Garden pest mole rat not known to all gardeners. Sometimes summer residents find mounds of earth on their plots. In addition, the garden turns out to be dug up by underground tunnels in such a way that you can fall ankle-deep into the ground. The first thing gardeners do is blame moles. But it turns out that there are other rodents that can spoil the external and internal appearance of a summer cottage. Of course, one should not ignore the work of moles in the construction of underground passages, but there are other animals - representatives of the mole rat family, which, like moles, adore underground construction. Mole rats differ from moles in appearance and eating habits.
Occupation and appearance of mole rats
It turns out that mole rats cause more damage to vegetable gardens than moles. are insectivorous diggers who can annoy summer residents only by digging hills and holes in their plots. Mole rats are real rodents whose delicacies are root vegetables - beets, carrots. In addition to vegetables, animals love to eat the stems and leaves of plants and love to eat.
In addition, shortly before the onset of winter, mole rats stock up on food. The reserves of one rodent alone can reach 10 kilograms. The animals are active all year round, do not hibernate, although by the onset of cold weather their behavior becomes somewhat calmer.
Features and appearance mole rat.
The animal is distinguished by a flat, spade-shaped head, on which there are reduced eyes, in place of which there is a skin fold. The animal has weakly defined ears and a tail, and its body is covered with thick and dense hair.
Many summer residents confuse mole rats with moles, calling them mole moles. But there are many differences between these two animals leading an underground lifestyle.
- The mole rat is larger in size than the mole.
- While the mole digs passages in the ground with its paws, the mole rat is distinguished by poorly developed limbs, five-fingered, with small claws.
With such paws it is impossible to dig tunnels up to half a kilometer long, so the mole rat digs them with the help of its powerful teeth. Its wide incisors bite into the ground, and its lips with multiple folds are located behind the incisors. Thanks to this, the soil does not get into the rodent's mouth.
Features and differences between mole rats and moles.
Where do mole rats live?
The habitat of rodents can be a steppe, a field, a virgin plot of land, a forest belt, or a ravine. The common mole rat digs holes in several tiers, which have a complex system of passages. The location of the feeding passages is 10-30 cm deep. Other, deeper passages branch off from these passages - rodents place nests and storerooms at a depth of 80 cm - 3 meters.
Photo of the pest mole rat, which can cause quite a few problems for summer residents.
When a rodent digs its passages, it is capable of throwing heaps onto the surface of the earth that reach huge size. Get rid of the mole rat quite difficult, since the rodent lives underground most of its life.
Methods, means and traps for controlling mole rats
The most effective way to combat mole rats is to use strong poisons, which are similar to the poison used to bait rats. However, when using toxic substances There is a high chance that pets or children will be harmed.
For this reason, it is better to install traps or live traps, however, this also has its drawbacks. Installing these devices takes a lot of time. In addition, rodents have perspicacity and intelligence, so they easily bypass dangerous place where the trap is set.
Old and experienced mole rats have an excellent sense of smell, which allows them to bypass even very cunning traps. In addition, the animals can be aggressive - they growl if their life is threatened. If you have chosen traps, install them at the entrance to animal burrows.
The mole rat is a pest that destroys plantings and crops in a summer cottage.
Experienced mole rats are caught using a hook. To do this, you need to dig out the entrance to the hole and insert a long wire inside the hole, at the end of which one or more hooks are attached. The other end of the wire is equipped with a loop, which helps secure the hook in the animal’s burrow (otherwise the rodent may drag the trap away).
Sensing the appearance of a draft, the mole rat will hurry to exit the hole and get hooked. Moving from side to side, he will only worsen his already unenviable position. The owner of the summer cottage can only take the animal off the hook and decide what to do with it next.
The use of crossbows, traps, toxic substances - these methods are inhumane because they kill mole rats. Using water and an electronic repeller keeps the animal alive. Some summer residents smoke rodents out of minks by connecting a hose to the exhaust pipe of a car. Thanks to this method, mole rats do not appear on the site for several months, but the soil is noticeably contaminated.
