The European Mole (Talpa europaea) is a mammal of the order Soricomorpha. It is also known as the Common Mole.
Species: T. europaea
Like most pest species found throughout the UK the mole when in a place which causes no damage to property, or nuisance to us humans ceases to be a pest and is best left to get on with its daily business. However when they start to dig up our lawns, Paddocks, golf courses, sport fields or gardens then moles can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage and create unnecessary work for green keepers and gardeners alike.
What does a mole look like? Moles have cylindrical bodies with a short hairy tail, they average approximately 5 inches in length, females tend to be a little smaller than the males. They have shovel like front paws with large claws, the palms are turned slightly outwards and are ideally suited to their subterranean lifestyle, their eyes are very small and hidden behind fur, many people believe moles to be blind this is not the case, they can see movement and can tell light from dark but it is the moles nose, which provides most of its sensory information. The moles ears are not like ears at all but are small bumps in the skin this prevents them from filling with soil while tunnelling. The fur of a mole is usually dark grey to black, but the actual range of colours can vary from light grey, tan and even white. The hairs of a mole grow perpendicular to the skin, enabling the animal to advance or retreat in their tunnels without their fur rubbing the wrong way.
Mole Reproduction: With the onset of the breeding season which runs from February to June the males go in search of a mate, tunnelling over large areas to find a female. A litter of 3 or 4 naked babies are born in the spring. Their fur starts to grow at 14 days, eyes open at 22 days and they are weaned at 4-5 weeks by around five weeks old they are completely self-sufficient and are driven from their home territory by their mother, the young moles leave their parents' tunnel systems and either take over old systems or establish new ones.