ID pls re something making home inside phormium

Dillybythesea · #1 (**permalink**) 14-03-2010, 06:50 PM

Something is biting through leaves at the base of our 10' tall New Zealand flax - I presume to burrow inside - and I'm wondering if it's a rat, do you think?

Secondly, as I'm trying to make the garden wildlife-friendly, and the phormium is very close to the nature pond where I'm hoping to have frogs, would rats pose a major problem for them?

Thanks for any advice!

Here's the kind of biting that's happening, and I'll include one of the whole plant to show the scale of the plant

vole-woman · #2 (**permalink**) 15-03-2010, 10:48 AM

Hmm. It wouldn't by any chance be a water vole? They like to chew reeds, and though I don't know specifically whether they like phormium, they do eat well over 200 species of plants.

Have a look for lengths of bitten-off vegetation - a slanted end is the giveaway for water voles.

vole-woman · #3 (**permalink**) 15-03-2010, 10:51 AM

Here's a photo to show the sort of thing I mean:
may10brickkilnreed.jpg (image)

Obviously if it does turn out to be water voles you should rejoice as they are clean and charming, and also need all the help/protection from landowners they can get.

Dillybythesea · #4 (**permalink**) 16-03-2010, 07:41 AM

What a wonderful thought! We'd be thrilled. And yes, various stalks have been strewn around bitten through at an angle. I shall live in hope, and will have to keep my Jack Russell away, who has been very curious. Is there anything I can do to improve life for water voles, if voles they are? Thanks for any help.

vole-woman · #5 (**permalink**) 16-03-2010, 10:21 AM

Try and look out for them - they're short-sighted so if you sit very still, especially at dusk, and leave a bit of apple out as bait, they might come out for you.

As for bank maintenance: don't use chemicals anywhere near the water or bankside vegetation, and don't over-strim as the voles need plenty of cover. If you happen to see any predators - cats and herons would be the main problem in a garden pond I think - chase them off.

You could look for latrines - in the absence of actual water vole sightings, they're one of the best indicators. I'll see if I can find a picture for you, but if you've ever kept guinea pigs then the droppings are a very similar size and shape.

vole-woman · #6 (**permalink**) 16-03-2010, 10:26 AM

Water Vole - Arivcola terrestris - Wildlife Photography

Here's a picture of w-v droppings, plus there are loads more on my blog, along with pics of feeding, burrows, footprints etc if you want to check them out.

shirl · #7 (**permalink**) 16-03-2010, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Try and look out for them - they're short-sighted so if you sit very still, especially at dusk, and leave a bit of apple out as bait, they might come out for you.

As for bank maintenance: don't use chemicals anywhere near the water or bankside vegetation, and don't over-strim as the voles need plenty of cover. If you happen to see any predators - cats and herons would be the main problem in a garden pond I think - chase them off.

You could look for latrines - in the absence of actual water vole sightings, they're one of the best indicators. I'll see if I can find a picture for you, but if you've ever kept guinea pigs then the droppings are a very similar size and shape.

I agree, see if you can find any droppings or latrines and that will confirm it for you.Water vole droppings are about 8-12mm long, can be green or brown depending on what they have been eating. Field voles will also live near water, but their droppings are really small (6-7mm)and usually green. Another possibility would be a brown rat of course, the long winter seems to have caused more rats to join us humans. Again the droppings should confirm, brown rat droppings are quite large 15-20mm long, tapered at one end, dark brown/black - however these usually occur in dark corners away from their feeding sites whereas both water vole and field vole latrines are often where they feed.

Maybe an insect could be responsible for the damage? I can't tell if there are any obvious teeth marks on the chewed piece from the pic, but from watching voles feeding they do seem to pull /chew the leaf away from the plant , eat part of it and leave the remains in a pile. Have a good look round, be interesting to know what is causing the damage and if it turns out to be a water vole I would be eternally jealous!

Shirl

Dillybythesea · #8 (**permalink**) 17-03-2010, 02:12 PM

Many thanks for the info and pics - and link to the blog which I greatly enjoyed! Sadly all seems to have gone very quiet near the phormium/ pond. I'm just hoping the dog didn't give it/ them second thoughts. But I'll keep an eye open for droppings now I know, and also try the apple trick at dusk. And if anything appears I'll let you know. Many thanks again!

Dillybythesea · #9 (**permalink**) 17-03-2010, 02:25 PM

Shirl - Many thanks to you too. I've learnt a lot about water voles - even if our visitor(s) turn out to be something quite other! I'm going to scout around for droppings/ further bitten-off fronds but am currently afraid that whatever it was has moved on. If I'm wrong though I'll let you know, particularly if it's time to start the eternal jealousy!

bigdave60dog · #10 (**permalink**) 17-03-2010, 02:58 PM

My first thought was Water Vole. It does look right, However if the stalk was covered by snow fpor any length of time it is much more likely to be a Field Vole. These love green stuff and can nibble away to their little furry hearts content if there is good ground cover of snow. Not sure if Bank Voles do the same. I have never noticed much difference in them other than that a Bank vole will bite you if you pick it up.
I would definately think Vole not Rat though.