Moles

The presence of ridges or small mounds of soil on the surface of lawns or gardens indicate moles are active in the area. Moles establish extensive tunnel systems to find food. They prefer moist soils. Moles mainly eat earthworms and white grubs; they will also eat beetles, spiders, and other insects that venture into their underground tunnels. They seldom feed on plant material. Lawn irrigation systems create a consistently moist, loose soil surface. This results in easy conditions and ample food for moles. They have main thorough fares that they utilize everyday to get around on a daily basis. Other areas that have a “squiggly” appearance are considered “feeding” areas, which are rarely revisited by the mole. Properly identifying the “active” tunnels is essential for either trapping or baiting unwanted moles.

The most important type of damage is due to molehills, which are not only unsightly on amenity and sporting grassland but result in unevenness of the surface and deterioration by providing a seed bed for weeds. They are particularly unwelcome on the expensive turf of golf greens and bowling greens.

 In agriculture the inclusion of soil from mole hills in silage grass can result in spoilt, unpalatable silage and it is a possible source of the disease Listeriosis in sheep fed on silage.

 Damage also occurs where moles burrow under seedlings and plants, resulting in wilting and death. Mole hills can also cause damage to moving machinery.

Description.

The cylindrical body is 12-16 cm long from nose to tip of tail and weighs 70-110 gms. There is very little external difference between the sexes. The mole is covered with black velvety hair which can set in any direction. It is well adapted for burrowing with large spade-like forefeet turned permanently outwards for digging. The eyes are very small and hidden among the fur, but well capable of detecting light. There are no external earflaps. The senses of touch and hearing are well developed but smell and sight are less important.