by birds of prey and foxes. Males separate from their mother a year later, without leaving the bowels of the earth. The main underground enemy of common mole rats is the steppe polecat.
Animal pest
Branched underground labyrinths are perfect for the life of mole rats, but can cause anxiety for humans. If a garden or garden plot becomes the habitat of this rodent, the lion's share you can say goodbye to the harvest. Most likely, the animal will like carrots, potatoes and onions. He may also like onion flowers, legumes, corn and young trees.
Endless piles of dug up earth, subsidence of the soil, sudden disappearance of planted crops and even small trees - this is what people observe when a common mole rat settles on their plot of 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 appears on a personal plot - how to get rid of the pest? For many, this becomes an overwhelming task. After all, the animal constantly hides in the ground and its presence, creating new mounds and destroying planted plants, only at night.
It is best to try to create conditions so that the animal leaves on its own. land plot. A lot of ways have been invented for this, but none of them guarantees that the animal will escape forever. But it’s still worth making every effort to get rid of the mole rat without shedding its blood.
One commonly used method is to flood its tunnel with water. But this may require too much water, since the animal’s underground passages are very branchy. But if the soil quickly absorbs moisture, this method is completely useless. Some try to smoke four-legged neighbor using smoke, pouring kerosene or foul-smelling mixtures into the hole. Another way is to create constant noise in the area where it lives, which the common mole rat cannot tolerate. As an option, you can use an ultrasonic repeller.
Radical ways to get rid of mole rats
When it is not possible to drive away a mole rat, some resort to a more radical measure - murder. To do this, you can watch for the animal by opening one of its passages. He does not like drafts, so he will definitely want to cover the hole with earth. As soon as he gets close, it will be possible to destroy him.
Another way is to make a hole in the hole and place a trap in it so that the mole rat falls 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 eat on the site, the rodent may not covet the poisoned food.
The common mole rat is a rodent that few people have seen alive. An underground life with nocturnal activity has meant that few people know of its existence. Many would prefer never to know about the existence of such an underground inhabitant, instead of seeing how he destroys the crops growing on the site.
Plan
Introduction
1 Appearance
2 Distribution
3 Conservation status
4 Lifestyle
5 Reproduction
6 Natural enemies
7 Relationships with people
Introduction
Common mole rat ( Spalax microphthalmus ) - a mammal of the genus Mole rats of the Rodent family, leading an underground lifestyle.
1. Appearance
A relatively large rodent (body length of adults is 20-32 cm, weight up to 700 grams or more). The body is elongated, cylindrical, without a pronounced neck. The limbs are greatly shortened, the tail is reduced and hidden under the skin. The head is flattened, wide (wider than any part of the body), and shaped from above to the bayonet of a shovel. The eyes are largely reduced and hidden under the skin. The outer ear is presented in the form of a small cushion hidden under the fur. The nasal section is covered with a bare horny sheath and is usually colored black or brown. The front incisors are large, protruding far beyond oral cavity and clearly visible. The general tone of the fur color is pale-grayish-brown; there is significant color variability between individual individuals.
2. Distribution
The distribution area is the steppe and forest-steppe zone of Russia and Ukraine between the Dnieper and Volga. Southern border range is limited Caucasian ridge. Distributed in areas occupied by herbaceous vegetation, in forested areas does not go far deep, although it is found on the edges, in forest belts, in clearings and along forest roads. In plowed areas, the population size decreases, individuals concentrate on hay and pasture lands, near ravines, and on the boundaries between fields.
3. Conservation status
Regular, enough numerous species, generally not in need of protection, with the exception of local, isolated populations mainly in the northern part of the range. From anthropogenic factors, the population of the species is negatively affected by plowing of land, the use of land reclamation and plant protection products.
