CURIOUS MOLE FACTS.
At one time, mole skins were used to make waistcoats, trousers, hats and even coats. It would take over 100 moleskins to complete a waistcoat! In some parts of the country a molehill is known as a “wontyhump”. It is claimed that the average mole can move around ten pounds of soil in approximately twenty minutes. If needed, a mole can excavate around eighteen to twenty metres of tunnels a day, depending on the soil! The word “mole” could be derived from the word “moldwarp” which literally means earth thrower! A mole does have eyes, but they are very small and protected by fur and instead...
Read MoreMOLE ACTIVITY AREA – BH18 (BROADSTONE POSTCODE)
LOCATION: Broadstone. LOCATION TYPE: Mainly urban area with domestic housing bordering onto heathland. The course of the disused railway line, now a road and trail way, offers embankments and a rural break between built up areas. The area has several recreational playing fields. To the north is a large golf course and wooded area that is perfect for mole and other wildlife activity. Most of the eastern side is heathland and wooded areas with a main road running from top to bottom with the southern side backing onto large areas of housing. The western side borders onto open heathland....
Read MoreMOLE ACTIVITY AREA – BH23 (CHRISTCHURCH POSTCODE)
LOCATION: Avon, Bournemouth International Airport, Bransgore, Burley, Burton, Christchurch, Dorset, Highcliffe, Hurn, Mudeford, Friars Cliff, Parley, Ringwood East, Sopley, St Leonards and St Ives, Walkford, Winkton. LOCATION TYPE: A real mix of landscapes, including a large airport, several large towns and villages, farmland, flood plains of the River Stour and the River Avon, coastal fringes with cliffs and forestry and heathland. There are areas of retail outlets and industrial estates as well. LIKELY HOT SPOTS: The airport area is a magnet for moles! Even the road verges suffer. The soil...
Read MoreGarden Invasion Report
THE SUSPECT: The European Mole – “Talpa europaea” Length: Typically between 13 and 16 cm. Weight: Up to 128g. Colour: Moles have short black-brown fur. Identifying features: Large, clawed ‘spade-like’ front feet, a long, pointed, fleshy nose and very small eyes. Breeding: The normal litter for a female mole can be up to 7 and the average lifespan of the mole is between 2 and 3 years. Diet: Moles are carnivores (worms, insects, beetles, etc.) THE EVIDENCE: ...
Read MoreFAST FACTS – MOLES
The latin name is Talpa europaea and they are mammals. The male mole is referred to as a “boar”, the female is a “sow” and a group is called a “labour”. Moles are capable of digging through up to 15 metres of soil an hour! Most of a moles’ life is spent underground. The first signs of mole activity or mole digging are molehills, which is the excavated soil from their tunnels. The mole has poor eyesight and no ears, relying on extreme senses of smell and touch. Moles are carnivores. The saliva of a mole can paralyze worms! Continuous tunnelling by moles can undermine plant roots causing...
Read MoreMidsummer Madness!
We are now over half way through the summer and with record breaking temperatures and even flooding, the environment is certainly changing. Already this year we have seen vast numbers of flying ants on several occasions, with numbers so large that great swarms even appeared on weather radars giving the false impressions of rain clouds! Birds were in the news when licences for culling were suspended (and indeed are still in doubt) giving the chance for some species numbers to swell rapidly, which could have a dramatic effect in the future. Nesting birds can also cause problems, not only with...
Read More
Recent Comments