Driving up the long track leading to Trevor Dixon's farm cottage near Barnard Castle there is not a single molehill to be seen. That is very unusual, because the little heaps of earth seem springing up all over the rest of the countryside, and the problem appears to be getting worse each year.

This lack of evidence on Trevor's land is probably because he has an image to maintain – since last autumn he has been teaching other people the mole-catching skills he learned from his father at an early age.

Trevor's family have been tenants at East House farm since 1936. His son, Philip runs the farm, with Trevor helping to look after the suckler herd and Swaledale sheep flock during busy periods.

So far, most of Trevor's clients have been smallholders who have moved into the countryside from urban areas. But Trevor believes demand for his services could increase when the ban on using poison for mole control comes into force this autumn.

"Strychnine is being banned from September, which means trapping may be the only realistic option," he says. "Moles are elusive animals, with a very strong sense of smell. They can be quite hard to catch."

Trevor is a big fan of the barrel trap method. The design has been around for many years and barrel traps used to be made out of wood, although today's models are produced in metal. As the mole enters the trap positioned along the tunnel route, it activates a spring. The two sections of the trap are drawn together, killing instantly.

"I've never used scissor-type traps, because barrel traps are really efficient if they are used correctly," says Trevor. "I always rub my hands in soil before I touch the traps, to get rid of the human scent. That is very important."

Other mole-trapping methods include poison gas tablets, but since mole runs are usually quite close to the surface, the gas often leaches out before it can take effect, Trevor points out. Neither is he a fan of the sonic devices claimed to repel moles, because he feels driving them on to neighbouring land is not tackling the root of the problem.

Moles use well-worn tunnels along wall foundations or hedges like motorways, explains Trevor. From there, they branch out into new feeding areas towards the centre of a field, which are the best places to set traps. Worms drop into the fresh tunnels, where they are quickly picked up by moles searching for food.

"As they dig, the moles need to remove soil from the tunnels, so they push it upwards, creating a molehill. If there are fewer worms in a particular area, they have to travel further to find food. If a mole disturbs a trap without getting caught, it's best to move it elsewhere. They are wary creatures and if they find an obstruction along a tunnel, they will tend to work around that area in the future."

One popular misconception is that a field full of molehills means large numbers of moles are at work, he adds.

"A mole can eat the equivalent of its own bodyweight in worms in 24 hours, so it needs to be very active. A field with a hundred molehills might only contain two or three individuals. If the digging is easy, one mole can easily produce seven or eight heaps of soil in a day."

Trevor caught his first mole as a young teenager and has never looked back.

"I don't think this type of skill is being handed down through the generations these days," he observes. "That is a shame, but I am also guilty because my son leaves most of the mole-catching on the farm to me – he has an awful lot of other work to do.

"Paying a mole-catcher can perhaps seem like an unnecessary expense when times are tough, but as well as spoiling silage, molehills can reduce the grazing area quite considerably."

After a lifetime's experience trapping moles, Trevor has gained a unique insight into their habits.

"About 10.30am and 3.30pm is a good time for spotting fresh heaps of soil appearing in the fields," he says. "My father was a dab hand at shooting moles. He told me that molehills are usually made up of three separate heaps of soil, and my experience has proved his point.

"He would watch for the first two piles of soil to appear, and then fire his gun into the molehill as the mole pushed up the remainder of the soil from the tunnel. The method was often very successful."

Despite his efforts to reduce the mole population, Trevor admits to a sneaking admiration for these industrious little creatures.
"I enjoy mole-catching but I also have a tremendous respect for moles. I think they're a bit like farmers – persistent and very hard-working."

Trevor can be contacted on 07801 339 674 or by e-mail, trevordixon@tiscali.co.uk

In his spare time, Trevor makes miniature drystone wall ornaments, often adding a model Swaledale sheep or Border Collie for extra interest. He sells his work at farmers'markets and via the internet. The miniature walls can be seen on his website, www.dalestonecrafts.co.uk