4. Lifestyle
The animal leads an exclusively underground lifestyle, coming to the surface in in rare cases. Creates an extended, highly branched system of burrows, usually consisting of two tiers, of which the most extensive is the upper “feeding” one at a depth of about 20-25 cm. In addition to the feeding tier, it creates a system of summer and winter nests, as well as food storage facilities, connected by a second, more deep (up to 3-4 meters) layer of passages. When digging passages, the animal loosens the soil with the help of incisors, then discards it with its paws and subsequently moves it to the soil surface, where characteristic so-called. “Mole rats” are heaps of discarded earth of significant size (about 50 cm in diameter, the weight of discarded earth in one mole rat is about 10 kg). The feeding area of one adult individual is 0.02-0.09 hectares, the length of feeding passages varies widely and can be up to 450 meters or more per individual. Population densities also vary widely, reaching 20 or more individuals per hectare. In a long-term context, the population density is quite stable and is not subject to sharp fluctuations. The optimal population density is 3 individuals per hectare; if the population drops to 1.8-1.1 individuals per hectare, there is a high risk of population degradation. A change in population size is possible with a significant change in conditions external environment, in particular, negative impact are caused by droughts, periods of increased moisture, as well as plowing of land. The common mole rat is a strictly herbivorous animal; its diet is based on rhizomes, bulbs and tubers of plants. In spring and early summer, the above-ground parts of plants (stems and leaves) are also actively used for food. The range of forage plants consists of several dozen species, among which Compositae, Umbelliferae and legumes predominate. By winter, the animal makes large (more than 10 kg) reserves. The animal is active all year round, does not hibernate, although by winter its activity decreases sharply. On a daily basis, they are most active at night and in the afternoon. Adult individuals live separately, showing strong aggression towards relatives (if retreat is impossible, clashes usually end fatal). At the same time, the population has a certain social structure, consisting of family groups (male and 1-2 females), the burrows of which are connected or located nearby. Family groups are stable and disintegrate only with the death of one of the partners. About half of the males live outside family groups, thus being excluded from the breeding process. Mole rats live quite a long time for rodents, average duration generation is 2.5-4 years, some individuals live up to 9 years. The survival rate of young animals is high, about half or more of the individuals.
5. Reproduction
Every year in family group only one female reproduces; if there are two females in the group, then in the spring the male leaves the area of the breeding female and forms a pair with the female who will breed next year. Cubs are born from late February to mid-May. There are 2-3 cubs in a litter. The main reproductive contribution is made by females aged 3-7 years. From the end of May, the settlement of young animals from broods begins, partly on the surface, partly underground, the settlement continues until autumn. Young males predominantly settle in the second year of life and mainly underground, females - in the first year and often on the surface, which leads to greater mortality of females in the first year of life. The dispersal range varies from several tens to several hundred meters.
6. Natural enemies
7. Relationships with a person
May harm agricultural crops, especially in vegetable gardens and personal plots(potatoes, carrots, onions and bulbous flowers suffer the most). Damages crops of corn, legumes, woody plants(eats germinating seeds and young plants). Soil emissions can make it difficult to carry out field work (especially mechanized mowing of perennial grasses for hay), and also damage field roads. Due to the underground way of life, the fight against the animal is difficult (mainly mechanical traps and repellent devices are used) and is often ineffective.
Today, the most famous rodent-digger is the mole. And such a representative of the fauna as the giant mole rat remains little known, although it is not inferior in size to the mole. Its brothers (lesser mole rat, common mole rat and sand mole rat) are more common and there is more information about them. The sand mole rat is most similar to the giant mole rat, according to external signs and biology. This animal is also very interesting view and has its own characteristics, which distinguishes them from other representatives of rodent-diggers.
