Garden 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 MoreMOLES – Talpa Europaea
If someone asks you if you have ever seen a mole, the answer would most likely be no! If asked the same question about molehills, then the answer would probably be a resounding yes! Many gardeners fear finding these tell-tale signs of mole activity as it can only mean that damage and distress will follow. Molehills are caused by a mole, or moles, digging feeding tunnels to catch food. The digging of these tunnels can affect many areas including gardens, lawns, flower beds, vegetable plots and surrounding areas damaging roots and plants in the process. The mole activity can last all year...
Read MoreMOLES AND THAT HOT SUMMER
What a summer! The weather has been very hot to say the least and many people have enjoyed the sun and reaped its benefits. Nature has had to adapt to the very dry conditions to preserve valuable moisture, none more so than the mole. A very hard-working animal that few have ever seen, but its results are everywhere – MOLEHILLS! As the ground dried out, these industrious creatures were forced to new areas to feed on their primary source of food, worms. Molehills started to appear everywhere very soon in the season as the heatwave took hold and the ground became parched. It is generally...
Read MoreMOLES AT LARGE!
The weather may be damp, cold, wet or warm, it does not matter to the mole, everywhere you look at the moment there is evidence that the mole has already been there! There has been a population explosion again with more to come and more and more areas are falling victim to this industrious creature causing damage, grief and possible expense. Molehills can be found just about anywhere, from grass roadside verges, paddocks, playing fields, golf courses, gardens, fields and even on roundabouts on busy roads. In towns including Ferndown, West Moors, Verwood, Christchurch and in the centre of...
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