A good effect can be achieved by using an electronic repeller that acts on moles and mole rats. Rodents cannot tolerate vibration, so they quickly leave the area.
Active pets - cats and cats, excellent rat catchers, can help you hunt mole rats - summer residents often and successfully use this method, introducing cats to rodent hunting.
Introducing cats to hunt mole rats
To do this, the following steps are required:
First, you need to determine the location of the animal’s underground passages, which is not difficult to do, since in those places the earth collapses under your feet.
Using a shovel, dig about half a meter of underground tunnel. Since rodents are sensitive to the appearance of a draft, you will very quickly see a mole rat coming to fill the open part of the hole with earth.
Cats are natural hunters, but not all domestic animals are capable of catching mole rats.
At this time, there is no need to waste time - you need to dig a wide hole (up to half a meter) near the exit from the mink, the depth of which should be 30-40 cm, and then take your loved one pet and wait with him for the rodent to appear. If the mole rat is young, it is less agile, and catching it is not difficult.
By the way, you can also use the help of a dog to catch mole rats.
Using water to catch mole rats
One or two buckets will not be enough for you catch a rodent. In order to catch it with water, you need to use a long irrigation hose, or stock up on at least ten buckets of water.
First you need to find a tunnel that leads to the mole rat's hole. Ordinary moves are calculated on the ground covered with mounds. There is a passage leading into the burrow, which differs in that the mound contains clay (the rodent places its nest on great depth where the soil is clayey).
A hole is dug near the embankment with clay, and a continuous flow of water is directed into it. The underground passages deepen in a helical manner, so it is necessary to generously fill them with water so that the rodent floats to the surface of the earth. All that remains is to grab the animal and do with it as you wish.
So, conclusions should be drawn:
Mole rats are voracious pests that also live a long time. To save your harvest, you must urgently get rid of rodents a method that each summer resident chooses for himself.
Let's start with the fact that the mole rat and the mole are different animals, but they cause harm summer cottage almost the same.
The mole rat belongs to the category of rodents and feeds exclusively on root vegetables. For him, carrots, beets, and potatoes are delicacies.
You can find animals in your garden through earthen mounds and deep tunnels into which you can even fall. Initially, many people think that moles are to blame, but there are other pests that are very similar to moles, since they do not see anything.
Let's find out what a mole rat looks like and how it differs from a mole. And also the question that interests us: “How to get rid of mole rats in the garden and summer cottage?”
The mole rat is a rodent and a fairly large one of its relatives. Its weight often reaches about 1 kg, and its body length is 30 cm. The animal has a large and flattened head, the ears are very small, and there is no tail at all.
The hairline is very tough, since long hairs sticking out in different directions act as organs of touch. Instead of eyes, individuals have dense skin folds resembling closed eyes, but they are not there at all.
The rodent's lips are tightly compressed, thereby protecting the mouth from the entry of soil, but two incisors, which are very massive and long, protrude out. With their help, the mole rat does all the work underground in search of food, digs holes, and gnaws root crops.
The paws are very small and poorly developed.
The mole rat practically never goes outside and spends its entire life underground.
Habitat
Mole rats live in forest-steppe and steppe zones, close to forest plantations and cereal crops. All subspecies of the mole rat, namely Bukovinian, Podolian, sandy and Pontic, are exhibits of the Red Book of Ukraine.
Every year the number of animal pests remains unchanged, and they are observed only with right side the Dnieper River, since they cannot overcome the width of the river.
What does it eat?
If there is no harvest on your plot, then you should not blame all the blame on the mole. We need to decide which crops are missing. If these are potatoes, beets and carrots, then this is definitely the work of the “teeth” of the mole rat.
In addition, the animal is not averse to eating bulbous crops, so flowers that have corms instead of roots may also suffer. The mole rat also eats the above-ground part of the plant, pulling the bush underground.
The pest’s favorite greens are peas, beans, beans, carrot tops. If the animal has enjoyed the grass, then it will prepare the root crop for future use.
It is known that an adult is capable of eating as much food per day as it weighs, therefore, when excavating its winter reserves, up to 18 kg of potatoes and other root crops were discovered in different compartments. Dry berries and nuts can be supplies for the winter.
