Surveys of Scottish farmers and their vertebrate pests – case study from a long running dataset

Data on perceived pests to farmers were collected annually since 1998, during predominantly face-toface interviews with the farmer as an adjunct to routine pesticide usage surveys. During each year of the survey, particular farm types were selected for surveying, and data are presented for arable and grassland and fodder crop farms. A case study examines the impact of the withdrawal of strychnine, previously used as a method of mole (Talpa europea) control, on the pest status of the mole in Scotland. The paper also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this long-running data set.