Wildlife Management

Mole Control, Rabbit Control and Squirrel Control

Wildlife management seeks to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people.  We have all experienced seeing squirrels or wood pigeons feeding from a bird table but all too often these beautiful animals will find their way into houses causing a nuisance and damage for the homeowner.  Employing a professional pest controller will ensure an efficient removal of animal and proofing to stop further ingress and damage to property.

We all enjoy a nice lawn however it can sometimes be spoilt by moles going about their business, creating feed runs and pushing up the excess soil to create mole hills in your garden.  These can be removed again with the help of a professional pest controller.

Mole Control

A mole looks very distinctive, if you can see one. It has a rounded body, velvety, grey-black fur, spade-like front claws, a short, furry tail, tiny eyes and a pink, pointed snout. They are found throughout mainland Britain, but not Ireland, wherever the soil is deep enough for tunnelling.

Moles are often considered pests by gardeners and farmers. They live underground, tunnelling up to 20m a day and leaving characteristic mounds of earth on the surface – molehills. They also dig out large chambers, which they line with dry grass for resting. Once made, mole tunnels are often used by several generations.

Moles are solitary creatures, except during the breeding season. After mating the female gives birth to a litter of up to five young during the summer.

Rabbit Control

The rabbit is found throughout most of Western Europe. They are not native to Britain as they were introduced by the Normans in the 12th century for their, then much-prized, fur and meat. It is now widespread in habitats which provide suitable vegetation for grazing and well drained ground for burrowing, or other suitable harbourage.

It lives communally with other rabbits, usually in a system of burrows, known as a warren. Some or all of the entrances may be hidden away in dense vegetation. Rabbits will also live under sheds, amongst rubble and in piles of dead tree roots and branches.

Females born early in the year may start to breed at 3-4 months. The gestation period is 28-30 days, with an average of 5 young per litter and females may produce 4-5 litters per year.

Damage from rabbits can result from both digging and feeding activities. In extreme cases of damage from digging, rabbit burrows can undermine embankments and structures resulting in collapse. More commonly, burrows and scrapes damage the surface of high quality amenity grasslands such as golf courses, bowling greens and cricket pitches.

Grey Squirrel Control

The grey squirrel was deliberately introduced to Britain from North America on several occasions between 1876 and 1929. Since then it has spread throughout most of mainland England and Wales, though it is still absent from much of Scotland and from offshore islands including the Isle of Wight.

It is mainly a resident of broadleaved and mixed broadleaved/conifer woodland but is also found in copses and hedgerows. It is a common resident of urban areas where it lives in parks and gardens wherever there are trees.

There are two breeding seasons in a year. The first litters are born in February and March after a gestation period of 45 days. The young are weaned at 10 weeks old. Second litters are born in June and July leaving the nest in August and September. Litters average 3 to 4 young.