Differences from a mole
And the mole rat are completely different categories of animals.
They have some differences:
- The mole is a predatory animal, feeds on worms and larvae, and the mole rat is a herbivore.
- The mole rat is much larger in size than mole individuals.
- The mole has strong and powerful paws, with which it digs underground passages, while the mole rat has short and weak legs, and digs holes with large teeth.
- The mole's claws are large, while those of the rodent are practically absent.
The blind animal digs very complex burrows, which have many branches and tiers, where the cubs, kitchen and pantries are located, in which supplies for the winter are stored.
Methods to combat mole rats
Because the mole rat for a long time spends in its holes, it is very difficult to get rid of it. But still the fight against them is underway, the summer residents are using all sorts of weapons.
Poisons
The use of toxic substances is the most in an effective way getting rid of pests. This is due to the fact that the poison can be located in the mink.
Toxic substances are like poison for rats and mice. But there is a problem, the poison is very dangerous for surrounding people and pets. The poison can also penetrate into plants, which will subsequently be unsuitable for food.
You can buy it at a veterinary store in the form. Mole poison is also suitable.
Traps
Here you need to remember that if a young or adult inexperienced individual falls into a trap at least once, then the rest will be extremely careful.
The main thing in catching a rodent is to select and install it correctly.
- Find the freshest burrow on your site, clear the soil from it until a blockage of the burrow appears. You need to carefully remove it. A draft forms in the tunnel, the animal will feel it and rush to fix the problem.
- The mechanical trap must be placed inside the hole, approximately 5-10 cm before the main exit. The trap chain should be placed outside.
- Cover the hole with soil and cover it with some material to prevent light from entering.
Sometimes a rodent is caught after half an hour, but usually these tricks are ineffective, since the pest has a colossal sense of smell and sense of smell and tries to bypass the traps.
Repellers
You can use not only store-bought ultrasonic and vibration reflectors, but also. Among them, excellent results are achieved cans, which are put on buried sticks. When the wind blows, they create noise, crackling, ringing, which the animal does not like.
The mole rat, although a blind animal, has excellent hearing; when it hears extraneous sounds, it tries to retreat from its habitat.
Homemade products always bring success in the fight against rodents. If you installed one, but it did not work, you can make another one, taking into account all the characteristics and habits of the animal.
For hand-held devices, turntables and windmills are suitable, rattling in the wind and frightening the beast. You can learn how to make any design from the Internet, where experienced gardeners and gardeners share their advice.
Another frequently used way to drive an uninvited guest out of his lair is water. It is necessary to fill the hole with it until the animal begins to choke and crawls to the surface.
Conclusion
It is known that mole rats do not live in families, so if you managed to drive the pest away from your site, it may not appear for a long time. But if it appears again, then immediately begin to catch it, otherwise you may not find a crop in the garden beds in the fall.
In conclusion, it should be mentioned that in a great way rodent control involves the use of cats and dogs, which are excellent catchers of large and small rodents.
How to get rid of moles - very frequently asked question, sometimes it’s even a cry from the heart... How can we make sure that these generally useful animals forget the way to our site? My experience suggests that it is more likely to intelligently limit the number of moles than to get rid of them completely. But how to do that? There are many ways. We talk about them below. First, let's find out who moles are.
1. Moles
Moles are small mammals that live underground. They have velvety fur, tiny, almost invisible ears, eyes, short hind limbs, powerful forelimbs with large paws adapted for digging holes.
The mole, compared to other mammals, can live where the carbon dioxide content is high, since its blood contains twice as much hemoglobin. Therefore, it is able to survive deep underground - where the oxygen content is minimal.
Although these burrowing moles are the bane of many gardeners and lawn owners, they make a significant positive contribution to the health of garden soil. Their numerous tunnels and mounds improve soil aeration and drainage. They also eat garden pests - larvae of garden weevils, snails, slugs that gnaw at plants and feed on leaves. But the moles themselves do not touch the roots of the plants.
