Control of the subterranean mole-rat, Spalax ehrenbergi, with brodifacoum pellets

ISSN： 1366-5863

Source： International Journal of Pest Management, Vol.44, Iss.3, 1998-07, pp. : 149-151

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Abstract

The mole-rat, Spalax ehrenbergi, is a vegetarian, completely blind, solitary, territorial and aggressive subterranean rodent. It is distributed throughout the eastern Mediterranean region, where it lives and forages in an underground burrow system and is a serious pest of agriculture, as it consumes the underground organs of flowers and vegetables. Since it is impossible to control the mole-rat through prod holes in crops growing in loose soil, insertion of rolled 30-g sachets of pelleted bait into exposed mole-rat galleries was tried. A commercial 0.005% brodifacoum pelleted bait, Brodimat, was tested. Favourable results were obtained in three flower-growing plots. Mole-rat activity was identified by the appearance of new mounds and/or damaged plants. The test plot was monitored regularly, with different periods between inspections. Therefore, only ranges of time of the cessation of the activity (i.e. death of the animal) could be estimated. The ranges were between 5-13 and 20-27 days after treatment.