Moles and molehills: identifying them

What a mole looks like

The European mole is a small, stocky mammal, about 15 cm long. Its fur is dense and blackish-brown, its front paws are broad and made for digging, and its eyes are tiny. Most people never see one above ground, because it spends nearly all its life in tunnels.

Moles are carnivores. They eat earthworms and other soil invertebrates, not plant roots, bulbs or seeds. That matters, because it changes what you do about them and what the damage actually is. The Royal Horticultural Society describes them this way, and it is worth repeating because many gardeners believe otherwise.

The signs: molehills and runs

A molehill is a mound of fresh, fine, crumbly soil pushed up from a tunnel below. It is usually a neat cone, and it sits over the run. There is no open hole in the middle of the mound.

You may also see:

• A line of hills along a path of runs
• Raised, soft ridges across the lawn where a tunnel is just under the turf
• Soil on top of paths, borders or the grass edge
• Patches of lawn that sag when you walk on them

One territorial mole often makes all the hills in a garden. So a dozen hills do not mean a dozen moles. A single animal digs deeper runs and pushes the soil up through shafts.

What else makes mounds

Several things are mistaken for molehills. Check the shape and the soil before you act.

• Worm casts are tiny coils of soil, much smaller than a molehill.
• Ant hills are small mounds of fine soil with visible ants and often a tiny entrance hole.
• Voles and rabbits leave workings of their own. A rabbit scrape has an open hole, unlike a mole hill.

These lookalike checks are judgement rather than a test. If a hill sits over a tunnel, is made of fresh soil and has no hole in the middle, it is most likely a mole. If you are unsure, a mole catcher can confirm it at the survey stage and tell you if it is another animal.

When moles are active

RHS says activity is usually greatest in late winter and early spring. Mating takes place in March and April. Most litters arrive at the end of April or in May, and the young leave their burrows by late June. In summer moles dig shallower, probably because the soil is harder, so you may see fewer hills even if the mole is still there.

Catchers usually work all year round. Many tend to be busiest in autumn and spring.

Are moles protected, and what next

Moles are not a protected species and may be controlled. You still must use lawful methods and avoid cruelty. If you have confirmed a mole and want it gone, read how a mole catcher works and what to ask. To try your own approach first, see the guide to getting rid of moles. For prices, see what mole catching costs.