Molecatcher

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A captured mole Maulwurf gefangen2007.jpg
A captured mole

A molecatcher is a person who traps or kills moles in places where they are considered a nuisance to crops, lawns, sportsfields or gardens.

Contents

History of molecatching

Roman times

A mole trap Op scherp staande mollenklem.jpg
A mole trap

Excavations of ancient Roman sites have revealed earthenware pots that had been set in the ground. The pots were filled with water, and acted as traps for moles. [1]

Traditional molecatchers

Many early molecatchers set out snares for the moles, taking care to remove human scent from the loops. [2] Over time, traps used to catch and kill moles became more advanced and complicated, incorporating weighted wood or cast iron, and eventually sprung steel. [2]

A mole killed by a spring trap Mol (Talpa europaea) 03.JPG
A mole killed by a spring trap

Some itinerant molecatchers travelled from farm to farm. The molecatcher's customers would provide food and lodging, as well as a fee for every mole caught. The molecatcher could also earn additional money by selling the moleskins to furriers. [3] [4]

Modern molecatching

In more recent times, traditional molecatching has given way to the use of poison. [5] [6] Poison resulted in moles dying much more quickly and in greater numbers. For some time, strychnine was used to kill moles; its purchase was cheaper than paying molecatchers, [7] but sometimes other animals that shared the environment or interacted with moles were accidentally poisoned as well. [5]

Repellents, including sonic devices, holly leaves, moth balls, garlic and castor oil have not proven successful in preventing damage caused by moles. [8]

In the United Kingdom

The value of moleskins was subject to the vagaries of fashion. In 1903, a furrier in Leicester was offering £1 per hundred, in 1926, the price was 12s 6d (62.5p) per dozen. By the 1930s, only a few pence per skin was being paid. Some molecatchers were full time. In 1875, the town of Out Rawcliffe was advertising for a molecatcher for a term of fourteen years. In Windsor Great Park the molecatcher was said to receive £1 per week in 1910. In 2002, Victor Williamson, the molecatcher for the Sandringham, received a Royal Warrant. [9] Following the withdrawal of the poison from the market in 2006, the use of strychnine is no longer an approved method of control in the UK. [8] Fumigation with products based on aluminium phosphide (Trade names 'Talunex' and 'Phostoxin') is still an approved method of control, but may be carried out only by fully trained operatives. [8]

Dead moles traditionally hung on a fence after being caught. Dead moles on display hung on a fence.jpg
Dead moles traditionally hung on a fence after being caught.

Since the removal of strychnine from the UK market, there has been a revival of traditional molecatching methods in Britain. [8] Modern traditional mole catchers use traps, and usually charge a 'per-mole' fee, as their predecessors often did. The price charged reflects the fact that there is no longer a market for moleskins.

References

  1. ↑ Jeff Nicholls (2006). Molecatcher: A Guide to Traditional Molecatching Methods. Troubador Publishing Ltd. pp. 3–. ISBN   978-1-905237-76-0.
  2. 1 2 Thomas Hennell (2 February 2012). Change in the Farm. Cambridge University Press. pp. 201–. ISBN   978-1-107-65140-1.
  3. ↑ Henry Tegner (November 1972). Natural history in Northumberland and Durham. Graham. p. 150. ISBN   9780902833128.
  4. ↑ Monger, Garry (2021). "Fenland Mole-catchers". The Fens. 38: 20.
  5. 1 2 W. Carnegie (16 April 2013). Practical Trapping - A Description Of The Methods In Vogue For The Destruction Of Vermin. Read Books Limited. pp. 60–. ISBN   978-1-4474-9234-4.
  6. ↑ Graham Rose (1989). The Traditional Garden Book. Greenhouse. p. 80. ISBN   978-0-86436-263-6.
  7. ↑ Jeff Nicholls (1 October 2012). Mole Catching: A Practical Guide. Crowood. pp. 25–. ISBN   978-1-84797-470-9.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Frances Hubbard (18 April 2015). "Louise used to be a drama teacher. Now she kills moles". The Telegraph.
  9. ↑ Monger, Garry (2021). "Fenland Mole-catchers". The Fens. 38. Natasha Shiels: 20.

Bibliography

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