MADURAI: Rodentologists
suggested farmers use eco-friendly methods to remove rats from the
fields, instead of relying on harmful pesticides easily available in the
market.
Things like bow traps, snap traps, box and cage-type
traps effectively entrap and kill rodents. Chemical rodenticides and
other pesticides, on the other hand, cause harm to the plants and create
nuisance for the farmers.
Bow traps are usually placed in the field without any bait inside. Around 50 bow traps can be placed on a hectare of land.
Rodentologist
Ambudoss Arvind in the city who is working on a rodent trap project
said, "The bow trap costs around Rs 200. Many farmers from Valayar
community in Sholavandhan use these traps in wetland areas."
Box-type traps, the kind that is used in houses, can also be effective. These have bait inside the box.
"When the rodent touches the bait, the spring moves and shuts the door, trapping it," added Arvind.
The
cage-type trap is considered more effective than the box trap. It has a
special locking mechanism that prevents rodents from overpowering the
spring.
"It is effective because it has a good locking mechanism and does not allow the rodents to get out," Arvind said.
Snap
traps have a D-shaped metal rod that is pulled by a spring that is
connected to the bait. The spring releases the rod and traps the rodent.
Owls perched on wooden sticks are also used to drive away rats. The bird sits on a T-shaped wooden stick.
"This
method is pretty time-consuming since the owls need to be trained to
sit on the perch. It may take months. Once you train it, it makes use of
ultrasonic sound to fly down on the rodent," said an official of the
Agriculture Association.