The European Rabbit was originally native to south west Europe (Spain and Portugal) but has been widely introduced elsewhere including the UK. The Rabbit can be responsible for extensive damage to properties, crops and plant life.
In both domestic and agricultural land rabbits can cause major environmental problems as well as compete with native fauna for food and habitat and require professional pest control. Even in smaller numbers, rabbits can be difficult to control as they have a high breeding rate, especially in springtime and if left unchecked can decimate acres of spring crops such as barley, maize and wheat.
As agricultural pests, rabbits are in direct competition with livestock for pasture and end up eating a lot of food that wasn’t meant for them. Their burrowing can cause damage on erosion-prone soil - sometimes causing land to eventually be rendered useless where a living can't be made on it, but rabbit pest control can help prevent this severe result.
In Section One of the Pests Act 1954, England and Wales (except for the City of London, the Isles of Scilly and Skokholm Island) have been declared a Rabbit Clearance Area. This means that in this area, every land owner is responsible for controlling wild rabbits on their land either by themselves or by hiring rabbit pest control professionals. If this is not attainable, occupiers of land have an ongoing obligation for taking steps to prevent rabbits from causing damage to nearby crops by for example putting up fencing.
Types of fencing that help restrict rabbits from destroying nearby crops and pasture are electric strained wire (similar to the kind used to manage sheep and cattle), electric netting and permanent wire-mesh netting. Environmental, monumental or archaeological interest of the land may cause restrictions to the fencing a land owner can put up. Some wildlife habitats and species can depend on rabbit grazing, so wildlife interests should also be considered when deciding on the type of fencing used in order to carry out rabbit pest control.
More ways to prevent the need for rabbit pest control include making your land or garden less inviting. Rabbits live in areas that provide cover from predators such as tall grasses, low-growing shrubs, in brush piles as well as under sheds, porches and other structures. Keep brush piles clean and tidy, your grass mowed and block access points under any buildings or structures.
Collars around the trunk of young trees to can also help prevent damage from rabbits as does adding a fence around any vegetable gardens. Other options include the use of scare tactics to prevent rabbits coming onto your land and the eventual need for rabbit pest control. These could include owls, scarecrows and snakes, aluminium pie pans as well as ultrasonic devices. Keep in mind, however, that rabbits get used to these tactics and their effectiveness as a rabbit pest control prevention will wear off at some point.
If you're experiencing over-population damage from rabbits on your land and require rabbit pest control, get in touch with the experts, AJ Pest Control as soon as possible. We'll carry out a detailed inspection of your property and land to determine the degree of the problem, recommend the best course of action and the most appropriate rabbit pest control methods. We will also provide advice for preventing rabbits and the need for professional rabbit pest control in the future.
