Mole

A small earth dwelling mammal, having velvety black fur and a pink coloured nose. Adults are typically about 140mm in length. Moles can be a significant pest of turf surfaces, due to their tunnelling activity and pushing up of soil to form soil hills or mounds: these are commonly referred to as mole hills.

This undesirable activity causes a number of issues; including: Surface unevenness, which can seriously affect the playability of an area; Turf being smothered, which will kill off grass if the hills are not cleared or dispersed frequently enough; Stones being brought to the surface, causing potential damage to mowers; and more.

Other issues with moles include, a reduction in the rooting system (as tunnels interfere with root continuity), and this will subsequently affect drought resistance and the ability of the turf to withstand wear; Weed seeds can be brought to the surface; And Unsafe surfaces are frequently produced, causing potentially serious injury to users, with foot trips, twisted ankles and falls being the main cause of concern.

Moles might be able to be controlled in a number of ways.

1. Trapping.
2. The use of approved poisons.
3. Fumigation.
4. Repellents, which may include natural odours; or short-term physical barriers such as brambles; or even ultrasonic devices, although the success of these is doubtful.
5. Long-term Physical barriers such as a wire mesh fence dug 1-m into the ground.
6. Habitat manipulation by reducing the earthworm population.

The typical lifecycle of a mole is as follows: They will mate during the spring, in March or April. The young will be born in May or June, typically with a litter consisting of 3 or 4 moles. The average lifespan of a mole is about 3 years. Moles are active during both the day and night, with a typical cycle being 4.5 hours of activity followed by 3.5 hours of rest. Their main diet is earthworms, however, beetles, centipedes and similar will also be consumed, whilst they may be active over a range from a few gardens, up to about 1.5 hectares. The scientific name for the Mole is Talpa europaea.