Winter 2015
We're off to a tough start for the year, with the subzero temperatures and the three plus feet of snow cover this winter was one for the books.
April has finally arrived, so the snow is melting fast, the rains April are just beginning to add to what should be a short mud season. Daffodils are up 4" or so, along with the crocuses on the south side.
As the snow melts away the bushes and shrubs are beginning to show some serious damage.
These little Meadow Voles did a tremendous amount of damage to the property this year the conditions in the state were perfect for them, the cleanup begins now. We've see some of the large apple trees recover from this amount of girdling about 15 years ago over a similar bad winter, the remaining bushes and shrubs may not fair as well. We lost 12 newly planted apple trees last winter.
Amazing that a critter the size of a mouse can inflict so much damage. Girdling trees especially younger specimens, (and Large old Apple trees as well) meadow voles have as many as 5 litters of 5 pups a year...
Rose just watched a Red Fox lounging on the edge of the woods on Friday I'm hoping for some help from him in clearing some of the rodent population. The Red Tailed hawks have been gliding over the fields as well.
We're going to attempt to get a handle on this in short order, wish me luck!
VOLE Damage
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