Moles spend almost their entire lives underground. Their velvety fur can adapt to any movement of the animal - forward or backward. The wide front paws, turned outward, end in thick, strong claws. They are blind, but have extremely acute hearing and a sensitive sense of smell.
The lawn at the dacha is all torn up Most of the underground passages of this animal consist of numerous tunnels. They can use these tunnels many times or, conversely, only once. They prefer moist soil rich in larvae and earthworms. If it has rained, then their passages are located close to the surface of the earth, and during the dry period or winter they go deeper - following the earthworms. When the soil is wet after rain or watering, moles dig close to the surface - looking for worms, insects, which can damage root system plants, causing harm. Many gardeners don't like this.
Hills of earth - molehills The fact of the presence of these underground inhabitants confirms the presence of various mounds of freshly dug earth different heights(5-60 cm). The number of mounds does not equal the number of animals, it is only an illustration of their activity.
Moles do not eat roots. The roots of only those plants that are already inhabited by pest larvae are undermined. Unfortunately, people lack understanding of the importance of keeping these animals on the site. Before you decide to fight them, make sure that their number is really critical. Actions to scare them away from your area are often sufficient.
Ways to get rid of moles
How can you scare them? This can be done in various ways.
- Moles spend all their time underground. Darkness is their usual habitat. They are blind, however, their ideal sense of smell completely compensates for this deficiency. By the way, it will help you reduce their number. Take advantage of their sensitivity to certain scents. Repellents (substances that repel insects, ticks, mammals, birds), which contain castor oil, are sprayed along all lines of tunnels. The recipe is as follows: prepare a mixture of 2 tablespoons of any liquid soap or dishwashing detergent + one glass of castor oil. Add 4.5 liters of water to this mixture. Shake well, sprinkle on the surface of the soil along the tunnels. Repeat this monthly - throughout the gardening season, and also after each rain.
- Black beans repel moles. Therefore, plant them around the perimeter of your site - they will go away. You just need to plant “Russian black beans”, this particular variety. Other legumes will not cause this reaction. Beans planted every 30 cm will help you drive away uninvited guests.
- Moles are not rodents, they do not eat grains, nuts, etc. Therefore, pickled grain baits are not effective against them.
Gardening stores began to offer “Repellent” from the German company Detia Degesch Gmbh. This natural remedy, harmless to environment. Represents balls yellow color, including lavender extract, various bioactive substances, essential oils. Animals don't like the smell of lavender. Manufacturers recommend laying the balls in rows on the surface of the ground or deepening them - one ball - 1 m². The immersion depth of the ball is 20 cm. As I understand from the instructions, they do not need to be placed inside the molehills. Moles have a very sensitive sense of smell, and the smell of lavender will be an obstacle to making new passages through the area.
About 3-4 years ago, my neighbor at the dacha “decorated” his plot with metal rods (about two dozen of them) approximately 1 meter high. Each pin was topped with a metal beer can. Even the slightest breeze causes light beer cans to sway. Sounds on a metal stick travel across the ground. During all these 3-4 years, neither he nor I had almost any molehills. Or rather, there were, but an acceptable amount - they did not bother us. A variety of homemade ratchets or turntables have the same effect.
Beer cans against molehills Gardening stores sell ultrasonic and electronic repellers that periodically emit vibrating sounds to encourage underground diggers to leave a noisy place.
Electronic repeller Electronic mole repeller - review
Electronic repellers come in different powers - vibrating sounds travel along the ground. The area of vibration propagation depends on the power. The number of repellers that should be installed depends on the size of your area and the power of these devices. Install the device in early spring, leave it there until the end of the gardening season. But there is one peculiarity. This is already from the experience of my other neighbor.
The peculiarity is this - as soon as you install the repeller, it will begin to make vibrating sounds - this will not so much scare the animals as it will alert them. First, the number of dug mounds around the electronic scarer will increase. Therefore, install them where there are no cultural plantings. This will continue for two weeks. And then you will notice that new mounds have stopped appearing next to the device. A neighbor, for example, noticed that after two weeks they (there were 2-3 of them) were dug further - 7-10 meters from the repeller. He installed two more where he noticed fresh mounds. After some time, the new mounds were no longer visible.