Sand mole rat
Lesser mole rat
Common mole rat
Appearance
Body length 20-50 cm. Body oblong oval. Giant mole rat of gray-brown color. The coat is short and thick. The upper part of the body is usually lighter than the lower part. In older individuals, the fur often acquires White color. There are no eyes. To be more precise, there are eyeballs, but they are hidden under the skin and are practically undeveloped. The nose is large and bare. The mustache is short. The teeth are represented by only two pairs of incisors (front teeth). The legs are short with small claws. There are no external ears, with only two holes visible on the sides of the head. The tail is missing. Long hairs grow on the forehead, cheeks, belly, near the mouth and on the back of the body, which perform the function of touch. (Fig. 1 Mole rat photo)
Spreading
Like the sand mole rat, it lives in clayey and sandy semi-deserts Caspian regions of the northeastern Ciscaucasia, in the lower reaches of the Sulaka, Terek and Kuma rivers. From r. Kuma to the south extends beyond the Gudermes-Makhachkala line. On the territory of Dogistan it lives in the Terek-Sulak and Terek-Kuma lowlands. This species is distributed unevenly, in patches, in the form of separate settlements.
Mole mole rat
Lifestyle
Leads a solitary life. Adults live in separate burrows. Mole rats spend their entire lives in complete darkness underground. They dig long holes with many passages and chambers, which reach 250 m, at a depth of up to 4 m. They push the soil to the surface with the help of their heads. A large pile of earth accumulates near the hole, with which the rodent covers the hole and digs nearby new entrance into the hole. Mole rats collect food for the winter in passages and cover them with earth on both sides; there can be up to 10 such storerooms in each hole.
Reproduction
Females give birth to offspring no more than once every two years, in early spring. Each litter contains 2-3 cubs. After birth, each cub is naked, but they soon acquire fluffy fur. They stay with their mother for some time after lactation, and by autumn the young move out and begin an independent life. Sexual maturity occurs in the second year of their life. The cubs that settle are often hunted by birds of prey and foxes.
Naked baby mole rat
Nutrition
Only eats plant food(about 40 plant species): juzgun, wheatgrass, kachim, kiyak, wormwood. In captivity he can eat different vegetables(carrots, beets, potatoes). In the warm season, the mole rat eats top part plants, and stores the roots for the winter.
Maliciousness
Due to the fact that mole rats often live near vegetable gardens and household plots, they damage agricultural crops, mainly root crops. Ejections of soil from the burrow can interfere with agricultural work (cultivation, plowing) and can damage roads near fields.
Mole mole photo
Fighting methods
Since the mole rat lives underground, it is not easy to fight it. For this purpose, mechanical traps or ultrasonic repellers are used. But these means are ineffective, since the animal cleverly avoids them. Considering the low reproductive rate of giant mole rats, fighting them is not advisable. But if these rodents are active in your garden en masse, then of course you can resort to control methods:
- mole rats are afraid of strong air currents. The hole can be blown out, and a rodent that has crawled out of another exit of the hole can be destroyed manually
- Rodenticides (poison against rodents) are sold against mole rats, but their use in gardens where crops are grown for food is not recommended
- Another one good way combating mole rats - it is recommended to install traps, traps or crossbows near the entrances to the burrow
- An ultrasonic repeller is also used in the fight against mole rats. The repeller must be installed evenly throughout the entire area and its effect will not keep you waiting long. The repeller has an irritating effect on the rodent and it immediately leaves the area where the device is exposed. To understand which repeller is better to choose, you can read reviews on the relevant sites.
- In order to turn around in its narrow hole and go back, the giant mole rat does a kind of “somersault”, which is not typical for other shrews.
- The fur of the giant mole rat can be laid in any direction, allowing it to flow smoothly into different directions of the burrow passages
- The body shape of the giant mole rat resembles the Kazakh dish kurt (a cottage cheese flatbread in the shape of a sausage). Kazakhs call this animal kurt-tyshkat, that is, a rodent similar to kurt
- Unlike the mole, the giant mole rat digs the ground not with its paws, but with its incisors (front teeth). The soil never gets into the rodent's mouth thanks to the skin on the sides of the mouth
- if a mole rat finds itself on the surface of the earth, it will be in a stupor for some time, then circle in one place in reverse and finally try to quickly bury itself in the ground
- the lack of vision is compensated by an excellent sense of smell and touch
- This rodent is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Now you know what a mole rat looks like, its lifestyle and the features of its biology. The giant mole rat is not found everywhere and is even quite rare, in isolated pockets, but if there are a lot of these rodents in your area, you know how to get rid of it. An ultrasonic repeller is considered the most effective remedy.
