Europe-wide outbreaks of common voles in 2019

• Published in: Journal of Pest Science
• Main Authors: Jacob, Jens, Imholt, Christian, Caminero-Saldaña, Constantino, Couval, Geoffroy, Giraudoux, Patrick, Herrero-Cófreces, Silvia, Horváth, Győző, Luque-Larena, Juan José, Tkadlec, Emil, Wymenga, Eddy
• Other Authors: Julius Kühn-Institut - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants (JKI), Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León, Laboratoire Chrono-environnement - CNRS - UBFC (UMR 6249) (LCE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté COMUE (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté COMUE (UBFC), FREDON de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Universidad de Valladolid Valladolid (UVa), Instituto Universitario Investigac Gest Forestal, University of Pecs, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Palacky University Olomouc, Altenburg and Wymenga Ecol Consultants
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2020
• Subjects: [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; environment; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Common vole; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02461392; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-020-01200-2

International audience Common voles (Microtus arvalis) are widespread in the European agricultural landscape from central Spain to central Russia. During population outbreaks, significant damage to a variety of crops is caused and the risk of pathogen transmission from voles to people increases. In 2019, increasing or unusually high common vole densities have been reported from several European countries. This is highly important in terms of food production and public health. Therefore, authorities, extension services and farmers need to be aware of the rapid and widespread increase in common voles and take appropriate measures as soon as possible. Management options include chemical and non-chemical methods. However, the latter are suitable only for small and valuable crops and it is recommended to increase efforts to predict common voles outbreaks and to develop and field test new and optimized management tools.