Moles
The facts
That the mole is a common British mammal which can be a significant nuisance; it has a thick, black velvety coat. Spade-like forelimbs, small with a pointed pink fleshy snout. It has large digging forepaws and very small eyes. Head/body length: 113-159mm. Tail: 25-40mm. Diet includes worms, insect larvae, beetles, slugs and other invertebrates. Active day and night throughout the year. There main source of food is earthworms and can produce up to three or four young in the spring which then disperse generally in mid summer to establish there own territory.
Where do Moles live?
Moles can habitat anywhere where there is sufficient depth of well-drained top soil to allow tunneling, but are commonest in fertile grassland and deciduous woodland. – And organic gardens where there are high populations of earthworms! They generally live alone in extensive tunnel systems covering an area of 0.1 to 1.6ha (1/4-4 acres) and spend nearly all there lives underground.
Why keep Moles under control?
Moles can produce a considerable number of molehills digging at speeds of 4 meters per hour constructing very large mounds containing more than 750kg of soil, causing significant damage to agricultural land, gardens, golf courses and other grassland areas. Also there is a risk of damaging grass cutting machinery. Mole runs may disturb roots and adversely affect plant growth.
Prevention & Control
Little can be done to prevent moles from entering your land all that can be done is to eradicate the problem at first sight before they establish and breed causing a considerable amount of damage. Trapping or gas is the most communally used products on the market today, trapping is best carried out between October and April, and this is when molehills are most noticeable. There are two formulation of fumigant aluminum phosphine, Phostoxin consists of a 3g tablet, whilst Talunex is in a form of a 0.6g pellet. The pellets are placed in mole runs gas is then given off when the tablet or pellet is exposed to moisture in the soil.
Treatment
Contact Paramite Pest Solutions if you suspect you may have a problem and we can advise you on the best course of action. A visit by our pest control officer can be arranged. He will carry out a survey and suggest which method (trapping or gas) will be used to eradicate the problem. You will be advised on the type and action to take in a case of an accident. Paramite Pest Solutions will take all possible precautions in the placing of traps and gas. Revisits will be made until the problem is cleared.