The standby fence is a sophisticated system, which includes natural vole predators in order to avoid vole (re-)immigration.
Fields of application
Voles have an enormous reproductive potential. As soon as the pups reach maturity, they are chased from the burrow by their parents. Recently vole-free areas will continuously be repopulated by the juvenile offspring. The (re-)immigration into these areas occurs above-ground.
The fence stops (re-)immigration into the protected area. Furthermore, voles moving on the ground hide in the standby-boxes, which are set along the fence, for protection from natural enemies and will be trapped. Natural enemies (foxes, cats, birds of prey, badgers, stoat etc.) learn to regularly check the standby-boxes and to open the box by pushing up the flip on top and snatch the bait. The flip top will close, and the trap is ready for the next vole to be trapped. Standby is a suitable system for the use in various (mainly perennial) crop production systems in order to protect valuable areas.
Advantages
- Easy, effective and robust system to protect a valuable area from vole (re-)immigration
- Once installed, the fence is self-governed.
- “Participatory system”: Natural predators are integrated in the vole management practice. Their abundance in the area is usually increased.
- Easy maintenance