Fauna is rich various types animals that are similar to each other in a number of characteristics. But there are also completely different representatives of families, who are very often confused. These include the mole and the mole rat. Both animals lead an underground lifestyle and have some similarities in appearance. But the difference between a mole rat and a mole is obvious - they belong to different orders of animals. The mole and mole rat lead a life hidden from prying eyes and are rarely discovered. Therefore, during their infrequent appearance on the surface of the earth, people do not manage to look at them carefully. A quick glance at these animals allows you to see very similar features. This is the reason why they are constantly confused.
Interspecific differences
The main difference between the two animals is interspecific. belongs to the group of insectivores and is a predator. The length of its body rarely exceeds 20 cm. The streamlined shape of the body allows it to quickly move through narrow tunnels. The mole rat spends his entire adult life searching for food. includes the following insects:
- earthworms and earthworms;
- larvae, beetles;
- larvae and other insects.
The activities of mole rats in the garden or garden have more serious consequences for humans:
- damaged lawns and flower beds;
- damaged roots of plants and garden trees;
- destruction of root crops (potatoes, beets, carrots);
- damage to bulbs of cultivated plants.
Such a detrimental effect on plantings leads to a significant reduction in yield. Land owners have every reason to do so at any cost. General negative attitude to burrowing animals may have become the reason that they are often confused.
The mole rat appears in the garden less often than the mole or shrew, but the harm from the animal’s activities affects the owners. The rodent digs long underground passages and creates “cellars” in which it stores crops grown by its owners.
The fight against a mole rat is difficult and not always successful, but no one wants to put up with a thrifty “neighbor”. How to remove a mole rat from the garden? You'll have to try several methods.
Mole rat: who is it?
Not all owners know what an animal looks like when it takes most harvest from the site. It is difficult to see a pest on the surface, happily eating various vegetable crops.
General information:
- a large rodent grows up to 20–30 cm;
- instead of eyes, the voracious creature has a noticeable fold of skin, over which bristly, stiff hairs grow;
- the front legs are short, the tail and ears are inconspicuous;
- the fur coat is dark gray in color, with a bluish tint, in adult rodents - with a characteristic “gray hair”;
- the animal has powerful incisors placed forward. With their help, the mole rat breaks through long underground passages. Only two central incisors are clearly visible, then all the teeth are covered by folded lips;
- the rodent digs deep holes. Feature– arrangement of passages in several tiers;
- The mole rat feeds on carrots, potatoes, insects, worms, and beets. One of the delicacies is onion heads;
- After settling on the site, the pest selects large plants, pulls them into the dug tunnel, eats the green mass, and transfers the root crops to special “storages.” Some gardeners found 50 or more kilograms of carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables in underground warehouses;
- You can suspect the appearance of a pest on the site by the mounds that resemble the entrance to a wormhole. Most often, burrow entrances are noticeable not only in the garden, but also on the approaches to it.
Reasons for appearance
The mole rat is looking for something to profit from. There is so much nutritious food in the beds with carrots, onions, and potatoes; there are always enough worms and insects in the garden. How better harvest for the owners, the higher the chance that a large rodent will choose this particular area for habitat and arranging a pantry.
The animal does not hibernate, for this reason it requires a lot of nutrients. Well-kept vegetable garden with variety vegetable crops– an ideal habitat for a voracious creature.
Harm
Long multi-tiered underground passages and “storerooms” filled with crops taken from the owners - this is the result of the activity of a large rodent. The mole rat actively eats young plants and stores root crops for the winter. One adult individual is capable of taking a considerable part of the grown vegetables from its owners. If a family of animals with large incisors has settled on the site, you can forget about the high yield of potatoes, beets or carrots.
