Plenty of people have never actually seen a mole, and that is because moles spend almost their whole lives underground. They are small animals, growing to between 11cm and 16cm, with tiny eyes and poor eyesight. None of that stops them being one of the more troublesome garden pests in Britain.
What moles lack in vision they make up for underground. They navigate their tunnel networks with ease, finding food and water without trouble. For most of the year they keep to themselves and prefer their own company, but they do seek out a mate during the breeding season, which runs from February to June.
Why moles dig and how molehills form
Like all burrowing animals, moles dig every single day. As a mole tunnels just below the surface of a lawn or flower bed, it pushes the excess soil up and out, and the little mounds this creates are the molehills you see on the grass. The tunnels themselves are temporary, dug mainly to reach earthworms and other insects.
Moles are fiercely territorial, so a garden full of molehills is usually the work of a single mole rather than a colony. One animal can dig an extensive network in its hunt for food. They are most active between early winter and spring, which is when most people start noticing molehills appear.
The damage moles cause
Moles might look harmless, even endearing, but they can do real harm to a garden. They feed on earthworms, which are vital to healthy soil, and as they tunnel they disturb the roots of small plants and seedlings. The molehills themselves are unsightly and have to be cleared before you can mow.
The bigger problem is what the tunnelling does beneath the surface. As the network spreads, it makes the ground unstable across your garden and around your home, leaving ridges and depressions in the lawn. That makes mowing awkward and walking genuinely risky, turning a tidy lawn into a minor safety hazard.
Why flattening molehills does not work
Patting down a molehill gets rid of that one mound, but it does nothing about the mole. These are animals built to dig, and they will simply tunnel again and throw up fresh holes elsewhere in the garden. If moles have taken over your lawn, our team can help you bring the problem under control properly. We are open every day except Christmas Day, from early until late.