Overnight, five mounds of very fine soil have appeared in our back garden, one on the edge of the lawn, the others on top of 40mm slate ( 25 mm or so deep) which borders the lawn. Our garden backs onto open fields, in which we have seen mole hills in the past, but nothing now: we would easily recognise a mole hill, as there are many in our village.
The first mound was semi circular, probably 50mm in depth and 20 cms at the widest point. I thought it may have been the tunnelling of a rat (we have had problems from Roland before, from time to time) but there was no hole beneath the mound.
The other mounds were on the slate, varying in height but no more than 75mm, and 10 cms wide, by the side of ceramic plant pots but again, no holes and no disturbance of the slates themselves.
We have seen ants in the garden, but would be amazed if single ants were responsible for carrying the individual soil grains to make mounds of the sizes described in so short a time, as they were not there yesterday; unfortunately, I did not photograph them prior to removal.
I would very much appreciate advice on this puzzling situation.
Hi @Lyn , yes l saw that, so thought l would tag them in my reply. Sometimes these things get missed if an old thread is resurrected, and this question was posted on the 19th. I was hoping that if it had happened again since then, there might be some photographic evidence If it's not moles causing the problem l don't know what it could be.
Scoop up or sweep away the soil mounds and if there's a hole in the ground when they're cleared you have a mole.
We have moles here and different soils across the garden so sometimes the molehill will be mis-shapen and sometimes they make a really small hill or just a dribble of soil above ground as they make a new tunnel then they come back thru a day later and it grows and if we don't clean it up we end up with something really high and wide.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Thank you. I have posted recent photographs, #1 was taken today, #3 yesterday, and the others show the stones brought to the surface. After very careful removal of the soil mounds yesterday and today, there was no sign, again, of any hole or tunnel, but think it most unlikely that ants are the cause. The new mounds were only at the edge of the lawn on these occasions, nothing in the slate- covered borders.
Having read more on Google about moles and their habits, we suspect that Moley is the most likely villain, but as the breeding season is apparently coming to an end soon, we hope that the amorous male will choose another pasture, and not spoil the lawn itself.
Obviously, another inspection will be carried out tomorrow morning.
Moles do throw out stones. It's not just amorous males that make the tunnels and molehills. Females go looking for mates too and, when old enough to leave mum, the youngsters all tunnel off to find their own territories.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
I would very much appreciate advice on this puzzling situation.
Some photos might help
Sometimes these things get missed if an old thread is resurrected, and this question was posted on the 19th. I was hoping that if it had happened again since then, there might be some photographic evidence
If it's not moles causing the problem l don't know what it could be.
Having read more on Google about moles and their habits, we suspect that Moley is the most likely villain, but as the breeding season is apparently coming to an end soon, we hope that the amorous male will choose another pasture, and not spoil the lawn itself.
Thank you. Today’s photos show a smaller mound, with fewer stones. It will be removed, as before, and another check made tomorrow.