In the six months late June to know I have caught 16 rats using Victor-type traps and trapping tunnels – 10 Norway and 6 ship. The species balance is probably swayed by having a trap at the neighbour’s compost, where she had a few Norways. Otherwise the captures have all been in our gully. I am maintaining six traps in all but only four have actually caught anything. In the same period I have detected only mice and insects via tracking tunnels and one chew on a card – possum. I have caught one possum but there is still another about. I conclude that small scale monitoring when overall numbers are low is not all that useful, but that it’s definitely possible to trap rats with the old technology.
Working together for a predator-free Hamilton