How do the feeding signs left by water voles differ in chewing pattern compared to the common brown rat?
Answer
Voles tend to leave more ragged, less precise cuts
Water voles create distinctive feeding remains where they snip stems of grasses, reeds, or rushes to eat the succulent base or crown near the ground. When examining these discarded stems, a key identification marker is the quality of the cut left behind. Compared to the common brown rat, which often shares the same environment and also feeds on vegetation, the water vole's chewing tends to result in a ragged or less precise cut end. This textural difference in the discarded plant material provides an important clue for distinguishing vole feeding stations from those created by rats.
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