MOLE CONTROL
Moles are one of the more annoying lawn pests any home or business owner can have in their lawn. Although the mole itself is rarely seen, the damage it causes is visible to us everyday. Southeast Michigan is home to two mole species – the Starnose mole and the Eastern mole. Knowing which mole species has invaded your lawn can help with your mole control efforts.
Eastern Mole
The eastern mole has a naked red nose and a short tail. The eastern mole makes shallow tunnels that raise the soil into 2 inch high ridges. It makes few mounds; those it does make are low, rounded and often contain bits of turf.
Starnose Mole
The Starnose mole has a large red nose with 22 finger-like projections and a long tail. The Starnose mole makes many deep tunnels not evident from the surface, but pushes soil up from these tunnels to form many conical mounds of soil.
Home remedies for mole control abound, but none have ever been proven to be effective. Some of the home remedies for mole control we’ve heard about include mothballs, motor oil, liming, castor oil mixtures, chewing gum (Juicy Fruit in particular), and flooding. Flooding may even encourage Starnose mole activity, as they prefer moist soil.
Controlling moles in the lawn comes down to one of three choices: direct killing, trapping, or baiting.
Direct Killing of Moles
For eastern moles it is important to note the time of day they are active. This can be determined by noticing when moles repair flattened burrows and mounds. Once you have determined the time of activity, you can watch for tunneling and quietly approach the active tunnel. Immediately smash down the area directly behind the point where the soil is being lifted to kill the mole. This method does not work for Starnose moles as they tunnel too deeply.
Trapping Moles
Trapping can be attempted once you determine which mole tunnels are active. A choker-type trap is recommended for eastern moles as it is easy to use and effective. Place the trap in the tunnel. If you have not been successful in three days, remove the trap and locate an active tunnel.
To locate active Starnose moles, scatter the soil in each mound until it is flat. Mounds pushed up in 24-48 hours are over active tunnels. To set the trap it is necessary to dig a hole beneath one of the mounds, below the level of the tunnel. Re-fill with enough earth to cover the top of the mole’s tunnel with two inches of soil and set a harpoon-type trap.
Mole Baiting
The best way to control moles in the lawn is to hire a service that offers mole baiting. Newer mole bait products have proven quite effective and efficient in controlling moles. Our mole control program, for instance, will protect your lawn for the whole season and has proven to be very successful.
Moles, like any other animal, will move into an area where they can be successful at getting enough food. If you have moles in your lawn you probably have a lot of earthworms in the soil – earthworms comprise more than 90% of the mole’s diet. They are very common in lawns that are near wooded areas. If you get rid of all the moles in your lawn they may show back up at some point in the future as their local population rebuilds.
CONTACT OWEN TREE AT:
● Leonard
Owen Tree Service provides tree, lawn, and landscape services to the following cities and towns:
Genesee County, Michigan:
● Burton
● Davison
● Flushing
● Goodrich
● Linden
● Otisville
● Clio
● Fenton
● Gaines
● Grand Blanc
● Montrose
● Otter Lake
● Flint
● Genesee
● Lennon
● Mt Morris
● Swartz Creek
Lapeer County, Michigan:
● Almont
● Brown City
● Columbiaville
● Imlay City
● Metamora
● Peck
● Attica
● Clifford
● Dryden
● Lapeer
● North Branch
● Sandusky
● Hadley
● Mayville
● Otter Lake
● Silverwood
Macomb County, Michigan:
● Armada
● Clinton Twp
● Grosse Pointe
● Macomb
● New Haven
● St Clair Shores
● Centerline
● Detroit
● Grosse Pointe Farms
● Ray
● Sterling Heights
● Chesterfield
● Eastpointe
● Grosse Pointe Shores
● Memphis
● Romeo
● Utica
● Clinton
● Fraser
● Grosse Pointe Woods
● Mt Clemens
● Roseville
● Warren
● Harrison Twp
● New Baltimore
● Shelby Twp
● Washington
Oakland County, Michigan:
● Auburn Hills
● Bloomfield Village
● Ferndale
● Orion
● South Lyon
● Berkley
● Clarkston
● Franklin
● Madison Heights
● Ortonville
● Southfield
● Beverly Hills
● Clawson
● Hazel Park
● Milford
● Oxford
● Troy
● Bingham Farms
● Commerce Twp
● Highland
● Novi
● Pleasant Ridge
● Walled Lake
● Birmingham
● Davisburg
● Holly
● Oak Park
● Pontiac
● Waterford
● Bloomfield
● Detroit
● Huntington Woods
● Oakland
● Rochester
● West Bloomfield
● Bloomfield Hills
● Farmington
● Lake Orion
● Oakland Twp
● Rochester Hills
● White Lake
● Farmington Hills
● Lathrup Village
● Orchard Lake
● Royal Oak
● Wixom
St. Clair County, Michigan:
● Algonac
● Casco
● East China
● Harbor Beach
● Lexington
● Peck
● Allenton
● Clay
● Emmett
● Harsens Island
● Marine City
● Port Huron
● Berlin
● Clyde
● Fair Haven
● Jeddo
● Marysville
● Richmond
● Brockway
● Columbus
● Fort Gratiot
● Kimball
● Memphis
● Sandusky
● Capac
● Cottrellville
● Goodells
● Lakeport
● North Street
● St Clair
