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Contact Information
Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council,
Town Hall, Coton Road,
Nuneaton, Warwickshire,
CV11 5AA
Town Hall, Coton Road,
Nuneaton, Warwickshire,
CV11 5AA
Tel: 024 7637 6376
Moles
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council does not provide a service for the control of moles, and therefore we recommend you contact a private pest controller if your property is affected. It is a specialist job to treat for moles, requiring specific knowledge in order to carry out the work safely and comply with legislative requirements.
Details of contractors can be obtained from the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) who can be contacted on 0870 609 2687 or alternatively visit their website at www.bpca.org.uk
The following advice may provide some assistance:
- Moles have silver-grey to black fur with a distinctive sheen and reach a length of six inches.
- Moles are solitary in their habits and live almost entirely underground in a tunnel system which may cover an area of 400-200 sq metres. The mole’s nest is formed below ground as an extension of one of these tunnels, separate from the workings.
- Moles may live three years, but a few individuals live longer.
- Moles are found wherever there are suitable soils for tunnelling, but they tend to avoid shallow or stony soil, waterlogged or very acid soil. They prefer to inhabit areas rich in insects and worms. They feed mainly on earthworms but also on various other invertebrates including slugs and insect larvae.
- The most obvious sign of the presence of moles is the appearance of mole hills on the surface of the ground. These consist of heaps of loose soil, usually sufficient in volume to fill a 5 litre bucket. The main way to check whether moles are still present in an area is to level the hills, e.g. by harrowing, and check after 2 to 3 days for formation of new hills.
- A large number of mole hills give the impression of many moles in an area, but often there is only one.
Prevention
Damage is due to mole hills, which are unsightly and result in unevenness of the surface. Because moles feed on earthworms, killing the worms in an area of turf will make it unattractive to moles. However, the turf will require additional maintenance e.g. aeration by spiking to replace the beneficial effects of earthworms and keep it in a healthy condition. Only products approved specifically for use as a lumbricide (earthworm killer) may be used for this purpose. Various repellent devices are marketed from time to time which are said to repel moles. Generally little confidence can be placed in their effectiveness.
Control
Many pest control companies provide a service for the treatment of moles if there is a significant problem - see above information.
