Moles?

[Marty Gulseth]

At least, I think they are moles (eastern WA if it makes a difference) making a mess of part of our yard last summer and now that the snow is melting, it looks like they may have been busy even through the winter (I was a little surprised at that.) So - recommendations or experience please - professional pest control, or DIY? And if the latter - what method has seemed to work best for you?

Thanks all!

Marty

[Stan Calow]

What are you seeing? Raised mounded tunnels, or just tracks on the surface? For moles I've used poisoned peanuts placed in the tunnels, although others prefer the spear-type traps.

[Jim Koepke]

Hope they are moles and not gophers.

Moles eat slugs and worms. Gophers eat roots.

Moles do not bother me as much as they bother my wife. We have burrowing weasels that eat moles, rats and other small animals. I wouldn't suggest that as a solution.

I discovered the state of Washington doesn't like people to set traps for mammals. You can put out bait for them. Some are against this as a poisoned animal may get caught by an owl, cat, dog or other predator causing them to suffer ill effects up to and including death.

jtk

[Shawn Pixley]

My dog is a gopher killer, killing them at the park by our house. No gophers (racoons or possums) come in our yard because of him. I know this doesn't help you much as my dog is in California; otherwise I'd bring him over. But I favor a dog, cat or small rifle (could be an air rifle) to rid the little pests. I don't favor poisons as what ever eats the dead critter will get the poison concentrating in their body.

if you don't have a dog, try a pellet gun. The gopher will peer out of their open hole (one hole is left open where as most of the mounds will be closed). Early morning or twilight are the best times. If you are quiet and discrete, you should have little problem picking it off. Alternatively, you can try to flood them out but that is hit or miss.

[George Bokros]

If there are no raised mounds then they are Voles. Similar animal but they are on the surface. We had lots of Vole trails in our year a couple winters ago. The neighbors cat has done a good job of eliminating them.

[Joe Pelonio]

I have the same problem. Last year I chased them away by placing a Costco dryer sheet in each hole, and they were gone all spring, summer and fall. Lately with our snow and cold the ground has been too hard, and there are far more mounds than ever before, so it's just a temporary fix, I guess. I only have one trap but will use it in a few weeks. We expect more snow this weekend.

[Rich Riddle]

Someone had mentioned in the past that spraying for grubs will get rid of he moles because the food source for the moles will have vanished.

[Mel Fulks]

Some of the products that have castor oil in them get good reviews. Critters don't eat it ,just avoid it. The stuff is expensive. I think you could make your own pretty cheaply with castor oil ,available by the gallon ,and cat litter.

[Brian Henderson]

My dog is a gopher killer, killing them at the park by our house. No gophers (racoons or possums) come in our yard because of him. I know this doesn't help you much as my dog is in California; otherwise I'd bring him over. But I favor a dog, cat or small rifle (could be an air rifle) to rid the little pests. I don't favor poisons as what ever eats the dead critter will get the poison concentrating in their body.

if you don't have a dog, try a pellet gun. The gopher will peer out of their open hole (one hole is left open where as most of the mounds will be closed). Early morning or twilight are the best times. If you are quiet and discrete, you should have little problem picking it off. Alternatively, you can try to flood them out but that is hit or miss.

I had a dog like that once. Akitas are great for killing anything that gets into the yard. Unfortunately, they're just as great at digging up the yard because any time they sense any kind of vibration, they're digging after it whether it's a mole or gopher or not.

[Sean Troy]

I haven't had mole problems once I started treating the lawn for bugs. Kill the moles food supply and they won't come around. Easy solution that has worked for years for me.

[Stan Calow]

I asked what you were seeing because you often see networks of vole trails when the snow melts. They travel just under the snow leaving pathways on the surface, not like burrowed mole tunnels.

[John Terefenko]

I will piggyback on this thread because I too am seeing a ton of small holes. No tunnels or piles of dirt, just holes. It has been a mild winter here in NJ and the ground is not even frozen. In fact I bet I will be cutting grass soon than later this year. Last summer I had a skunk invade the lawns and they dig deep holes. These are shallow and smaller. At first I thought it might have been squirrels but way too many. I need to put something on the lawn to stop all this. I just planted grass last year after a long tough hot summer and it looks quite well. I looked for grubs but i do not see any and the grass does not come up if pulled so the roots are good.

Maybe someone can help me too.

[Bill McNiel]

We have both Voles and Moles in our neighborhood. Voles travel just under the surface creating raised surface bump tracks and can be "speared" with a pitchfork or shovel or just dug up. For moles the best solution I have found are the gas bombs that are sold at the BORGs. Simply dig up one of the mounds exposing the runs, insert the bomb, light the fuse and quickly cover the hole with a piece of plywood or whatever and seal the edges with soil. check for gas leaking from the other mounds and seal as necessary.

Don't hesitate to PM me if you have questions.

[Jerry Bruette]

Voles will leave trails under the snow but above the ground, looks like a "snow snake" was in your yard.

Google PVC bait station for the cure to having voles, mice or chipmunks in your yard. I've been using them for years at my cabin and started using them about two years ago at home and the population of pesty type wildlife has gone down drastically.

I don't think the poisoned vermin hurt the predators in the area I still have pine snakes and owls at the cabin and home.

[Marty Gulseth]

I have raised mounds of dirt. So far I've not been able to move the dirt to spot a tunnel.