About Moles/Talks

Fun and Educational Talks
‘Tales of the Lady Mole Catcher’

I can visit your group or organisation and share my experience and knowledge of moles which are immensely fascinating creatures. My talks are informative and interesting and are sprinkled with amusing vignettes from Norfolk’s very own Lady Mole Catcher^®.

‘Deadliest Pests Down Under’

I was recently offered the amazing opportunity to travel to Australia to work with Australian pest controllers and appear in ‘Deadliest Pests Down Under’ currently featured on DAVE. If you would like to hear more about my adventure down under, Please get in touch.

Did you know?

Moles are fascinating, clever creatures. They have a magical quality about them because they rarely come above ground and therefore, you are very unlikely to ever see one. Here are some interesting facts about moles:

• The latin name for the Common or European Mole is Talpa europaea. They are reclusive creatures and have a life span of about 3 years, although they can live up to 5.
• Moles breed once a year in March. Female moles come into oestrus for only 24 hours, once a year. Around the beginning of March, male moles become active and come to the surface to try and sniff out a female mate, through the pheromones she releases. When Mr Mole finds Ms Mole, she will allow him to mate with her and then, virtually bats him about the head to get him out of her run. Does that sound familiar?
• A mole litter will consist of an average of 4, although they can have up to 7 as the female has 7 teats. They produce their young only once a year. This highly differs from one year’s breeding of rabbits which can be up to 80, rats up to 800, grey squirrels up to 7 and mice up to 2800 young ones!
• We sometimes hear people say to, ‘talk about making a mountain out of a molehill’. Moles are super diggers and can move 540 times their own body weight in earth each day. This makes them the ultimate digging machine, as they create a labyrinth of run systems under the ground. How amazing is that?
• Moles are the only mammal that spend most of their lives under the ground. It is a myth that they are blind, they are not. Although their vision is very poor, because they spend their lives in the dark, they are sensitive to, and can detect light.
• They do not have external ears, but ‘hear’ through sound travelling down their nose, into internal ears, which are situated above each shoulder. The group of cell bundles in their nose, which enables this is called the Eimer’s organ. The mole has sensory hairs on the side of it’s paws in order to feel, and hair on it’s tail, which acts as a feeler gauge, for the top and sides of the tunnel. Rather like the pole mounted contact gauge, on the back of a bumper car.
• Worms are the principle diet of the mole which makes them insectivores. They have to eat around 20 worms per day, which is equal to half their body weight, in order to survive. They will also eat larvae and grubs in the summer months. They are most active in the autumn and winter because they have to retain their own body weight and temperature.

Who I can educate, or talk to:

• Schools/colleges
• Networking groups
• Groups/organisations
• After dinner speaking

I hope you have read my page about moles and tried the fun quiz. You will have read some interesting, but basic facts about moles. However, there is much much more about the mole that is endlessly fascinating. If your group or organisation would like to know more from Norfolk’s very own Lady Mole Catcher^®, please call Louise on 01603 25 99 45 or 07876 14 11 53 or email louise@ladymolecatcher.co.uk