Moles

The mole population has been growing steadily, it seems, in the last several years, with no signs of abatement. Those of us that love our lawns detest these destructive moles because of the damage they cause. Moles are voracious insectivores, and because they have a high metabolic rate, they’re always eating. They search for earthworms, not grubs, but will consume virtually any living critter that they come across while digging. Since moles are insectivores, not omnivores, they don’t eat poison “peanuts” or Juicy Fruit ® gum! • As with any garden-destroying-mammalian pest, vigilance on your part is imperative for control. Moles will feed 2 to 3 times per day. That means they’ll go hunting in their tunnels up to 3 times each day. While they’re tunnelling near the soil surface they physically lift the sod, and as such, these are their “surface tunnels”. Moles will do their work at the depth where the earthworms are active. In really cold weather and drought type weather, they’ll work deeper in the soil profile than in warmer weather. When moles are working deep, they’re active in their subsurface tunnels (also known as “permanent tunnels”). Mounds of soil, called “molehills” are pushed to the surface of the ground when moles dig deep. The mole’s permanent tunnels are where they set up their sleeping quarters, and they even have an “outhouse” for their poop. • Don’t set traps on top of a molehill, because all you will catch is dirt. The mole is physically pushing the soil up the tunnel, and that soil usually trips the trap spring. Don’t place poison grubs in a molehill, for the same reason (you’ll waste it). The best location for traps and poisons are in the surface tunnels. • If you irrigate your lawn regularly you should expect to be plagued with more moles than the neighbor that doesn’t care if his/her lawn looks like a goat pasture. Moles feeding from late fall to early spring is a nuisance because of the raised tunnels, but in hot months when the sun is shining and the temperatures are warm, the lifted sod may actually die before you even get home from work; this is because the mole tunnel separates the turf from its root system. A single mole will have a territory of at least 3000-5000 square feet. • If you’re serious about wanting to control moles, your first step is to walk your property a few times per day, to determine where the active runways are located. Look for long, straight surface tunnels, and then “stomp” a portion of that tunnel back down flush with the soil level. The tunnels that are pushed back up by the mole within 12 to 24 hours are where you’ll need to set your traps, or place your poison grubs/worms. • Good Links To Learn More About Moles: -The MoleMan -The Ohio State University