I think that the advantage of repellers is the humane treatment of these animals. The downside is that the process of scaring sometimes lasts for several months. I'll see how things go with my neighbor, whether the electronic repellers helped him or not.
This year (2015), electronic repellers were installed again, although in the spring no molehills were noticed at the neighbor’s house. We installed three medium-power repellers (one Krona-type battery) - the distance between them is 10-12 meters. New mounds have appeared, unfortunately. Distance - 15 meters from the repeller. But nothing was planted there, so no further measures were taken.
By the way, there is one drawback to electronic repellers. When first used, the battery lasted for three months. And then I had to change them monthly. This is a minus.
There are also similar devices on solar powered. If anyone has used these, please drop a line below about how convenient and durable they are.
We can conclude that electronic repellers are quite effective.
How to get rid of moles using folk remedies
I suggest trying the following old, time-tested methods:
- Pour balls of fresh goat or pig droppings into the mole tunnels, as well as pour in herring brine or a mixture of kerosene and water.
- Chop the cut gooseberry branches and bury them with manure.
- Stick bird cherry stakes into molehills or near them.
- Animals do not like the smell of onions and garlic. Cut them finely and place them inside the mole tunnels. The more such passages you fill with this mixture, the faster the animals will leave your area.
Moles have overcome, what to do?
One day I received a question via email. The author of the letter writes: “The moles tortured us, overpowered us, what should we do? They ate up the roots of the roses, shook the bush, how to strengthen it?”
Here is part of my response letter: “Moles could not eat the roots of roses or any other plants. They feed on worms and larvae, but do not eat plants, vegetables, or roots. Most likely, the roses are sick. The roots are damaged by some pests. It is their larvae that are the subject of attention of underground inhabitants. Carefully expose part of the root and inspect it carefully. If my assumption is correct, then the rose roots need to be processed.
Roses have many pests - one of them is the beetle - the larva of the May beetle. You yourself could have brought it in along with the humus.
Nematodes can also damage rose roots. If you notice a white-pinkish coating on the roots, these are accumulations of nematodes and small worms (they can only be seen with a microscope or a strong magnifying glass).
Each pest has its own means of control. Improve the health of your plants - the mole will no longer disturb your roses. Whatever the result of the study of the root system of roses, water them with Kornevin (Heteroauxin), which stimulates the growth of new roots - the rose will recover quickly enough, therefore, it will strengthen itself in the soil.”
There are other methods: physical destruction, mole traps, etc. But these are completely inhumane methods of struggle. I don't want to talk about them. Still, I don’t think we should completely eliminate moles. There is more benefit than harm. You just shouldn’t allow them to multiply uncontrollably.
Here's another way to protect yourself from underground inhabitants. According to the author of the video, this is a very effective method.
But in this article I would like to talk about another underground pest, the mole rat. Why? But because these two types of animals are very often confused - the mole and the mole rat (blind). But these are completely different animals. The main difference is that they eat different foods. The former feed on worms and larvae. But the latter may leave you without a harvest - carrots, beets, potatoes - their favorite delicacy. In my opinion, they do much more harm to the garden.
2. Mole rats
These underground inhabitants cause much more damage to gardens and fields than moles. If moles annoy us only by leaving mounds of earth, then mole rats, plus this, can deprive us of part of the harvest of potatoes, carrots, and other root vegetables. Moles are insectivores, they feed on insects, worms, larvae, and mole rats are rodents. Getting rid of mole rats is very difficult.
What is the difference between a mole rat and a mole?
The mole rat (blind man) belongs to the mole rat family. This is a rodent adapted to an underground lifestyle. He's completely blind. Instead of eyes, it has a thick fold of skin, densely covered with coarse, bristly hair. The tail and ears are underdeveloped. The front legs of mole rats are small. They are not at all similar to digging organs - the hands of the front paws are small, all five fingers have claws. 
