The Common Mole

When you think of a mole, the image that comes to mind may be the timid, waist coated character in Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willow. Or you may view them as a garden pest that leaves mounds of earth on your lawn. What else do we know about these small creatures?

We rarely see moles in their natural habitat as they spend all their time underground. Yet, despite this, most people know what they look like. They are around 15cm long, although made slightly longer by their short tail. They are stocky, with wedge-like bodies which are covered with black velvety fur that helps them to move easily through soil. They have tiny eyes and a long pink nose. The downward position of their nose and mouth naturally protects them from debris as they tunnel. And probably most distinctively, they have large spade-like paws, perfect for digging.

Moles live around 3-4 years and are solitary creatures for most of the year, occupying exclusive territories until mating season. Their territories consist of complex systems of deep burrows, forming networks of tunnels often hundreds of metres long. They can dig up to 20 metres of tunnel per day, an impressive 133 times their body length.

Although seen as a pest, the common mole provides a good service: as they dig through the soil they aerate it, making it healthier. This in turn allows more plants to grow, feeding more insects and benefiting everything higher up the food chain. Also, tunnelling improves soil drainage, helping to stop flooding and the formation of large puddles.

A mole’s favourite meal is juicy earthworms but they also eat other underground grubs. These grubs often feed on crops and by predating them, moles offer a form of pest control, helping to keep unwanted visitors at bay. Their main predators are tawny owls and buzzards, as well as the additional threat from cats, dogs and humans. And even though molehills aren’t an attractive feature, I am always heartened to see them – knowing that one of our native species is living just under our feet!

Moles are widespread and common in Cumbria. They are found wherever the soil is deep enough to construct their tunnels and can even occur up to 600m up on the Pennine hills, where suitable soils conditions are found in the limestone grassland. However, tarmacking and increasing numbers of hard surfaced gardens mean that moles are being pushed out of their natural habitats.

Let’s learn to live alongside this small mammal, despite the nuisance it causes – why not help ‘green up the grey’ by making your garden a home for wildlife? For ideas go to https:// www.cumbriawildlifetrust. org.uk/wildlife/help-wildlife/ wildlife-gardening

Katie Douglass

Did you know:

In medieval times the mole was called a moldewarp, meaning earth thrower. You may remember that's the name of the mole in the classic children’s book The Tales of Little Grey Rabbit by Alison Uttley.

Moles are closely related to hedgehogs and shrews. Some small mammals, like moles and shrews, can shrink themselves during cold weather! The process, called Dehnel's phenomenon, sees them shrinking their bones and organs to become up to 11% smaller. Scientists think they do this to save energy, which helps them to endure the cold and gives them a better chance of survival.