As our cities expand, more and more of us in suburban areas come face to face with moles, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, mice, and even rats.
All of these animals may burrow in our lawns or gardens. All of them are annoying pests.
Common Mole In Garden
Let’s look at the mole first. He’s about 6″ inches long and has large, powerful “hands” on his front legs.
Moles are blind since they live underground all of the time. However, our common mole has a sensitive, pointed nose that apparently guides him to his food.
Moles are primarily carnivorous. That is, they eat meat. Their meat comprises earthworms, white grubs, wireworms, and other soil-inhabiting insects.
Since these organisms are usually most abundant in the root zone of lawn grasses, this is the region worked by moles.
They literally swim through the soil in search of food, characteristically raising the grass.
Sometimes the roots dry out and die, and the grass turns brown along these runways.
In gardens, the soil-inhabiting organisms are concentrated in the rows, so the mole “swims” down the row, uprooting plants as he goes.
Three Ways To Kill Mole
However, moles eat roots only rarely. They are after the worms. You can kill moles in one of three ways.
1. Trap them.
You can use either the harpoon or the choker trap. However, both require considerable soil preparation and a good deal of skill if your efforts are to be successful.
First, you roll down or tramp down all of the mole runways. Then you watch to see which one is raised first.
This is the main run. Here’s where you want to set your trap. First, water the ground so that the trap works easily.
Roll down the runway again. Set the trap over the flattened run. Spring it once or twice to ensure it will do its job when the trigger is sprung.
2. You can sometimes dig them out.
Some moles, at least, tend to work at certain times of the day every day.
If you stand still near the end of the runway and watch, you may see the grass rise as the mole swims along.
A blow with a spade, and you have stopped that mole.
3. You can poison moles.
The only practical bait appears to be raw peanuts. Perhaps the oil or the protein in peanuts makes them attractive to moles.
Today, poisoned peanut bait like this is not something you can buy over the counter — thallium sulfate was banned from all U.S. uses decades ago, and strychnine mole bait is now a Restricted Use Pesticide that only a certified applicator can buy or apply, per EPA. For most homeowners, trapping (see method 1 above) is the extension-recommended way to go, or you can hire a licensed pest control company to apply a currently labeled, EPA-registered mole bait per its label.
Since moles eat insects and earthworms, you are not likely to have moles in your lawn if these insects are controlled.
Lead arsenate is no longer legal to use — EPA cancelled it for lawn and garden use in 1988 because of arsenic’s toxicity and cancer risk. If earthworm or white grub numbers in your lawn seem excessive, contact your county extension office for a currently labeled grub control product and follow its label directions.
Aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, and heptachlor were banned decades ago (EPA suspended aldrin and dieldrin in 1974, and cancelled chlordane and heptachlor in 1988) and are no longer legal to buy or use. For sod webworms, cutworms, wireworms, white grubs, or ants in the lawn, contact your county extension office for a currently labeled lawn insecticide and follow its label directions.
A list of these poisons in the soil of lawns does seem to prevent moles—either by actually repelling them or by making the area unattractive because of no food.
Pocket Gopher
In new suburbs and sometimes in older residential areas, pocket gopher mounds may appear in the lawn or garden.
The pocket gopher is a vegetarian. He feeds entirely on roots of trees, shrubs, garden vegetables, and flowers in cities — and of the same plants, alfalfa, and large grasses on farms.
In searching for this food, one pocket gopher may dig out as much as a one-half mile of the runway in six months.
Part of the damage is due to the mounds of earth pushed up to the surface. However, the greatest damage is the destruction of even good-sized trees by pocket gopher gnawing.
Controlling Pocket Gophers
To control pocket gophers, an acceptable poisoned bait must be placed on the runway.
The gopher finds it, eats it, and dies. For the homeowner, trapping is generally the most effective way to control pocket gophers, per university extension guidance. If bait is needed, use only a current, EPA-registered gopher bait exactly as its label directs — strychnine gopher bait is now restricted to certified pesticide applicators and is not sold over the counter to homeowners.
Sharpen a broom handle or one-inch dowel to use as a probe to find the runway. You may have to repeat the poison application several times.
To control pocket gophers in large areas, write your state college or call on your county extension agent or farm advisor for directions on preparing fresh bait.
Control Is Necessary
The 13-stripe ground squirrels, sometimes called squinting, or flicker-tails, may burrow into lawns.
They scatter the excavated soil over a wide area and conceal the entrance under grass. These ground squirrels will dig up planted seeds in the spring but do little other damage.
Where control is necessary, use a currently EPA-registered ground squirrel bait placed in the burrow entrance exactly as its label directs, or contact your county extension office for the current recommended method — strychnine bait is no longer sold for homeowner use.
Mice Population
Populations of field mice—most of them meadow mice are increasing throughout the Midwest. Unfortunately, mice can be very destructive.
During the winter, they gnaw bark from the base of trees and shrubs, sometimes girdling and killing these plants.
In summer, they dig up planted seeds, cut off growing plants, get into mole runways and eat tulip bulbs and other plant roots. They may also carry diseases of man.
Mice are easy to kill. They will readily take a currently registered consumer mouse bait — look for bromethalin, chlorophacinone, or diphacinone on the label — placed exactly as the product’s label directs.
The bait can be put into flattened tin cans that are placed in fence rows and dense flower borders. The can prevents pets and wild animals from getting the poison.
Even rats may move into yards and gardens, particularly if pets are present. Spilled food from bird feeders also attracts rats.
They are burrowing rodents and find Life quite comfortable in the garden, under the garage, or even under the dog house.
Rat Control
Rat control is a three-step program. First, kill rats with a currently EPA-registered anticoagulant bait — look for bromethalin, chlorophacinone, or diphacinone on the label for consumer products — placed exactly as the label directs in tamper-resistant bait stations in garages, fence rows, and near the garbage can.
Clean up junk and other rat hiding places. Rat-proof. Put garbage in tight metal containers fitted with lids.
Feed pets on concrete drives or in the house. Don’t scatter bird food promiscuously.
44659 by Harold Gunderson