North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Alan Haigh" <alandhaigh@gmail.com>]

It seems many rodents periodically have population explosions and we seem to be in the midst of such an explosion of squirrels, voles and chipmunks this year here in the northeast.  For voles I have had success maintaining about fifty traps and moving them around my 3 acre nursery starting in early fall.  I use plastic traps that are more expensive but easy to set from Gemplers who give a quantity price.  Raccoons may have to be trapped out of the property as well to keep them from disturbing the peanut butter baited traps and it may be useful to include some rat traps in the mix if they are also present.

 

I place the traps under large black plastic trays which help melt the snow and provide a shelter for the rodents before their last meal.  Rocks can weigh down the trays.  Check the traps every few days.

 

If you think meadow voles are a problem you should see what pine voles can do.  They completely girdle the root system of even fairly mature fruit trees and leave a loosely anchored dead skeleton of a tree.  If I fail to control these vermin they can destroy scores of trees in a winter.

 

Of course, most commercial growers bait their orchards with restrictcted rodentcides but I think it's worth going to the trouble to protect other wildlife from direct or indirect poisoning on my small operation.