Another unpleasant point is that the diameter of the underground passages is from 5 to 12–15 cm. The rodent is quite large, digs actively, and damage to the underground part of the plants is clearly visible. The animal creates recesses and holes for movement, starting from a depth of 10 cm. Lower tiers stretch 1–3 meters deep. An extensive system of underground “communications” and exits to the surface interfere with the normal development of plants.
Effective methods of control
Owners who encounter mole rats complain that the animal burrows deeply and is very difficult to get out. Often underground “warehouses” are located at a depth of 1.5 meters. Attempts to get to the storage facility lead to unnecessary digging of beds and damage to the crop. How to remove a mole rat from the garden? Many gardeners are looking for an answer. The price of the issue is preserving a rich harvest.
Experienced gardeners offer several effective methods to get rid of dangerous rodents. It is important to act quickly and not spare the animal. Excessive humanity often fails the owners, mole rats actively reproduce, and a colony of five to eight individuals can leave the owners without a harvest.
Traps
An effective way to catch a large pest. Traps, crossbows and snares are only suitable for catching large rodents. Before starting the fight, it is important to find out who is spoiling the crops and soil in the garden.
How to increase your chances of catching a mole rat:
- go around the area, find a hole;
- dig a hole well. 50–100 cm from the main entrance, dig a deep hole, place a trap, and place plywood on top;
- a draft will appear, which mole rats are afraid of. The animal will get out to close the passage and fall into the trap.
Some owners install containers of water inside multi-tiered passages, from which the rodent cannot get out. This work is labor-intensive; it requires digging up the soil greater depth, but the success of the operation is not always noticeable.
Advice! One of the methods for scaring away a voracious animal is to bury rags soaked in foul-smelling liquids at different depths. Kerosene and gasoline are suitable options. Sometimes animals are repelled by the scent essential oils. To combat mole rats, esters of eucalyptus, lavender, and cedar are suitable.
Ultrasonic repellers
Modern devices expel pests from the site. Sound waves actively influence rodents, cause panic, the animals cannot orient themselves, understand in which direction to move and look for food. After a while, large rodents will certainly leave the area in which they cannot feed and reproduce normally.
Installing several ultrasonic repellers in the garden will help increase the effectiveness of the fight against mole rats. When using modern devices, you should not additionally set traps with poisoned bait: the device operates anywhere in the area and expels pests even if there is a good food supply.
Ultrasonic devices protect the garden not only from mole rats. The devices drive away pests such as mole crickets from the site. The devices are designed to affect areas of a larger or smaller area. Several powerful devices, and there will never be harmful rodents and mammals in the garden.
Homemade repellent devices
The owners noticed that the animal with large incisors, breaking through multi-tiered passages, could not stand the noise. Loud sounds force the rodent to leave the area. It is important that the effect, which is unpleasant for the mole rat’s hearing, lasts for a long time.
The owners recommend installing steel bars (up to 1 meter long) throughout the area. Put empty ones on top cans from beer or condensed milk, and the homemade repeller is ready. When the wind blows, the cans hit the steel bars and make a loud, unpleasant sound.
Chemicals
Most owners consider the use of toxic drugs to be ineffective. The reason is that mole rats are reluctant to eat treats with a strange smell, because there is enough juicy carrots, beets and potatoes. Spraying plants causes more harm to the owners than to large rodents. Gardeners recommend more effective methods– and homemade noise devices.
When holes and gnawed plants appear in the garden, you will have to suspect not only a mole, but also a common mole rat of pest activity. Large rodent appears less often in areas, but the harm from its activities is very great. Special measures There is no prevention: a rich harvest, an abundance of food always attracts the pest. Main rule: do not wait until a whole brood settles in the garden instead of one individual. To combat mole rats, it is advisable to use an ultrasonic repeller that has proven effectiveness.
Video - lesson on how to catch mole rats in the garden:
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