During the control of planting in the 19 a section in the economic unit “Osijek – Podravina Forests”, in mid-November, damage was observed on seedlings of field ash committed by voles. Vole is a rodent that lives in elevated places, open areas, fields, meadows, on the edges of forests,… It nests in the ground to a depth of 20 cm, and in that place it feeds on the underground parts of plants. For seedlings on a newly planted area, such damage could be fatal if the vole population in the area is large. Given the number of holes observed on the surface and the identified damage, it is necessary to reduce the population and prevent possible greater damage.
One way to reduce the population is certainly to create conditions for the arrival of natural enemies of these rodents. The natural enemy of rodents (mice, voles) is the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) or known as the buzzard, a bird of prey from the hawk family (Accipitridae). Common buzzard is, after the common kestrel, the second most widespread bird of prey in Europe. It nests in forests, often along open areas, fields, meadows and swamps. The usually lurks from an elevated position (roadside poles, telephone poles, trees), and when it sees a potential victim with light wing swings, it takes off and then crashes.
For this purpose, T-shelters for pike-perch are built on rodent-endangered areas, as is the case with the area of 19 section. According to empirical parameters (minimum distance between columns 100 m) on the surface of section 24 landing sites will be set up.
Setting up a T-landing site is environmentally friendly in rodent control. T-landing sites or T-stops have been accepted by birds of prey for the purpose of waiting for prey to appear and prey to attack the ground. In short, T-landing sites help predatory activity of birds of prey over rodents.
