A little bit about Moles.
The European Mole, Talpa Europaea, is a mammal of the order Soricomorpha, It is also known as the Common Mole and the Northern Mole.
This mole lives in an underground tunnel system, which it constantly extends, the tunnels branches can extend upto 20 or 30 metres and form a network of main and feeding tunnels. It uses these tunnels to hunt its prey.
The mole can create around 20-30 metres of new feeding branches per day and once excavated may never use them again!
Under normal conditions the displaced earth is pushed to the surface, resulting in the
characteristic molehills that can quickly dominate a garden.
It feeds mainly on earthworms, but also on insects, centipedes and even mice and shrews. Its saliva contains toxins which paralyze earthworms and moles use this to store their food.
It has a cylindrical body and is around 12 cm (5 inches) long.
Females are typically smaller than males.
The eyes are small and hidden behind fur, while the ears are just small ridges in the skin.
The fur is usually dark grey, but the actual range of colors is larger, as due to the subterranean habits there is no disadvantage in having off-coloured fur. European moles with white, light grey, tan, taupe, and black fur have all been reported.
The mole has an extremly high metabloism and therefore needs to eat on a regular basis, the mole will start to perish if it does not feed within a 4 hour period, its typical day rotates
around sleeping and eating over this 4 hour rotation.
This mole lives in an underground tunnel system, which it constantly extends, the tunnels branches can extend upto 20 or 30 metres and form a network of main and feeding tunnels. It uses these tunnels to hunt its prey.
The mole can create around 20-30 metres of new feeding branches per day and once excavated may never use them again!
Under normal conditions the displaced earth is pushed to the surface, resulting in the
characteristic molehills that can quickly dominate a garden.
It feeds mainly on earthworms, but also on insects, centipedes and even mice and shrews. Its saliva contains toxins which paralyze earthworms and moles use this to store their food.
It has a cylindrical body and is around 12 cm (5 inches) long.
Females are typically smaller than males.
The eyes are small and hidden behind fur, while the ears are just small ridges in the skin.
The fur is usually dark grey, but the actual range of colors is larger, as due to the subterranean habits there is no disadvantage in having off-coloured fur. European moles with white, light grey, tan, taupe, and black fur have all been reported.
The mole has an extremly high metabloism and therefore needs to eat on a regular basis, the mole will start to perish if it does not feed within a 4 hour period, its typical day rotates
around sleeping and eating over this 4 hour rotation.
Traditional trapping.
Acti-Mole utilises traditional traps to ensure a quick and efficient kill.
Various trapping methods are used depending on the location, however the common goal is always to quickly eradicate the moles as painlessly as possible leaving no pollution to the environment.
Traditional trapping is also the only mole control method approoved by the british tradional mole catchers register.
Various trapping methods are used depending on the location, however the common goal is always to quickly eradicate the moles as painlessly as possible leaving no pollution to the environment.
Traditional trapping is also the only mole control method approoved by the british tradional mole catchers register.
Other methods and why they are ineffective.
Humane Trapping...
Moles can be caught with so called humane traps, these traps catch the mole inside a tube and hold it there until the trapper can collect the mole and release into a less sensitive environment.
The trouble with these humane traps is that in general they cause more suffering to the mole.
As mentioned above the mole must feed on a regular cycle approximately every 4 hours, therefore if the trap is not inspected on a 3-4 hour cycle the mole will start to dehydrate and starve resulting in death through starvation / dehydration in a matter of hours, this im sure all agree is not humane.
There is also some debate upon the release as generally when released the mole will perish due to lack of food, predators or fighting with other moles making the release against the law according to the release of wild animals act.
Poisons...
These were effective however Europe banned the use of strychnine hydrochloride in 2006, on the grounds that it is unsafe for wildlife and causes the moles unnecessary suffering.
There are poisons available on line, most are illegal in the UK and can also have severe side effects to pets, children and other animals should they dig in a poisoned area and ingest the poison so extreme caution should be always be used and for this reason is why Acti-Moles will NEVER use posisons or chemicals.
Vibrating Posts & Windmills....
I can answer this one very simply, how many mole hills do you see near a road - lots!.
Some homes claim initial success with these however the mole quickly gets used to the noise and happily builds new tunnels next to the device.
Smoke Bombs...
These work by covering the feeding area in smoke and chemical which makes the food unappealing to the mole. Unfortunately they only cover a localised area, ware off quickly and have limited effect as the mole simply creates new feeding tunnels.
Flooding or smoking out...
The mole network spans an incredible distance, when the hole is flooded (as with heavy rain), the mole will simply move to higher ground, you may catch the nest during the breeding season however this is quite a cruel control method and generally has little effect.
Moles can be caught with so called humane traps, these traps catch the mole inside a tube and hold it there until the trapper can collect the mole and release into a less sensitive environment.
The trouble with these humane traps is that in general they cause more suffering to the mole.
As mentioned above the mole must feed on a regular cycle approximately every 4 hours, therefore if the trap is not inspected on a 3-4 hour cycle the mole will start to dehydrate and starve resulting in death through starvation / dehydration in a matter of hours, this im sure all agree is not humane.
There is also some debate upon the release as generally when released the mole will perish due to lack of food, predators or fighting with other moles making the release against the law according to the release of wild animals act.
Poisons...
These were effective however Europe banned the use of strychnine hydrochloride in 2006, on the grounds that it is unsafe for wildlife and causes the moles unnecessary suffering.
There are poisons available on line, most are illegal in the UK and can also have severe side effects to pets, children and other animals should they dig in a poisoned area and ingest the poison so extreme caution should be always be used and for this reason is why Acti-Moles will NEVER use posisons or chemicals.
Vibrating Posts & Windmills....
I can answer this one very simply, how many mole hills do you see near a road - lots!.
Some homes claim initial success with these however the mole quickly gets used to the noise and happily builds new tunnels next to the device.
Smoke Bombs...
These work by covering the feeding area in smoke and chemical which makes the food unappealing to the mole. Unfortunately they only cover a localised area, ware off quickly and have limited effect as the mole simply creates new feeding tunnels.
Flooding or smoking out...
The mole network spans an incredible distance, when the hole is flooded (as with heavy rain), the mole will simply move to higher ground, you may catch the nest during the breeding season however this is quite a cruel control method and generally has little effect.