A couple of months ago, we talked in our blog about garden pests, such as gophers, rabbits, and moles. Moles aren’t terribly prevalent in the Temecula, Murrieta, and Fallbrook areas, but if they do find their way onto your property, they can do a ton of damage to your yard or garden before you know it!
Moles are carnivores, or more accurately, insectivores. They feed on grubs, worms, and underground insects. They are most often found in areas with rich soil that has a prevalence of these types of organisms.
So, if moles don’t eat plants, how do they do damage to yards and gardens? Well, since moles live almost exclusively underground, the burrow everywhere they go. Their underground tunnels can upset plant roots, killing large sections of your vegetation. In addition, their tunnels can give other rodents easy access to your plants. They can also rid your garden of beneficial soil organisms, such as earthworms.
How Do I Know if I Have Moles in My Yard or Garden?
It’s unlikely that you’ll ever see a mole, since they prefer to be underground, but you’ll likely see evidence of their existence.
The telltale sign of the presence of moles is the volcano-shaped mounds they leave behind (as opposed to gopher mounds, which are typically fan-shaped). You may also notice “runways” in your lawn or garden when moles are active. Runways are slightly raised areas that are created when a mole tunnels just below the surface. The ground under the runways will feel mushy when you step on it, since it has been hollowed out by the mole.
How Do I Get Rid of Moles?
There are plenty of DIY “solutions” on the internet that supposedly get rid of or repel moles. However, most of them are simply folk remedies that have not been proven effective. Of course, you could always try them first and hope for the best, but don’t be surprised when your mole problem doesn’t go away after using a homemade mole repellant.
If you want to get rid of moles in your yard or garden, it’s always best to call in a professional pest control company like Knockout Pest Control. We can come out to your property in Temecula, Murrieta, or Fallbrook and use baiting and trapping methods to eliminate your mole problem. If you sign up for one of our maintenance plans, we will come out to your home on a regular basis to make sure your property stays free of garden pests like moles. You can even call us out in between your regular service appointments if you have a pest problem.
Don’t wait until moles become a huge problem in your yard. Call in a Temecula pest control company at the first sign of burrowing rodents like moles. Otherwise, they can do costly damage before you know it—killing your lawn, your plants, and even trees!
If you want to learn more about our methods of rodent control for Temecula, Murrieta, and Fallbrook homes, contact us at Knockout today.
