If you’re one of the 33% of people who tend to their lawns several times a week, the last thing you want is a mole ruining your hard work. When your garden gets disrupted by these little critters, it’s time for action.

The sooner you deal with a mole problem, the better. However, it can be difficult to tell how serious the situation is.

With the right information, you can determine whether you need to hire a professional or if you can handle the issue on your own. Here are some of the most common signs that your mole problem has gotten out of hand.

Holes in Your Garden

If a mole moves in, you might see signs of digging around your home. These holes are usually about an eighth of an inch wide. However, they can be smaller or much larger depending on how much work was done by the moles.

Underground Noises

Moles make a lot of noise in the ground, which can be deceiving for those who are not familiar with mole habits. They’re digging tunnels and pushing dirt around as they look for food, mates, and places to raise their young.

You can put your ear to the ground and hear their movements. Keep in mind that finding a mole isn’t always easy, but the noise will give you a good idea of where to look.

Detached Plants

When moles tunnel beneath a plant, they push it up in the process. If you see this happening with your plants, inspect their root systems and look for signs of mole damage. You may see small holes in random areas.

This is the most common indicator that moles are near your home.

Lots of Weeds

If you’re noticing a lot of weeds in your lawn and don’t remember planting any seeds recently, this may be a sign of mole activity. When moles dig, they disrupt your soil. Overturned soil makes an ideal environment for weeds to grow.

Numerous Earthworms

Earthworms are good for your garden because they make your soil more stable. However, where there are lots of earthworms, moles are probably not far away. They’re one of their favorite foods.

Moles push more earthworms to the surface during their digging. You’ll see an unusually large number of these creatures in your garden. They may even start appearing near your garage or doorway.

Get Rid of Your Mole Problem

As you can see, there are a lot of indicators that you might have moles in your yard. The first thing to do if you think you have moles is to check out the ground around your home for signs of digging. If this proves the case, then you have to act quickly.

If you spot a mole tunneling through your lawn, call Trap Your Moles immediately. We can set traps around your property and get rid of your mole problem once and for all.

The real estate market did pretty well in the last few years, with over 6 million existing home sales in 2021 alone. Of course, most homebuyers got inspections and looked for standard problems. They looked for issues with roofs, plumbing, electrical systems, and foundation.

Yet, most people don’t give as much thought to problems like animals in your yard or garden. Also, around 34 percent of 2021’s homebuyers were first-time homebuyers.

If that’s you, there’s a good chance you don’t know how to keep unwanted animals out of your yard. The good news is that our quick guide will help you keep animals from invading your lawn.

Animals that Dig

On the whole, you don’t want most animals living in your garden or your lawn. They’re often hard on vegetation and will frequently eat vegetables in a garden. Any animals living in your lawn or garden are also likely animals that dig.

All of those holes and tunnels can prove expensive to repair. Plus, they’re a hazard for your lawnmower and your feet. Some of the common digging animals you see in lawns include moles, groundhogs, raccoons, chipmunks, and squirrels.

Now that you know the common culprits, how do you keep them away?

Modify the Area

Animals aren’t particularly hard to understand. They want food, shelter, and water, preferably in close proximity to each other. If you’re struggling with animals if your yard or garden, odds are good that they’re finding at least two, if not all three, of those things.

For example, if you have a birdbath, it’s a great source of water. If you pull some sod and see grubs, you’ve identified the food source.

Getting rid of convenient water sources and treating a grub infestation makes your lawn and garden must less enticing.

Repellants and Deterrents

You can also use a variety of repellants and deterrents. For example, you can put up fencing or use chemical deterrents. Chemical deterrents can come in a retail or DIY form.

You can also use devices, such as sonic spikes and motion sensor lights, to discourage animals from taking up residence on your lawn.

Removal

Removal isn’t a DIY project, and it’s even against the law for homeowners to try in some locations. For the best results, you’ll want a professional pest removal service that specializes in digging animals. They’ll know the best options for capturing and removing your unwanted animal guests.

How to Keep Unwanted Animals Out of Your Yard? Consider Your Options

The problem of how to keep unwanted animals out of your yard has several potential answers. You can try to modify the areas to remove easy sources of food and water.

