Pests don’t just cause problems when they’re found inside the home or at business premises, they can cause serious damage outside as well. Below we discuss two of the biggest agricultural pests – moles and rabbits and how you can prevent them from destroying your land.
Moles
Moles can cause significant damage to your garden or land because they tunnel through soil. Not only does this look incredibly unsightly and cause damage to lawns, flower beds and vegetable gardens, if the infestation is severe enough, the ground can become unstable – damaging the foundations of your land and creating safety risks.
Other problems caused by moles include:
• Contamination of silage with soil particles. This is a particularly big problem for farmers because it makes the soil unpalatable for livestock • The covering of pasture with fresh soil can reduce its size and yield • Damage can be caused to agricultural machinery because by turning up the soil, this can lead to the exposure of stones • Damage to young plants thanks to the disturbance of the soil • Weed invasion of pasture through exposure of fresh tilled soil • Damage to drainage systems and watercourses As you can see, moles can cause many problems so how can you prevent an infestation from occurring in the first place?
• Mole netting – this prevents moles from tunnelling through to the surface of your lawn so you don’t get molehills. This is a great preventative measure but it must be installed before turf is laid
• Electronic devices – the buzzing noise is said to drive moles away. If you have a large garden it’s worth investing in several devices because otherwise you may just end up driving them to another part of the garden
• Pest-Stop Biofume Mole Smoke emits castor oil fumes which deters worms and other potential food sources from entering tunnels. If there’s no food to be found, moles will soon move on
• Euphorbia lathyris is a plant which is said to repel moles
• Call a professional pest controller who can discuss effective preventative measures with you
Rabbits
One of the main reasons why rabbits are considered to be agricultural pests is because they’re herbivores. This means that they’re in direct competition with livestock for pasture and end up consuming a lot of food that wasn’t intended for them.
What’s more, burrowing and scrapes can cause extensive damage on erosion-prone soils – so much so that land can be rendered useless. It’s not unheard of for rabbit-infested farms to be abandoned because owners simply can’t make a living anymore.
• Make your land or garden less inviting – rabbits will only live somewhere that provides cover from predators. They’re particularly drawn to low-growing shrubs, in brush piles, tall grasses and under porches, sheds and other structures. Clean up brush piles, keep your grass mowed and block access points under structures.
• You can add collars around the trunk of young trees to prevent rabbit damage and add a fence around vegetable gardens
• There are a number of scare tactics you can use to prevent rabbits coming onto your land. These include water scarecrows, fake snakes and owls, aluminium pie pans and ultrasonic devices. Beware however that rabbits will get used to these tactics and their effectiveness will therefore wear off.
For more information about agricultural pests and what to do if you’re facing an infestation, or if would like to speak to a pest controller in your area please feel free to contact Prokill and we will be more than happy to help. Our accredited experts will be happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote. What’s more, because we have a team of local experts, you can rest assured that there won’t be any long waiting times to get an appointment. Complete an online enquiry form or call us on 0800 328 9354.
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