The mole rat digs the ground with its teeth - wide incisors. Actually, he chews it out with his incisors. Behind the incisors, and they are located on the outside, there are multifold lips that cover the mouth opening. Therefore, the earth does not enter the mouth. The head is wide, flattened. The body length of the mole rat is 15-35 cm. The skull has a special, unique shape.
The main habitats are forest belts, fields, steppes from the western regions of Ukraine to the Volga, Western Ciscaucasia. Its settlements are scattered. Its highest density of settlement (Ukraine) is achieved in virgin areas, adjacent crops of perennial grasses, crops of grain crops, near ravines, shelter belts, and forest edges.
Illustration from The Scientist magazine June 2012 Mole rat burrows are located in several tiers. A complex system Horizontal passages are laid shallow - depth 10-25 cm. These are stern passages. They lead down to the deep tier, where 1-3 nesting chambers are located. The depth of their location can be different - 80-120 or even up to 320 cm. The diameter of the passages is from 5-6 to 11-12 cm. When laying passages through a temporarily constructed tunnel, the earth is thrown to the surface, forming a pile 10-25 cm high, 20 cm in diameter -30 to 240 cm.
How to get rid of a mole rat
Mole rats are difficult to get rid of. Most often, strong poisons are used, the same as for rats. This is quite effective and often really helps. But they must be used very carefully - after all, a garden, a dacha, a vegetable garden is a place where children and pets walk and play.
You can set traps, but this is a troublesome task, since this entire structure must be deepened and placed near the entrance/exit of the hole. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that the mole rat will use this particular move. According to gardeners, mole rats are smart. If a mole rat gets caught in a trap or trap, others will be warned of the danger. No one else will get caught. Most often they bypass traps and traps.
There is another way. An ordinary cat will help you get rid of mole rats. It is best if the cat has caught rats before.
The passages or burrows of a mole rat can be easily identified by underground passages - the ground collapses under the weight of a passing person. Then you need to dig a hole (half a meter along the hole) and wait for the mole rat to start blocking the exit with earth. It does not tolerate changes in temperature or access fresh air, immediately begins to push out portions of the earth, thereby clogging the exit.
At this time it is necessary to prepare the hole for next operation. Above the exit of the hole, make a depression of 30 centimeters (the bayonet of a shovel), expand to half a meter on the sides. And expect the mole rat to reappear at the exit with the cat. With its help, you will be freed from the malicious uninvited guest.
Sometimes summer residents, having discovered characteristic piles of earth and complex underground communications on their plots, are sure that there was a mole here. But the culprit may be the common mole rat. What is the difference between him and a mole? They have different appearance and food preferences. Today you will learn how to recognize mole rats, where they live, and how to combat their activity in the garden using effective methods.
This animal causes much more damage to the garden plot than the well-known mole. If moles are only able to make underground passages and form mounds on the surface of the soil, then the common mole rat is able to gnaw many root crops, the harvest of which will not go to the owners - carrots, beets, potatoes. The mole mole also likes to feed on leaves and stems of crops and bulbous flowers. For the winter, the animal mole rat makes food reserves, the volume of which is adult can reach 10 kg.
This animal does not tend to hibernate; it simply becomes less active with the arrival of cold weather. Externally, this is an animal up to 30 - 32 cm long. The mole rat has a head slightly reminiscent of a shovel in shape, reduced eyes - in their place there is a fold of skin. The ears and tail of the animal are rather weakly expressed, the body is densely covered with hair.
There are ordinary, Podolsk, Bukovinian, sandy, and giant mole rats.
The giant mole rat is rare species, whose numbers are declining sharply every year. 
The giant mole rat is listed in the Red Book of Russia. Its representatives give birth once every 2 years, while most of the young die in the first year of life. Giant mole rat disappears due to... active work people on the land - plowing, building irrigation canals, grazing livestock. IN natural conditions The giant mole rat is found only in semi-deserts located in the northeastern Ciscaucasia. Very rarely it can be seen along the Terek, Sulak, and Kuma rivers.
