Mole Trapping and Removal

Nuisance Mole Overview

Some people take a lot of pride in their landscaping and spend a lot of time creating a wonderful garden on their property. It can be incredibly frustrating when a nuisance animal decides to invade the yard and destroy all the things that have taken a lot of time and energy. One such pest is moles. These animals seem to be the type of animals that are small and harmless, and for the most part, they are, but not for plants, gardens, and lawns.

What are moles?

Moles are small mammals that are related to hedgehogs and shrews, although many people think that they are rodents. They are solitary animals that live underground, and they are found all over the United States. They can successfully live in a lot of different environments including woodlands, grasslands, urban areas, and suburban areas as long as it provides them with access to the various bugs they feed on. They have poor eyesight and limited hearing, but their sense of smell is incredibly acute. They are small, cylindrical shaped animals that have strong front feet with long claws that are built for digging through the earth.

What type of habitat do they prefer?

Because they are animals that live a subterranean life, they have a strict preference on the type of soil that they will choose to live in. They choose their given surroundings based on their needs for breeding, finding food, and being safe from natural predators. They prefer soil that is loose and moist because this is the type of soil that will be easiest to dig through and there will be a large number of bugs for them to feed on. They will live in yards, golf courses, pastures, or gardens, as long as it is going to provide them with enough food to sustain them.

Damages Moles Cause

They do not directly feed on grasses and plants but the behaviors they exhibit result in the damage of people’s lawns, gardens, or crops. Their tunneling will cause all types of grasses and plants to die because they are digging away the dirt. Plants get their nutrients and moisture through their roots and when the dirt is removed, they are not able to do this. Their tunnels can also be used by animals that do feed on plants such as voles. The voles will use the tunnels as an easy way to get to the roots and bulbs that they eat.

Removing Moles

Moles are considered a pest animal so there are no laws that protect them. This gives homeowners a wide range of options to take care of the problem. Whether it is trapping or baiting, they are able to work with a local professional to figure out which option is going to be the best for their given situation. Dealing with this type of pest is best left to professionals because of their elusive nature. The professionals are going to be armed with the right knowledge about how to find them and get rid of them.