The Unprecedented Spectacle of One-by-One Awakening
The town of Yozgat in Turkey has been dealing with an unexpected issue: an increase in the field mouse population. Due to warm temperatures, the mice have awoken from hibernation early and have been destroying crop fields in search of food. Farmers are struggling to combat the mice and are relying on authorities to step in and provide assistance.
According to Şükrü Kaya, the headman of Bahçecik village, the mice are causing major economic damage. Farmers have been attempting to combat them by crushing their nests and using pesticides, but the problem persists. Sümmani Akgül, a local farmer, mentioned that the mouse invasion has caused extensive damage to their fields, leading to a potential 70 percent loss of crops.
Dr. Gamze Pekbey, the head of Yozgat Bozok University’s Faculty of Agriculture Plant Protection Department, explained that the warm winter season led to an increase in the mouse population this year. She emphasized the importance of using toxic bait to combat the mice and prevent further damage to crops.
Pekbey recommended various methods to combat field mice, including cultural struggles in small areas, using natural enemies such as cats and birds of prey, and implementing chemical control through the use of poisonous baits and pelletized foods. She also highlighted the importance of placing toxic bait directly inside the feeding holes of the mice to effectively combat their population.
Farmers in Yozgat are looking to the authorities for help in addressing the invasion of field mice, which has become a significant issue for the local agricultural community. Without effective measures to control the mouse population, the consequences for the farming industry could be severe.