In terms of color, the sand mole rat occupies an intermediate position between the common, Podolsk and Bukovinian mole rats on the one hand, and the giant mole rat on the other. The sand mole rat is lighter colored. 
The back of the head, back and sides of the animal’s body are yellowish-fawn-gray in color. The sand mole rat is a resident of the Lower Dnieper sands of the Kherson region. He likes to settle on poorly moistened soils belonging to the chernozem type. The sand mole rat is most common where wormwood, Ukrainian salsify, field eryngium, pearl cornflower and some other plants grow.
On our personal plots The most common species is the naked mole rat.
Video “Common mole rat”
From the video you will learn what these animals are.
How is it different from a mole?
The common mole rat, unlike the mole, is larger, and its limbs are five-fingered, with small claws and less developed. The molehill is rather created by powerful teeth, and the earth does not enter the rodent’s mouth, since the folded lips are located behind the scars. 
If moles prefer to eat insects, then these animals eat roots, tubers and bulbs. In order to get to the above-ground part of the crops, they carry them by the roots to their home. The animals most like umbelliferous, asteraceous and leguminous plants. Stems and leaves often become their prey in the spring or early summer.
Where does it live?
For its habitat, it most often chooses fields, steppes, forest belts, ravines, and virgin lands.
The mole rat's underground tunnel systems have two tiers. The first is located at a depth of no more than 25 cm from the surface and is food, the second is located at a depth of 3 - 4 meters. The second has nests for living in summer and winter, as well as storage for food supplies.
The mole digs the soil using its front paws, while the naked mole rat uses its strong incisors. The piles of earth are larger than those of moles. The mounds can have a diameter of up to 50 cm, and the earth thrown to the surface sometimes has a mass of no less, but about 10 kg.
The mole rat can cause a lot of damage to a dacha, and its destruction is very difficult, since most The animal's life is underground.
Methods, means and traps for fighting
The most popular method of control when a mole rat is found on a site is the use of strong poisons. They are similar to the poison that allows you to poison rats. Due to the high toxicity of such drugs, it is recommended to install a trap or live trap in the garden. But thanks to their natural intelligence, rodents are able to avoid the place where such traps are installed. Even in case of danger, a small mole rat can show aggression - growl and bare powerful teeth. A live trap or trap should be set when leaving the burrow. There is also a known method of catching animals using a hook. 
It is necessary to dig out the norm and insert a long wire with a hook or several hooks inside.
A loop is made at the other end of the wire. It is needed to secure the hook in the hole. If there is a draft, the animal rushes to the exit and gets hooked. Next, the owner decides how to get rid of the mole rat. The use of crossbows, traps and poisons is considered inhumane, so animal lovers prefer to get rid of pests using water and an electronic repeller. Another method is to smoke rodents out of your home by attaching a hose to the exhaust pipe of a car. But it is possible to contaminate the land on the site along the way. An electronic repeller gives a good effect, since the animals cannot tolerate vibration and tend to leave the garden.
Introducing cats to hunting
How to get rid of harmful animals using animals? You must first find the places under which underground animal communications are located. Next, they dig out about half a meter of the tunnel with a shovel. As mentioned above, the naked mole rat reacts sharply to a draft. Therefore, having made a hole, you need to wait with the cat for the appearance of a naked animal. It will be especially easy for your pet to catch a young and inexperienced pest. You can also involve a dog with the necessary skills in catching animals on the site.
Using water for fishing
Another method that is not destructive, but helps to catch a rodent, is the use of water. You will need a watering hose and about 10 liters of liquid. After discovering the tunnel that leads to the animal’s home, you should dig a hole near the mound with clay and direct water there. In order for the animals to reach the surface, it is necessary to generously fill the underground passages due to their helical shape. Using such a tool, every garden owner will be able to catch uninvited guests from the plot. You will have to decide for yourself how to get rid of them further.
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
Relatively large rodent(body length of adult individuals 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 and does not hibernate, although by winter its activity sharply decreases. 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
It can harm agricultural crops, especially in vegetable gardens and personal plots (potatoes, carrots, onions and bulbous flowers are most affected). Damages crops of corn, legumes, 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.
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