More Taupes ahhhhhhhhh

My skills as a Taupe trapper are pathetic to say the least. Current score Taupes 100 - Colin 0.  See Taupes the first episode.

What a mess they are now making, so much so that the grass  is growing and it is impossible to mow it, the ground is so uneven.

Round two.

Gas the little blighter's. I actually purchased these before I got the traps. I suppose with the traps I was wanting to eminate my late grandfather who was an expert in these matters. Beside if you actually trap them you know you have succeeded. But I failed and failure is NOT an option. The above fireworks are lit and then placed in the underground runs at strategic intervals.

This has been done with all 10 cartouches and I only managed to get one nose full of the smoke.

The secret is to hold your breath! but I am not doing so as I have little faith that these will do the trick. The underground runs appear to be very extensive. I will wait and see. If piles of earth continue it will be a seance to speak to grandfather to get some tips with the traps.

Watch this space!!

Taupes (Moles in English)

Moles are the majority of the members of the mammal family Talpidae in the order Soricomorpha. We appear to have many of the little creatures in our garden.

Mole can be eaten, can't wait to catch some! will make a cheap meal for our guests - the taste is said to be deeply unpleasant. Right where was I - yes the damage they do is awsome, mounds of soil all over what will be our nice flat lawn.

I have purchased two varieties of trap, both scissor action, the first a sprung bar type purchased here in France but in my view a bit on the weak side. The latter I remember my gamekeeper grandfather using when I was a boy. They were of course much meatier then not the tinny things of now..

You are supposed to mature them in earth for several weeks so the moles don't smell them but what the **** I put them in the ground immediately my thoughts being they may as well mature being set!! I remembered how to place them and that speed of insertion was important from my boyhood days with my grandfather, so the five traps were duly set..

Imagine my surprise when the following morning two of the five had been sprung... Elizabeth was out in the dressing gown with camera in hand for the removal of the sprung traps.............

............but alas the traps were both empty I had caught nothing.

Several days on, the hills get bigger and still I have yet to catch a creature but I will NOT be defeated .... Watch this space !!! there are more ways to kill a mole!!!