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Emery Davis · 10-01-2008, 09:29 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 14:19:09 -0800 (PST)
wrote:

On 9 Jan, 21:08, David in Normandy wrote:
Thanks. I'll google on the revised spelling.
Maybe it only deters French moles?

In Normandie don't they call them 'campagnoles' instead of 'taupes'?
It's so cute ...!!

Sorry, not so. Un campagnol is what we know as a vole, I believe. Anyway
the cat catches many, and the do quite a bit of lawn damage also although
not the same sort. In Normandie as elsewhere, "il y a de la taupe mais pas
que de taupe."

David, a solution for finding a "taupier" (if you're willing to pay, as I would be)
has just occurred. La Poste. They've got a program, I think called "Genius"
that fills small jobs locally. Every farmer's kid knows how to trap moles, I'm
sure there are many out of work who would be happy to spend a few afternoons
ridding you of them for SMIC wages. The Poste will put you in touch with the
right characters.

As for plants, sound etc, I think that may work in an area without major mole
overpopulation, but in most of Normandy there is just no where for the moles to
go, all the local territories are inhabited. The downside is of course that you will
always be invaded, so the problem can only be controlled not eliminated.

As I've mentioned our fellow (who works for the occasional bottle of wine, although
he doesn't drink himself) does a fine job of keeping them in check. When he was
ill last year I had a young guy between jobs helping out in the garden (hedge cutting
and ivy removal mostly) who did some trapping. He was successful having learned
from his farmer uncle.

Good luck,

-E

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Emery Davis
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