How to get rid of rodents in the garden. Fighting mice in a summer cottage: 5 best remedies

How to recognize a pest

A distinctive feature of the vole is the presence of a longitudinal black stripe on its back.
These representatives of rodents differ from their relatives in size and color. They reach an average length of 12.5-13 cm. About 70% of the total length of the vole mouse is its tail. These mammals have short, coarse fur that is brown, gray or beige in color. The abdomen is gray or white.

The rodent's muzzle is elongated and has a pointed shape. These mice have small eyes, ears are round in shape, slightly pressed to the head and have a slight tilt forward.

How else can you identify a vole:

• in appearance, these mice are similar to Daurian hamsters, but differ in a longer tail;
• animals prefer wetter places to live;
• They often settle in warehouses where supplies are stored, since they do not hibernate for the winter and are forced to constantly look for food.

How to get rid of ants in your house. Facts about insects

To determine how to permanently get rid of ants in the house, you need to understand with whom you are going to wage war. There are 8,800 known species of these insects. And only a few of them live in apartments. Moreover, domestic insects are much smaller than their forest relatives. On average, a house ant weighs 1-10 mg, while the weight of a queen ant reaches 150 mg.

Ants do not live alone. They can only exist within a colony. Moreover, the way of life in an ant’s nest is subject to a strict hierarchy. The colony includes three "social systems".

1. Adult females. They are called queens. Depending on the size of the nest, females can number up to 200 individuals. The queen is significantly different from other ants. Its dimensions reach 4 mm, almost twice the length of the working individual. Females never leave the colony. Their main task is to lay eggs. Some queens can be up to ten months old.
2. Samtsov. Such insects are smaller in size than females, but larger than worker ants. They, like the queens, do not leave the colony. On average, the lifespan of sexually mature males is 18-20 days.
3. Soldier . These are worker ants that scour your house all day long in search of food. Asexual soldiers are characterized by the smallest sizes - only 2 mm. Their responsibilities include obtaining food, delivering food to the colony, and caring for laid-off larvae. Worker ants live much longer than males - approximately 60 days.

In one clutch, the queen is capable of laying about 400 eggs. Only a quarter of them develop into adult insects. Ant eggs take 38 days to develop if we are talking about soldiers, and 42 days if a sexual insect hatches from the larva.

What harm do they do?

When voles appear on a gardener’s plot, they begin to actively spoil the crop. This manifests itself differently at different times of the year:

• in the spring, rodents feed on newly emerged shoots of young plants, which disrupts their growth and reduces the overall yield;
• in summer and autumn, mice gnaw on already ripe but not yet harvested crops, after which, for example, damaged root crops will most likely be unsuitable for human consumption;
• in the warm season, voles constantly dig passages and holes, primarily damaging the beds;
• flowers and trees are also at risk because mice like to eat the bulbs or roots.

Some gardeners note that daffodils are an exception. Their bulbs contain alkaloids, which are poisonous to voles. The presence of these flowers can help get rid of mice in the area.

Voles are not only garden pests, but also carriers of diseases dangerous to humans, namely:

• salmonellosis;
• tularemia;
• rabies;

• leptospirosis;
• rickettsiosis;

• toxoplasmosis;
• Omsk hemorrhagic fever, etc.

How to fight

Experienced gardeners prefer to use complex methods of getting rid of voles in order to avoid an increase in their population on the site. To do this, it is best to use an integrated approach. Traps, poison and sonic or aromatic repellers are used. If you wish, you can get rid of unwanted animals in a short time.

Traditional methods

Property owners who prefer humane methods of rodent control use the following popular solutions.

Strong smelling rags

Typically, mint essential oil, ammonia, vinegar, or cologne are used. It is recommended to place sources of odors unpleasant for mice around the house in areas where rodents are concentrated.

Ash scattered on the site

In mice, it causes irritation of the mucous membranes and indigestion, which is why the rodents soon leave the area. And for the site, the ash will serve as additional fertilizer.

Bunches of leaves and herbs plants

Gardeners recommend collecting wormwood, tansy, elderberries, stems from tomato bushes and other greens. They are used both at home and on the site.

Spruce branches

Thorny branches are placed directly into mouse holes.

Traps and traps

With their help, you can also quickly reduce the number of voles on the site. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to collect triggered traps and install new ones every day.

"Old-fashioned" method with a jar

Coat the inside of a half-liter jar with a thin layer of vegetable or butter, put bait inside and place the trap on its side in the place where mouse droppings were found. It is better to place a board or other elevation nearby to make it easier for the vole to climb inside. She will no longer be able to get back out along the slippery walls of the jar.

