Creature Feature: March

MAD MARCH MOLES

A mound of crumbling soil, twitching, pulsating before me, I stand stock still and hold my breath in the hope of seeing a long pink nose, a face and a pair of shovelled hands arise from the dark beneath. But there's a pause in activity. Has the nose, that's due to surface, detected me instead of its' prime target - a female mole? I retreat and the activity resumes, but I can't quite see, so I move a bit closer and again it stops ...

You may well have noticed the sudden re-appearance of 'peak' molehill activity after a pause of several months. This is because it's around this time of year that moles mate and the males (boar) are desperately trying to detect a whiff of female pheromones. Unlike 'mad march hares', that can raise between 1-4 litters a year, female moles (sows) are only in oestrus once a year, and just for 24 hours, so the boars are extremely active, coming up to the surface to try and sniff them out!

Spending almost their entire lives in tunnels that they dig themselves, molehills are formed when they push loose soil up a shaft to the surface. Hence, 'Mouldiwarp', one of their more fascinating common names, which literally means 'earth thrower'. But once a mole has created its series of tunnels, to create a giant underground trap for invertebrates, there's very little visible activity on the surface. And having established its territory, it doesn't need to dig many more tunnels apart from when it's repairing or extending them due to a change in circumstances such as flooding, or searching for a mate.

After locating the sow and effectively 'breast-stroking' his way through the soil Adam Peaty-style towards her, the moles will mate in her burrow, then he'll leave and the female will be left to bring up their offspring, building a special chamber lined with dry grass and leaves. Her blind and naked litter of between 1-4 pups is usually born after 30 days. After 3 weeks they'll have fur and be able to see, but it will take another month or so before they are ready to stop suckling their mother's milk and travel 'overland' to search for new territories for themselves.

This may be your chance to see one, but they are also at their most vulnerable to predation - from stoats and weasels, birds of prey, foxes, cats and dogs. Another 'peak' of molehill formation later in the year will be due to the ones who have survived, creating their own tunnel system.

I believe Moles are the unsung heroes of our animal world. By digging up the earth they aerate the soil and make it healthier, their tunnels also improve soil drainage and alleviate flooding. They feed on species that damage crops and lawns (e.g. leatherjackets, slugs etc) and most of the textured soil pushed up into molehills is excellent for potting plants. Just like 'Mole' in 'Wind in the Willows' - they're underground dwellers who, this month, may be currently discovering the joys of life aboveground, albeit short-lived.

Let's not 'make mountains out of their molehills' but celebrate these dear little creatures instead, especially if they are 'popping up' in our vicinity. Their scarcity in some areas is often an indicator of poor soil health and may be a result of an absence of worms - such as on intensively farmed fields, land covered in pesticides and that which is already suffering from soil erosion and compaction. So, if one pop's up in your Stepford wives lawn, maybe it's time to celebrate the wildness. Crumble the earth on to your flower bed if you must, mow less, stop obsessively 'tidying' and you'll end up with a much healthier garden and be welcoming back more than just this fascinating creature!