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Garden pests in Britain: then and now

This page shows how some of the well-known garden pests have changed since I was growing up in the 1940s and 1950s. You may find that some of the ways of dealing with them may still be helpful today. In particular the page considers and compares squirrels which have increased enormously in numbers and types; foxes which have become increasily bold around humans; rabbits; pigeons; moles; slugs and snails and rats and mice

When red squirrels were normal and grey squirrels were not

A red squirrel photographed in Scotland

In my childhood in the 1940s I never saw a grey squirrel. Yet I am told that authorities did recognise their incipient danger as pests because even at that time a shilling was paid to anyone who could confirm a killing by bringing in a grey squirrel's tail. It didn't last. Either it was too difficult to catch the squirrels or it became too expensive.

Squirrels strip the bark from trees to feed on sap which can have an adverse effect on trees, making them susceptible to fungal infections. Unlike reds, grey squirrels have high population densities so can cause significantly more damage to trees. Studies also show that grey squirrels are directly competing with birds that rely on deciduous trees for food and nesting sites.

Back in the 1940s, it was entirely normal to see red squirrels scampering around. People liked them and as far as I know, no-one complained of them being pests. Now, they have been replaced by grey squirrels in almost all parts of the country. They cause a great deal of damage to trees, plants and gardens generally.

A gray squirrel which could be photogaphed in almost any family garden

Foxes were once scarce and timid

It was quite rare to see a fox when I was a child, even when walking in open countryside in rural areas.

A fox

We did glimpse a fox from time to time, but it was a talking point, "Look everyone, a fox!". As soon as the fox saw us, it would stand stock still for an instant and then dart rapidly away in the opposite direction or behind a bush. This was so, even if we were already quite a distance away. Foxes were naturally scared of humans.

Foxes have changed their temperament since the 1940s and 50s. People laugh when I say this, but it is no joke. As I write in the third decade of the 21st century, foxes come into our back garden in increasing numbers. If they see us there, they still stand quite motionless, but no longer for an instant. They stay and glower directly at us, as if trying to stare us out. If we stare back, they eventually carry on calmly walking in their original direction.

If we shoo the foxes of today, they do amble away, but if we didn't see them in time to shoo, I am certain that they would come into the house. In fact there have been cases of this reported in the media. There have even been high profile cases of foxes biting humans inside their own homes.

It is impossible to keep them out of the garden as I have seen them clamber over six foot fences and even walk along snow covered tops of fences. I am told that they can climb up quite high trees, although I have never seen this. They can certainly stand on their hind legs to reach for low plums.

We now have to keep downstairs doors and windows shut.

Rabbits: useful as food, destructive in gardens

Wild rabbits were a significant pest to farmers even though they were welcomed as a free source of meat.

I also understand that it was not unusual for the man of a household to own a shotgun to keep pests down. So probably there was little rabbit damage to gardens. Not so now - but my family will not own a shotgun. So we cannot grow ground-hugging vegetables or even certain flowers because of rabbit damage.

That said, it is nice to see the rabbits scampering around.

Pigeons and the damage they do

Protecting cabbages etc from pigeons was a major problem. Netting was available but was made of a string-like material that would weaken and rot if kept damp, rather than the modern plastics which stand up to all weathers and don't rot.

Nowadays pigeons actually eat the leaves of plum trees, making the trees too weak to bear plums.

Moles and molehills in the lawn

Moles are not often seen, but their presence is obvious enough when they push up heaps of earth in lawns and borders. A neat lawn can quickly be spoiled by molehills, and the tunnels below can disturb roots and leave the ground uneven.

Country people in the past were more used to dealing with moles, especially where gardens and fields had to be kept tidy and productive. Today they are still a common nuisance, particularly where there is open ground for tunnelling.

Moles may not eat vegetables in the same way as rabbits, but they can certainly make a garden look a mess almost overnight.

Slugs and snails

Slugs and snails have probably always been among the gardener's most familiar enemies. They can strip young seedlings overnight and leave holes in leaves, especially in damp weather.

Years ago, gardeners often relied on hand-picking, soot, ashes, salt or other home remedies to keep them down. Today there are modern pellets and barriers, but many gardeners still complain that slugs remain one of the hardest pests to control.

Unlike foxes or squirrels, they are small and hardly dramatic, but for anyone trying to grow lettuces, hostas or young bedding plants, they can be every bit as destructive.

Rats and mice in gardens and sheds

Rats and mice were certainly not unknown in the past, especially around farms, feed stores, hen houses and sheds. Where food was stored, vermin were never far away.

Today they can still be a nuisance in gardens, compost heaps, sheds and outbuildings. Bird food, fallen fruit and household waste can all attract them. Mice may nibble stored items and seeds, while rats are larger, bolder and far less welcome.

They may not be the first creatures people think of as garden pests, but they are important to mention because they can cause damage, contaminate stored materials and be very difficult to get rid of once established.

Old ways of scaring pests away

Crow scarers

Crow scarers were used by farmers to scare off pigeons. They were specially adapted fireworks that made a loud bang every so often. They consisted of a long length of slow burning fuse with banger type fireworks distributed along the length. Once the end of the fuse was lit the result was a loud bang each time the burning part of the fuse reached one of these attached bangers. The resulting bangs were about half an hour apart and could carry on all day.

Such methods now seem rather rough-and-ready, but they show how seriously pest damage was taken.

Conclusion

Looking back, one of the biggest changes is that many pest animals seem either more numerous, bolder or more visible than they were in the 1940s and 1950s. Foxes are less timid, grey squirrels have replaced reds in most areas, pigeons are a constant nuisance, rabbits still damage crops, moles disfigure lawns, and slugs, rats and mice remain persistent problems.

Some of these creatures are attractive and interesting to watch, but that does not stop them from being pests. The modern gardener often has to admire them one minute and try to protect the garden from them the next.

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