Vermin
The wrong kind of wildlife!!!
Wildlife issues
We have received several reports of rats, squirrels, magpies etc.being spotted across the site, including daytime sightings and produce disappearing. This is not a new problem. This time of the year there is an abundance food available to wildife. It is annoying.
This is the good advice regarding rats and other 'wildlife pests' on allotment sites for you to read through which Dominic issued August 17th 2022, the main points of which are:
Removal of Food Sources-We recognise that this is a tall order on an allotment particularly! However, there are some steps you can take, including:-
Ensure Good Housekeeping
We have received several reports of rats, squirrels, magpies etc.being spotted across the site, including daytime sightings and produce disappearing. This is not a new problem. This time of the year there is an abundance food available to wildife. It is annoying.
This is the good advice regarding rats and other 'wildlife pests' on allotment sites for you to read through which Dominic issued August 17th 2022, the main points of which are:
1. Clear away any rubbish or waste piles
2 Don’t bring food waste up for your compost heaps for the time being
3. Check around your plots for where they might be living and don’t give them a cosy home.
4. Protect your crops. Rats and squirrels can climb,voles burrow and magpies can find away into most places.
Obviously we understand we’re in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside and we will always be sharing this space with rodents, particularly given we grow fruit and vegetables, but if we all do our bit then we should see sightings/numbers reduced. In addition we are bound by the various Wildlife Legislation on what we can do: for example not using poison or any other indiscriminate methods.
In more detail, there is a link to the RHS advice page on rats and pests https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/rats
In more detail, there is a link to the RHS advice page on rats and pests https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/rats
Removal of Harbourage (places to live / shelter)
-Remove all debris, rubbish, old equipment from the plot.
-Minimise the amount of materials you keep on plot (e.g. timber)
-Ensure that any structure is housed on hard standing (e.g. concrete; paving slabs) to prevent rodents from burrowing in underneath. For example, shed/s, storage units, greenhouses etc.
Removal of Food Sources-We recognise that this is a tall order on an allotment particularly! However, there are some steps you can take, including:-
-Not leaving household waste on site, including in compost bins.
-Harvesting fruit and vegetables promptly-Don’t leave discarded fruit and vegetables around
-Turn the contents of your compost bin/s regularly
-Keep any food / compost securely (e.g. use bins with solid sides and lids; add a wire mesh lining in the base etc.)
-Do not feed birds or other animals at your plot.
-Store seeds, bulbs, etc. in rodent-proof containers
Ensure Good Housekeeping
-Keep your plot tidy – encourage neighbouring properties to do the same
-Visit regularly, make your presence known (e.g. kicking compost bins)
-Inspect the plot regularly
-Thoroughly wash (and peel, as appropriate) the fruit and vegetables you harvest and ---destroy all vegetables with signs of rodent damage.
-Note that rats carry risk of disease including Weil’s, Salmonella and Leptospirosis and they urinate everywhere)
-If you discover you have a rat infestation, make sure you wear disposable gloves when dealing with the problem and harvesting your vegetables --Keep your shed/ storage unit/s / greenhouse/s etc. secure and in good order; check regularly for signs of rats living underneath.