You can also employ a variety of deterrents and repellants that range from fencing to chemical repellants and motion-activated lights. If those methods fail, you’ll likely need professional pest removal services to deal with the problem.

TrapYourMoles.com offers pest removal services in Western Ohio, Eastern Indiana, and Northern Kentucky. For more information or schedule an appointment, contact TrapYourMoles.com today.

81% of Americans have a lawn. They ranked it as the second most important feature when buying a home, only behind a renovated kitchen. Any pest that ruins this important area is bound to get on their nerves, and one of the most common is the mole. 

There are at least 42 species, and they live in every continent except South America and Antarctica. At least 7 of them live in the United States. 

The star-nosed mole gets its name from its star-nosed snout, and the hairy-tailed mole gets its name from its hairy tail. The most common is the Eastern mole, otherwise known as the ground mole.

What does a ground mole look like? That question isn’t as easy to answer because it doesn’t have a stand-out physical feature like its cousins.

Read on to find out how to identify these pests and how to get rid of them once they enter your yard.

What Does a Ground Mole Look Like?

Looking up pictures of ground moles can help you know what to look for. They’re only 6-8 inches long and weigh less than a pound. Their fur is brow to dark gray. They have a snout protruding from their face.

One of the most distinguishing ground mole features is their feet. They’re large and paddle-like with large claws. They help the mole dig through the soil to find insects and worms to eat.

How Do I Know If I Have Them?

If you think you have an infestation, your first question should be “what does a ground mole look like?” The next one should be “what are the signs of mole damage in my yard?”

Ground moles dig their tunnels close to the surface. You may be able to see them, and they cause dead patches of grass. 

You may also be able to spot a molehill. They’re shaped like a volcano, only about 6 inches tall, and are connected to mole tunnels.

These tunnels and molehills can even increase the number of weeds in your yard. They uproot the existing root structures of your yard and allow weeds to thrive.

Ground mole signs also resemble the signs of voles. They’re rodents and are smaller with rounded ears. They also dig tunnels, but the major difference is that they eat plants instead of insects. This causes even more damage to your lawn, plants, and trees. Call a pest control expert to determine which one you have.

Who Should I Call to Get Rid of Them?

What does a ground mole look like? They don’t have a star-shaped nose or a hairy tail, but they do have a unique appearance.

One of the most notable ground mole characteristics is their flat, paddle-like feet that help them dig. They also have dark brown or gray fur and a protruding snout.

Look for the signs of their work in your yard. Check for tunnels, molehills, weeds, and uprooted plants.

Trap Your Moles can get rid of any ground mole infestation. Contact us for mole removal today.

Animal attacks are a major fear among humans, mostly due to movies, games, and various stories that depict animals as vicious, mindless, killing machines with no real reason for their actions. This image couldn’t be further from the truth, though. In reality, the animals most likely to seriously harm you are ones most of us wouldn’t expect.

The deadliest animals in the United States, for instance, include cows, deer, dogs, and bees. The good news is that some dangerous or even just pesky animals can be dealt with by calling for animal removal.

Much like the animals we fear, there are many misconceptions about animal control that continue to persist. We’ll discuss and dispel them in this article.

Animal Control Only Catches Unruly Animals

In addition to helping get rid of pests, animal control also picks up strays and takes them to shelters. There’s a persistent belief that all stray animals were abandoned because they are misbehaving.

Behavioral issues are the most commonly-cited reason for animal surrender, this covers a lot of situations, many of which aren’t really the animal’s fault. The biggest is difficulty training the animal.

Let’s face it, training a cat or dog isn’t easy, and many people underestimate the amount of dedication it takes. In some cases, the pet runs away and the owners can’t find it. Cats are notorious for this, sometimes running away for days, weeks, or even months at a time and then returning whenever they feel like it.

Animal Control Will Only Catch Stray Animals

Animal Control does a lot more than just catching former pets. Anybody who’s ever had an unwelcome wild animal in their home knows this. 

The problem is that getting rid of animal intruders isn’t easy. Whether your problem is squirrels, moles, or even a raccoon, kicking them out is often much harder than it seems. 

If you find a raccoon in your house, for instance, chances are it isn’t alone. Raccoons often sneak into people’s attics to raise young.

