Holey Mole-y: Things Every Homeowner Needs to Know about Moles

When pest control topics come up, a lot of attention is centered around the pests that you might find inside your home. While that’s all well and good, those aren’t the only pests you may need to worry about. Pests like moles don’t have much to do with the actual house, but they can still be a problem for other areas of your property.

Contrary to popular belief, moles aren’t rodents. They’re mammals that belong to the Soricomorpha order. They have large front paws that they use to dig and move dirt around. In comparison, their hind legs are quite small. Moles have tiny eyes, no visible ears, and velvet-like fur. There are a lot of different species of moles, but only three, the Townsend’s mole, the Pacific mole, and the common or eastern mole are found in Washington state. Out of the three, only the first two tend to cause serious damage to landscapes. The third is only found east of the Rocky Mountains.

Mole’s propensity for digging can result in some impressive damage to your landscaping. All that dirt that moles dig needs to go somewhere, which is why you’ll see mole hills and ridges in the areas they’ve claimed as their territory. Aside from making the ground underfoot uneven and full of tripping hazards, moles will also eat bulbs and sprouting seeds. The dirt they displace may smother smaller plants. The tunnels themselves can damage root systems and underground irrigation systems as well. During cold weather it may seem like moles have gone away, but all that’s happened is that they’ve stopped digging surface tunnels and are expanding below the frost line. As the ground thaws and night temperatures rise above 40 degrees, you can expect them to become active closer to the surface again.

As you might imagine, all of that adds up to moles being quite a problem. So what are the solutions? You can try fencing, stomping, or flushing their tunnels. Baits and repellents are another option. You could also try setting traps. Of course, the easiest solution that requires the least amount of work on your part is to hire the services of Proterra Pest Control.

One of the things that can make dealing with moles tough is that they can do a lot of damage to your property without you ever actually seeing one. While that can make them tougher to deal with, it’s not impossible. Remember, Proterra Pest Control is here to help you with all your pest problems, including troublesome moles.

Proterra Pest Control handles all sorts of pests. Click here to see what other pests we can help you deal with.