European Field Voles of the Genus Pitymys McMurtrie and their Damage in Agriculture,Horticulture and Forestry1

Research has been carried out to establish the actual incidence in European agriculture and forestry of damage by voles belonging to the genus Pitymys McMurtrie. Unfortunately, the great uncertainty remaining in the taxonomy of these voles and the practical difficulty of recognizing the species responsible for specific damage do not allow us to form, as yet, a complete picture of the situation. Nevertheless, it has been shown that, in Europe, Pitymys voles which are responsible for damage to agricultural crops (irregularly and with varying intensities) can, essentially, be placed in one of the following fundamental species groups:subterruneus (de Sélys Longcharnps), savii (de Séys Longchamps) or duodecimcostutus (de Sélys Longchamps). Without doubt, greatest damage appears to be done by voles of the species group savii which, in a decidedly more southern distribution area, brings about serious damage, particularly to horti-floricultural crops in the Italian peninsula. In Italy, where the Pitymys problem is perhaps more noticeable than anywhere else, the control methods used tend to be inefficacious and do not answer the problem. We hope, therefore, besides conducting a comprehensive biological study of this species group, to carry out adequate experimentation towards developing methods for testing the latest rodenticides as to their efficacy against Pitymys and to develop an adequate application technique.