Putting Animals in Shelters Just Guarantees Them an Unhappy Life

This idea is blatantly false and does nothing but discourage less wealthy people from adopting. Being rich doesn’t make you a better pet owner, and most people benefit from having a pet.

Adopting animals is often more affordable than breeding them, but that money isn’t taken from any vital parts of adoption. Shelters still run background checks on potential owners and ensure that the pet isn’t too aggressive to adopt. The only thing that’s been slashed is the adoption fee because the shelter is a nonprofit and is more about helping animals than making money.

Animal Removal and Rescue

Animal control has gotten a bad reputation over the years, and it doesn’t deserve it. Animal Control workers catch animals so the animals can go to a shelter and get a chance at adoption and a better, safer life.

The same is true for animal removal. Humans and wild animals are an active danger to each other, so it’s better for both species if they’re separated.

Do you have moles in your yard? We can tell you what to look for.

If you live anywhere in the Eastern half of the United States, you’ve seen chipmunks around. The tiny, striped critters belong to the squirrel family, and although they may be cute, they can be a nuisance. They can also cause serious damage to your property if they’re left unchecked. But how do you recognize signs of chipmunk damage?

Chipmunks multiply quickly, and they spend most of their time burrowing underground and foraging for food. One or two chipmunks might seem like cute visitors in your yard, but once they start to breed, their numbers can quickly get out of control. Their destructive nature can cause damage to your yard, structures on your property, and your garden.

If you’ve seen chipmunks around your yard, and you think you might have a problem, keep reading for our top signs of chipmunk damage.

Holes

The biggest sign you have chipmunk damage is the presence of the holes they leave behind in your yard. Chipmunks spend most of their time on the ground or burrowing underground, and they can tunnel quite extensively. Chipmunk tunnels can stretch between 10 and 30 feet long, and can extend to 3 feet underground. The entrances to the tunnels may be difficult to spot unless you have a lot of them.

The entrances and exits to chipmunk burrows are small holes between 2-3 inches in diameter. You won’t see any piles of soil around the hole, just the hole itself. In addition to the holes, you may also see damage from their tunnel systems along the foundation of your home or other structures on your property. They like to burrow close to trees, shrubs, or other structures for protection from predators, and your home falls into that category.

Chipmunk tunnels can also disrupt sidewalks, patios, and retention walls. Anywhere that they have burrowed, they will weaken the ground underneath the structure. If it becomes too weak, the structure can cave in on itself or become damaged.

Piles of Food

Another sign you may have an infestation of chipmunks in your yard is the presence of food piles. Especially close to winter, chipmunks will stockpile seeds, nuts, and grains in hidden areas so they can access them easily.

Chipmunks don’t hibernate in the winter, although they do enter a deep sleep state for long periods of time. They will wake up periodically to eat from their food stores before going back to sleep. You might notice signs of these stockpiles in your flowerpots, flowerbeds, or other spots in your garden.

Uprooted Bulbs

While chipmunks mainly eat nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and berries, part of their diet also consists of plant bulbs. If you have a garden full of plants, they may be in trouble with a chipmunk infestation. One of the first signs you have unwanted visitors in your yard will be that you find the bulbs of your flowers and other plants uprooted and chewed on.

Ruined Plants/Garden

Chipmunks will also eat vegetables and fruit, so if you have a small garden, watch out! One of the other major signs of chipmunk damage is a chewed-up garden. An infestation of chipmunks will lead to a ruined garden quickly, especially if the chipmunks multiply out of control.

Tracks or Scat

Finally, if chipmunks have managed to evade your sight, you may notice other signs they have made a home in your yard. At the entrances to their tunnels or nearby their food sources, check the ground carefully. Chipmunk tracks are tiny, with 4 front toes and 5 hind toes. You may also see chipmunk scat around as well. Their droppings are small and resemble rat or mouse droppings, which appear like tiny, oblong pellets that taper on the ends. The droppings are no bigger than a centimeter in length, so they can be easily missed if you’re not looking carefully.

How Do I Get Rid of Chipmunks?

Once you’ve determined that you have a chipmunk problem, they aren’t likely to go away on their own. If chipmunks have decided that your yard is safe and has enough food for them, it’s difficult to get them to move on. We always recommend calling expert wildlife trappers, such as Trap Your Moles, to trap and remove chipmunks from your property. However, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent the chipmunks from causing as much damage to your yard until you can get rid of them with the help of professionals.

