The cylindrical body covered with dense dark brown hairs of the mole measures on average about ten centimeters for a weight around 100 grams.
It moves with its four legs, the front two of which have five fingers with claws that allow it to dig underground galleries.
Its small black eyes only allow it to distinguish the level of luminosity, contrary to the very fine sense of smell of its long snout and also very developed hearing.
Solitary, it feeds mainly on earthworms.
Its estimated life expectancy between 5 and 20 years.
Are moles harmful?
Negative.
They have a role of help for the gardener because by moving the earth, they help its drainage and its aeration.
Their presence is synonymous with good quality soil.
They also have a reputation for eating insects such as worms, slugs, larvae, centipedes or field mice, which can cause damage to plantations.
But also mice and snakes.
On the other hand, their molehills, dug with the claws at the end of their front legs, can cause damage to the lawn.
These holes do not facilitate the task of the expert when mowing the lawn due to the presence of numerous mounds of fresh earth (up to twenty a day) formed after the passage of the mammal which evacuates the surplus to dig the galleries.
Their passage can also cut the roots and therefore a fortiori the crops.
Trick
Mounds bring up deeper soil that can be used with potting soil for better fertilization.
Read alsoHow to get rid of rats in the garden?
What attracts moles to the garden?
Moles like soil that is slightly moist and not too compact to be able to dig its habitat discreetly.
They choose a soil likely to satiate its important insectivorous appetite such as worms, cockchafers, mealybugs, larvae.
Read the filePests, insects in the garden: all our tips for getting rid of them
How to get rid of moles?
It is possible to install harmless and natural traps to capture them and release them in another place, far from your home.
You can also call on a professional to find the most suitable solution for the situation.
How to repel moles without killing them?
It is quite possible to repel moles by planting plants that will not please their sense of smell, such as onions, garlic, elderberry branches or even fragrant daffodil or hyacinth bulbs, liquid manure or castor bean.
Pets are also very effective in keeping moles away from your garden.
Indeed, dog hair deposited on the path of underground galleries can repel undesirables.
The presence of a cat can also make them flee so as not to be captured by this predator.
So that they do not attack your harvest in the vegetable garden, you can install a grid planted at about forty depths and installed around your fruits and vegetables to block access.
You can also install ultrasonic devices to divert them from their path and dig elsewhere.
The vibrations of certain devices such as the mower can have a repulsive effect.
For a lower cost but with as much effectiveness, you can place in one of the underground galleries, a plastic bottle, with the neck downwards, on a metal rod, so that at the slightest draft of air the first knocks on the second and the sound drives the mammal away.