This method is more humane, but after using it you will need to transport the mice away from the area. However, there is no guarantee that they will not run to the neighbors, and from there again to your site.

Homemade glue traps

Apply “ALT” glue or any other special composition to the cardboard or board. Place bait in the center and then set the trap. When the mouse climbs for the bait, it will stick tightly to the board, after which it will die.

Professional traps

There are several varieties:

• traps with teeth and doors that crush the victim;
• electric traps that electrocute animals;
• mechanisms with loops that choke rodents trying to chew their way to the bait;
• cages that slam shut when a mouse gets inside and eats the bait from the hook.

Separately, it is worth mentioning electronic repellers

They emit ultrasound, which forces rodents to leave the area. However, it should be taken into account that pets may also be sensitive to unpleasant sounds and run away from the area.

The following devices are most popular among owners of suburban areas:

Chemicals

Homemade or professional poisoning is one of the fastest ways to get rid of long-tailed pests.

You can prepare your own bait using the following recipes:

• Crush the glass into crumbs and mix with food that attracts mice. Place the prepared “portions” of seasoning in places where voles gather.
• Mix equal parts quicklime, gypsum or cement with flour, starch and sugar. Sprinkle the mixture in areas where rodents gather. Place containers of water nearby. After eating, the mice will immediately begin to drink, which will accelerate the formation of a blood clot in the digestive tract and lead to the death of the vole.
• Mix any fat in liquid form with flour and barium carbonate in a ratio of 1:2:4. Form small lumps and spread the poison in places where pests accumulate.

Using poison can be dangerous if there is a pet living on the property. For example, a cat or dog may try to eat prepared poison. Or the cat may try to eat the poisoned mouse and get hurt.

Wax tablets "Storm"

They are used primarily as a deterrent, but also have a poisonous effect. The vole mouse dies a couple of weeks after eating these tablets.

Universal "Granules"

They will help get rid of rodents from almost the entire colony of rodents. After eating the pellets, voles do not die immediately, but manage to infect other members of the population before doing so.

The most effective way to get rid of rats on your property. Deadly bait for rats and mice

The principle of operation of all baits is approximately the same. The mice eat the poisoned food and die within a few days. Bait manufacturers take into account the tastes and habits of mice and try to make the poisoned food very attractive to them. In addition, the delayed effect of poisons (4-6 days) does not allow the animal to warn its relatives about the danger of food.

There are several types of ready-made baits:

• Grain bait. The most popular and inexpensive option. Grain is a common food for mice. They not only eat it right away, but also take it to their holes as a reserve. And there other individuals join the meal. Poisoned grain is laid out in small portions near holes, passages or near water sources.
• Granular bait works better than grain bait because it does not become soggy and moldy for a long time. Granules consist of flour, grains and sugar with “delicious” flavors. Granules are used in the same way as grain.
• Solid bait is a wax briquette with food additives. They are moisture resistant, so they work great in open beds. Mice and rats not only love to chew, but also to sharpen their teeth. This means they won’t pass by the “fragrant piece”.
• Dough bait is especially good for rats. Rats are smarter than mice and are more difficult to get rid of. Moreover, rats prefer animal food and may not respond to grains or pellets. But soft baits seem like a real treat to rats.
• Foam bait is similar to polyurethane foam in a can. It fills narrow gaps and does not lose its shape for 14 days. Mice get dirty in it, begin to lick it off the fur and thus eat the poison. It is also recommended to fill holes with foam.

Life hacks and gardening tips

Tip #1

Since voles actively reproduce and can have offspring repeatedly from spring to autumn, it is preferable to prevent them from appearing on the site. To do this, experienced gardeners recommend taking preventive measures.

Prevention includes:

• systematic waste removal on site;
• collecting compost heaps outside the fertile area in closed boxes;
• refrain from mulching the beds with seed husks and other products that voles love so much.

What product would you choose to combat vole mice?

ChemicalFolk

Tip #2

Some gardeners soak sawdust in kerosene, tar, formalin or turpentine, and then scatter them around the area. Although this method is effective, it is dangerous for humans and pets. For this reason, you should refrain from using this method, or do it carefully.

Tip #3

After the rodents have been exterminated, it is necessary to disinfect the premises, especially residential ones. Any places where mice have been, as well as objects with which they interacted, can pose a danger. Treatment of premises should be carried out using personal protective equipment. Bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and medical antiseptics can act as a disinfectant.