British Mole Catchers Register

06/08/2026

DYK? One mole can dig up to 200 metres of tunnel in a single day.

Impressive, yes. But also a nightmare if it’s under your prize lawn...

If you need advice on mole control, you can find your local expert by visiting our FREE online directory:

https://www.britishmolecatchers.co.uk/find-a-molecatcher/

03/08/2026

What a delight it was on Friday 31st July 2026 to watch ‘Mole Man the Musical’ and meet Laura Harris, the creator and director, and the amazing cast.

Laura had contacted me two years ago to understand the mysterious world of mole. The interview she recorded then was used as evidence of why mole had committed the act of causing earth worms environment to collapse.

Very creative, professional, and fun production from the view of the earth worm’s environment in the subterranean world it shares with mole. If the show goes on tour, it’s a must see!

Read more about the production on my blog at https://www.ladymolecatcher.co.uk/laura-harris-the-makers-theatre-present-mole-man-the-musical/

03/08/2026

Scientists unearth another brain-shrinking mammal

In the depths of winter, European moles face an existential problem. Their metabolisms – close to the upper limit of any mammal – require more food than is available during the coldest months. Instead of solving this seasonal dilemma through migration or hibernation, moles have dug into an unusual energy-saving tactic: shrinking their brains. In a new study, a team led by Dina Dechmann from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior reports that European moles reduce their brains by eleven percent in time for winter, and regrow them by four percent by summer. They represent a new group of mammal known to reversibly shrink their brain through a process known as Dehnel’s phenomenon. But the study does more than add another species to the strange canon of brain-shrinking mammals – it gets at the evolutionary mystery of what drives them down this treacherous path. Comparing moles from different climates, the researchers find that Dehnel’s phenomenon is driven by cold conditions rather than food shortage alone. Reducing brain tissue allows the animals to reduce energy consumption and thus survive the cold.

Read more:

A study of moles reveals that cold weather – not lack of food – drives the rare phenomenon of reversible brain shrinkage in mammals

30/07/2026

DYK? A mole must eat around 70–100% of its body weight in food daily, mostly earthworms, grubs, and insects. They often keep "worm larders," storing paralyzed worms underground for leaner times.

They are also exceptional digging machines! A mole can dig up to 20 metres of new tunnel per day, using powerful forelimbs that are rotated outward like spades.

https://britishmolecatchers.co.uk

27/07/2026

More great work from a BMCR member - thanks for sharing, L.M.D Mole Catcher!

27/07/2026

It looked & acted like today’s moles – but this was the first: a Jurassic mammal built with supercharged digging arms for life beneath the dinosaurs

The skeleton was surrounded by a dark smudge that appeared to be the remnants of a fuzzy body. It was small enough to pop in your pocket. The head and shoulders were in profile, and it looked for all the world like a tiny Nosferatu tip-toeing across the stone with claws outstretched.

This was the Jurassic ‘mole’, Docofossor brachydactylus. Over 100 million years before today’s denizens of the underground, this little creature was the first mammal to fully adapt to life beneath the surface.

Read more:

The mole that sheds light on how mammals evolved...

23/07/2026

True albino moles are extremely rare and it has been suggested that they occur at a ratio of 1:100,000. The estimated population of moles in the UK is said to be 40 million - therefore the percentage of albino moles in a population of 40 million is 0.001%, which equates to 400 albino moles in the UK!

A true albino mole occurs due to a congenital lack of melanin which affects pigmentation - albino moles are pure white and have pink eyes.

A long held suspicion said that if a mole catcher caught an albino mole, the mole would foretell his own death....

Learn more at https://www.britishmolecatchers.co.uk/albino-moles/

20/07/2026

Football pitches 'like concrete' due to extreme heat, say clubs

Dry weather conditions are leaving football pitches "like concrete" - and could put players at increased risk of injury, Yorkshire clubs have warned.

They said pitches were left waterlogged in winter and then baked hard in summer, and called for more support from sports bodies.

A report by non-profit group Round Our Way, which examines the impact of climate change, said the cost of making pitches safer was putting "significant financial pressure" on grassroots clubs.

Read more:

Sun-baked sports pitches carry a greater risk of injury to players, experts say.

16/07/2026

The aims of the British Mole Catchers’ Register are:

✔️ To raise the profile of traditional British mole catching in order that the skill and expertise of members is recognised and respected.
✔️ To bring competent professional practice to the industry and to encourage excellence.
✔️ To promote traditional mole catching as an appropriate and sustainable profession.
✔️ To act as a vehicle to connect those who seek a reputable mole catcher with a local member.

(These aims will be renewed as required to reflect the industry demands and views of the members).

Learn more at https://www.britishmolecatchers.co.uk/aims-conduct-and-practice/

13/07/2026

'We're farming with the weather - always have done'

Across the UK, it's been a record-breaking period for heat, with red weather warnings issued in certain areas, and temperatures climbing to more than 36C (97F).

For some, the unbroken sunshine meant working from an air-conditioned office or staying home with the curtains drawn - but what happens when your livelihood is dependent on the weather, and your job requires you to be outdoors, come rain or shine?

Farmers share the challenges extreme heat and unpredictable weather patterns can present.