Posted on 05/15/2011 6:25:47 PM PDT by decimon
Scotland's recent freezing winters have resulted in a huge population explosion of field voles across the country.
Experts believe there are now record levels of the tiny mammals, which have been protected from birds of prey by long-lying snow.
Scientists in Dumfries and Galloway have recorded the highest number of field voles in 20 years, and a five-fold increase on average levels.
High levels have also been observed in central Scotland and the Highlands.
The number of field voles usually peaks every few years - known as a plague or outbreak - but this year has been exceptional in the south and west of Scotland, researchers have said.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Zinc phosphide on groated oats. There’s nothing else other than tillage that will rid an area of these pests.
Years where there is snow on the ground for a long time made for high vole production years in Nevada.
My cat want me to get off the computer so he can check on airfare to Scotland.
They’re talking hundreds of million of voles. But they say that raptors are thriving for it.
It does sound like feline heaven. Or maybe fox heaven.
My mom’s cat devastates the vole/mole population on their property.
Are they not good in Haggis? :)
Gunner
We see voles around here once in a while; oddly enough, I’ve never had a conversation about the local voles with anyone who’d even heard of ‘em. What happens is, voles go up for about a year, and predation goes up with it — predators like fox and lynx have a ready food supply, which is, alas for the voles, one of their roles.
My Jack Russell digs them out of the snow.
have a wee bowl o’ haggis and a wee shot o’ whiskey, voles, ye’ll be feelin’ fine.
Sounds like a good day to be a hawk.
So, "global warming" causes freezing winters in Scotland?
Put them in the haggis, no one will ever notice!
There’s an interesting myth about voles jumping off cliffs to commit suicide
Wrong
Lemme think about that.
Actually that was lemmings but yes, it’s a myth.
Oh, I can believe hundreds of millions. On a 125 acre pivot, I’ve seen infestations of 10’s of thousands. They’re practically born pregnant.
As I said: Zinc phosphide on groated oat bait. Drop it out of a crop duster or air seeder at about 10lbs/acre. Cleans ‘em right up.
Gonna need more than re-vole-vers to take care of this problem.
I blame gerbil warming...
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