Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 31, 1991 TAG: 9103280127
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PATRICIA C. HELD
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The words "rabbit" and "hare" are sometimes used interchangeably, even by so-called experts. For example, the snowshoe rabbit and jack rabbit are actually hares. The hespid hare and red hare are actually rabbits.
But there is a difference. Hares are born above ground, fully furred and with their eyes open. They are active almost immediately after they are born. Most rabbits are born hairless and blind in an underground or sheltered nest where they remain protected for several weeks. In general, hares prefer to stay by themselves while rabbits are quite social.
Our local cottontail is a true rabbit. Their breeding season begins as early as February and continues through August. A female rabbit, called a doe, can have up to six litters a year, often in rapid succession.
April is the peak time for rabbit courtship. The bucks, as the males are called, behave in a strange manner during this season. They fight among themselves to establish territories. They will box each other with their front feet and then kick out using their powerful hind legs. The winner must then go through another set of antics to impress the females. For this, the buck has a sort of courtship dance which includes a series of leaps directly over her.
The hare was considered sacred throughout Europe in pre-Christian times. The animals were associated with the goddess of spring known to Anglo-Saxons as "Eastre." As part of Easter celebrations today, children search for colorful eggs left by the Easter Bunny.
Some people consider a rabbit a lucky omen. In England, one superstition has it that if you say "rabbits" or "white rabbits" three times on the morning of the first day of the month before another word is spoken, you will have good luck in the future.
The rabbit's foot is probably the best known of the traditions associated with rabbits. Many folks carry one as a trusty and remedial taliman. According to folklore, the rabbit's forefoot is useful to ward off asthma, spells, rhematism and other complaints. It is also said to be a reliable aid in reducing the pain of childbirth and teething as well as to counteract the curses of witches, demons and ghosts.
Aside from spring holiday cheer and any claims of good luck, rabbits and hares are just fun to watch - especially now as they spend they next few weeks of spring enjoying tender young clover and grass and hopping about in the spring sunshine.
Rabbit notes
A special note on rabbit control in the garden:
I asked local gardners how they controlled rabbits in their garden. Here are some of their suggestions:
One gardner who has had trees girdled by hungry rabbits each spring found that if he left autumns' pruned branches on the ground through the winter and spring rabbits ate them instead of the growing trees.
Some said spreading mothballs around planting is effective.
Dried blood (available at garden stores) placed around young shoots can discourage rabbit visits, but must be reapplied after each rainfall.
Some suggested trapping rabbits alive with a Havahart or other humane type of trap and moving them elsewhere.
A note on "orphaned" baby rabbits: It is common to find young cottontail rabbits. They sometimes appear to be in serious trouble and need our help. Most of the time they don't. Humans simply do not make good rabbit parents. If you come upon a group of babies in a nest, leave them alone. If they are exposed, the most you should do is cover them with grass and hair from the nest. Most likely mother rabbit is nearby watching. She rarely tends to her young in the daytime. She watches over them from a distance.
The only time it is necessary to rescue young rabbits is in case of heavy rains. If a nest is flooded, try to move it and the young to a drier place nearby. Then give the mother a chance to find her babies. Remember, she likely won't return until dusk.
If you find fully furred young rabbits hopping about and feeding on grass, LEAVE THEM ALONE. Although they may look small, they are probably old enough to be off on their own.
Patricia Held will respond to readers' questions on the plant and animal wildlife in the region. Mail inquiries to: Patricia C. Held, P.O. Box 65, Goode, Va. 24556.
by CNB