There are a lot of myths about controlling moles in your yard, including putting chewing gum in their tunnels, gas bombs, poison peanuts, grub control products, castor oil, and on and on. Let’s look at the facts about them to understand how to control them.

Bell Labs, out of Milwaukee Wisconsin did an extensive study of their behavior by putting 300 of them in a controlled setting and observing them for 3 years. They discovered that 80% to 90% of their diet consisted of eating earthworms, and about 10% to 20% was supplemented with grubs and insects. Therefore, if you only use a grub control product on your lawn, you cannot gain control because it only represents a portion of your overall dietary needs.

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Moles are most active in the spring and fall times of the year. They will eat up to 100% of their body weight per day and they can dig up to 18 feet in one hour! You may notice that right after it rains, the moles will create surface tunnels as they forage for worms in the soil. They push the grass up and disconnect the roots from the soil, which can cause the grass to dry up and turn brown.

Moles are carnivorous and will eat one another if they cross paths at any other time of the year other than the mating season, which is between December and January. The female will only have one litter per year of 2 to 4 babies. It can look like a ton of moles in your yard, when in fact most yards will have half a dozen or less. This can vary depending on the surrounding habitat of course.

One of the easiest ways to control them is by using poisonous worm baits that you place in their active tunnels. Simply, walk down all the current tunnels and pay attention to where they are currently active in your lawn. Once you have identified an active tunnel, place the worm bait down in the tunnel and close the hole so neither air nor light shows inside. Wait a few days without disturbing the area to allow the mole to find the worm and eat it. They will die within 72 hours. Return to the area and walk down the tunnels. You will know that you have gained control when the activity stops. Remember to follow ALL directions on the label. Call BOGO Pest Control if you have any questions.