Allotments 4 All
Produce => Wildlife forum => Topic started by: Mrs Ava on October 14, 2003, 02:10:19
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Today at the plottie I ventured down to the stream to check everything was okay, and I noticed a wee burrow in the edge of the path. Only a small hole, couple of inches across I guess, going into the soil at an angle, not straight down. So, what could it be? A mole? A mousey? A water rat? We do have moles, apparently but I didn't think you could actually see their holes as they were under the wee mounds of earth. Any ideas ???
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I've got the same and I think they're mice.
They're no problem as yet but I'm might have to set some live traps and relocate them if they start eating my produce.
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MOLE, do'nt mention moles >:( i've got them in the lottie big as elephants, they shift 2 ton of soil with one hand.
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I have them too on mine! Wish they would dig in the weedy areas and not under my chard, several of which look like they are growing on a mountain top!
Dotty P.
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I recently found some mounds on the little bit of land I've actually managed to clear - I have a feeling they be moles....any idea what to do about them? Don't want to resort to the Jasper Carrot idea of sitting and waiting for them in the dark and then shooting them with a 12 bore....
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Try mothballs by all accounts they dont like the smell
Teresa
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Hi Teresa - do I shove them down the mole holes, or just scatter them around?
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Hi mysticmog ...no what you do is find a comfee chair nearby.. wait until they poke their heads out of their wee hole and fire the mothballs with a catapult at them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drastic I know but it works for me. Alternativley, I do rent out "El Gringo". What's an El Gringo I hear you ask? Its my other half who has taken to sitting in the green house, cigar (f*g) in mouth, shotgun in hand waiting for the magpies and crows who savage our blue tits and other garden birds... He comes very cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Another Folkthingy. One writes a very polite letter to the moles suggesting that the grass is greener, or in their cames the worms are juicier somewhere else and ask them to cease their diggings in your land and go elsewhere. Say thank-you. Then post the letter in one of the runs where the mole can read it. This works for mice and groundhogs according to believers.
Otherwise you pour some of that urine you have been saving for the compost heap down a run. Not down a hill, but dig between two mounds to find a run.
Or you could soak rags in Renardine and push them into the runs.
Or you could treat yourself to a mole trap and kill the blighters.
Did you know that they killed one king of England and countless horses?
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Oh Eric you make me laugh, urine well perhaps keep it for a couple of days for the smell to develop.
Mothballs down the holes, jeyes fluid, even heard of milk bottles glass ones buried the wind will make them whistle even gunpowder and blow the devils up.
The choice is yours never had that problem but good luck.
Teresa
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You could even trap them with a live trap and then release them far away from your plot
http://www.thezapper.co.uk/acatalog/Pest_Control_Online_Garden_Protection_7.html
http://staging.globalgold.co.uk/thecargostore/public_html/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Traps_14.html
-BB
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With a live trap you may catch a mole their sence of smell is very good and with a trap it would have the smell of humans on it. Then if you catch it be carefull releasing it could give you a bite.
Teresa
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Thank you kindly to all suggestions - will try with mothballs and progress from there....will let you know the results. I feel just like a scientist!
M xx
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Just to report. When a series of mole hills appeared in the part of the garden previously soaked in 'grey water' 6 years ago, so I suppose it has worn off now, I wrote a polite letter suggesting that there were more worms and less broken glass in the field behind us and posted it in its run. Sadly either the mole is a product of modern education and has therefore never learnt to read or is a rude blighter and ignores polite requests. Well blow him/her I have resorted to violence and put in a trap. That'll learn it.
Eric
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Hi there everyone. I've defected from the Beeb as no doubt some of you have. Hope you don't mind me butting in but I've got a mole problem too.
I was told to flood their tunnels but they just went out and bought wet suits and slippers. Then I was told to shove pickled onions down the tunnels . When I did they decided to buy clothes pegs for their noses. Then the advice was to stick upturned plastic bottles in the hills with garden canes inside (they're not supposed to like the noise they make) well, you've guessed it, they bought ear muffs. The last suggestion was to 'talk' nicely to them and they would be very considerate and move elsewhere. Little devils wouldn't budge - they said their suitcases were too heavy with the wet suits, flippers etc!!
My neighbours think I'm mad (I don't know why). If I start firing mothballs at them now with a catapult they'll have me committed.
I'm not really mad you know - gibber, gibber, drool, drool, mutter, mutter.
Bye for now, Eileen.
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Eric, you've reminded me that a friend always talked politely to ants, asking them to please move away, when they invaded his kitchen in Wenlock....I was there when, bizarrely, they came, he talked....and they did
Ants would come into our sitting room in Glos. & I'd keep a glass of sherry on the table just for them...think they must have been blind drunk by the time they staggered out, cos they never went to anything else lying around.
(Nothing at all to do with moles, of course ;D ;D ;D) - Lish
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Hi Eileen lovely to hear from you :D.Yes most of us are here now much more interesting you are in time for the pantomime :D ::) dont know which one we are doing yet .Have a hugh party on the lawn that will shift the moles!!! ;Dspeak soon Rosebud. :) ;) :D
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My blinking moles have learnt to push soil into the trap so that it will not trigger, then they go about their business which at the moment seems to consist of digging up the thousands of snowdrops we re-planted and messing up the variegated Arums and spoiling the nice bark mulch. They will not survive for long. By the way new rubber gloves hides the smell of humans when setting the trap. Grrrr.
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Beware of the soil that Moles dig up I'm sure someone caught a skin disease off of it.Or was that another old wives tale .