Burrow

CFR · #1 (**permalink**) 02-05-2011, 03:30 PM

Can any one help with this burrow? Inner measures 8in by 6in at base of plum tree. Whatever burrowed created a significanr amount of damage to the tree.

Burko · #2 (**permalink**) 03-05-2011, 08:33 AM

There seems to be evidence of bedding so I'd say badger.

The Woodman · #3 (**permalink**) 03-05-2011, 08:53 AM

The damage shown in the image is old and an occluding edge is seen on the left side of the wound. If the burrow is fesh and recent, it is highly improbable that this damage was caused by the burrowing.

If it was a badger, the attraction might have been beetle larvae in the rotting root timber, too early for an excavated wasp nest I think. Plum heart wood is very dense and resistant to insect decay though.

I'm seeing similar excavations here as the ground is so hard and some of the regular food of the Badger e.g. snails, slugs and worms are hard to come by in this dry weather period.

If a Badger was living there and the debris was bedding, there would be a considerable spoil heap but the debris could be finer roots and root hairs from what might be Ivy as seen on the right of the root.

CFR · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2011, 06:52 PM

Thanks. Would be delightful if it were, we had some visiting a few years ago. No further evidence this am though, so will watch & see.

CFR · #5 (**permalink**) 03-05-2011, 06:55 PM

Thanks. No further evidence of any visitors this morning. Not worried about tree, it needs to come down anyway, the woodpeckers have already done some stripping on the other side. Just looked as though it had been scratched by sharp claws, quite different to where woodpechers have been.