Picture it: While doing your dishes you gaze out your kitchen window to appreciate your hard work in your beautiful backyard and you notice small mounds of dirt.  Hmmmm, that wasn’t there before?  What could it be?  In this blog we are going to take a look into moles and tunneling pests that wreak havoc on your well-maintained lawn. 

Signs that you may have a pest on your hands.

Moles, which are most common, tend to burrow along structures, fence lines and walkways.  These pests can tunnel anywhere but they prefer to be under areas shaded by trees with cool and moist soil.  Of note, you will notice the most digging in fall and winter because this is when the soil is moist and easy for moles to work with.  You can tell that you have a mole in your yard from 1 of 2 ways:

• Burrows- these happen when the mole is looking for food near the surface and the soil raises in ridges. 

• Mounds- these are created when the mole tunnels under a solid object and push the extra soil to the surface.

Identifying your pest.

The most common, Scalopus aquaticus or the Eastern mole lives east of the Rocky Mountains and can be found anywhere between Michigan and Texas. These nuisances are 6 to 8 inches long, have velvety fur, long snouts, wide paws and long digging claws.  Moles can easily be mistaken for voles, shrews or gophers.  Keep this in mind when id’ing your pest:

Voles are 4 to 6 inches long with large eyes and they live above the ground feeding on grasses and seeds.  These pests are dangerous to have around you because of the disease they can spread.  While they “relieve” themselves on your property, they introduce parasites on your yard. 

Shrews are 3 to 4 inches long and look more like a mouse.  Beware! These little pests may bite you and while they are not life-threatening injuries, you may experience some pain and swelling, left untreated you could end up with an infection.

Gophers are 12 inches long and have 4 large incisors that are always visible.  They tend to pull their food (whole plants) below the ground.

Ridding yourself of the pest.

            There are many control methods for moles, but some may not be truly effective.  For instance, people have said you can use Juicy Fruit chewing gum, razor blades, moth balls and/or human hair – PennState Extension cautions people to not follow these methods as they are not effective and should not be used. Another common fix for these pests is food reduction.  Moles feed off of grubs and insects so many think that by applying insecticides to kill grubs, earthworms, etc. will rid them of moles.  In actuality, these chemicals can be harmful to other wildlife and they take several weeks to work – so you are still left with the pest.  Moles are not stupid, many homeowners will try to use fumigants to get the visitor to vacate – unfortunately, moles can detect gases and will flee the tunnel.  Again, these are not encouraged by PennState as they can cause severe burns and they are highly toxic to wildlife. 

SO now that I told you what is not effective, how about I tell you what will help your pest problem. 

• Toxic bates – these are worm-shaped baits that contain bromethalin as an active ingredient.  One thing to keep in mind with this: these baits are illegal in some areas so it’s important to research your area’s specifications before using.
• Traps – the most practical and most effective option.  There are 3 types of traps: scissor-jaw, harpoon and choker loop.
  • Scissor-jaw: has jaws that close across the tunnel runway, one pair on either side of the trigger pan. 
  • Harpoon: will impale the mole when the spikes are driven into the ground by the spring.
  • Choker loop: consists of a loop that tightens around the mole’s body.
    • Trapping is most successful in the spring and fall

Not everything about moles are bad: Moles naturally aerate the soil and they eat the larvae of destructive insects.  Since they eat, mostly, grubs they are saving you from another pest that will eat the roots of your grass and then transform into a beetle which will feed on your decorative plants (roses).  However, moles will also destroy plant roots, bulbs and grasses on your property.  When you find a mole in your yard it’s because he is in search of food.  If you think you have 1 mole in your yard, prepare yourself you might have more.  Of note, no more than 3-5 moles live on an acre, but you may want to warn your neighbors, if you notice them at your home, because these sneaks will inhabit multiple yards.

Facts about Moles –

• They are not nocturnal.
• They are small mammals.
• They smell in stereo.
• They have large paws for digging.
• They can dig 12 inches/minute.
• They can dig 15 feet/hour.
• They are anti-social animals.
• They live alone except to breed.