Protect Your Foundation

The biggest threat that chipmunks provide to homeowners is the chance of a ruined foundation due to chipmunk burrows. You can purchase L-shaped guards to put around the edges of your foundation. These guards are designed to prevent dogs from digging up fences, but they can also work to deter chipmunks from tunneling underneath your foundation.

Protect Your Plant Bulbs

If chipmunks are chomping on your flower bulbs, you can plant them underneath wire mesh covers to deter chipmunks from digging. Make sure the opening is large enough for the plant to sprout through but small enough that chipmunks won’t be able to dig them up.

Call the Expert Chipmunk Trappers at the First Signs of Chipmunk Damage

Preventive strategies will only go so far if you have a chipmunk problem. The best way to get rid of chipmunks for good is to call in the experts with Trap Your Moles. We trap pest wildlife like moles and chipmunks so you can get your yard back from their damage. Get in touch with us today to set up your pest removal.

If you’ve ever walked outside and felt dread at the sight of dirt mounds and dead grass, then you’ve likely encountered the Eastern Ground Mole. Small, furry, and destructive, the Eastern Ground Mole is native to Cincinnati and the eastern half of the United States. It tunnels in yards everywhere, and no homeowner is safe from a potential mole infestation.

Luckily, professional mole trapping services like Trap Your Moles are experts in trapping these pesky critters. But what exactly are they? What are their habits? What do they like to eat? And why did they choose your yard instead of your neighbor’s?

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the Eastern Ground Mole, then this blog is your perfect opportunity. After all, knowing the enemy is the key to winning the war against moles. Read on to learn about the Eastern Ground Mole.

Physical Description

Eastern Ground Moles are small mammals with a body length of approximately 6.3 inches (16 centimeters). They have soft, gray-brown fur and an elongated, potato-shaped body. The mole’s defining characteristics are its large front feet with shovel-like claws for digging, its pointed snout, and its lack of visible eyes and ears.

Moles are mostly blind, but their fused eyes can sense light and dark. Their hearing is fairly sharp, however. They also have a short, thick tail that they use almost like a backup camera. The tail is covered in fur, and they use their sense of touch as they crawl backward through tunnels.

The Eastern Ground Mole may look like mice or rats, but it doesn’t belong to the rodent family. Moles are more closely related to bats and belong to a classification of mammals called insectivores.

Diet

Being insectivores, Eastern Ground Moles primarily eat insects, although their favorite food is earthworms. Worms, grubs, and larvae of other insects are typically all on the menu for Eastern Ground Moles. They’re voracious eaters, consuming between 25-50% of their body weight in food per day!

Contrary to popular belief, moles typically don’t eat much vegetation. Their tunnels can uproot gardens and other plant life, but they’re not the critters usually found snacking on your vegetables or flowers.

Habitat

Eastern Ground Moles spend most of their lives underground, and they can be found all throughout the eastern United States, Canada, and Mexico. They have the largest habitat distribution of any mole subspecies. They tend to favor soft, loamy soils in moist areas, which makes their digging easier.

They dig both shallow and deep tunnels, which are used for different purposes. Shallow tunnels are for foraging for food, while the deeper tunnels are living spaces.

Breeding

Eastern Ground Moles are typically solitary creatures, but they come together to breed in late winter or early spring, with litters of between two to five young being born between April and June. The gestation period is around 45 days, and the baby moles mature and leave their mother after about a month.

Behavior

Eastern Ground Moles spend the majority of their time digging tunnels to find food. They’re active all day long and all year round, but usually are the most active in the mornings and evenings and are more noticeable in the warmer months. Moles do not hibernate during the winter, however. Instead, they burrow deeper underground, where the soil is less likely to be stiff or frozen from the cold.

Digging deeper down, however, means less oxygen. Eastern Ground Moles have specialized red blood cells that are able to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide, so they can survive with lower oxygen levels than other species.

Mole tunnels tend to follow manmade structures, like fences or the foundation of a house. As they dig, Eastern Ground Moles push dirt up to the surface in mounds called molehills. Their shallow tunnels disrupt the root systems of grasses and other plants, as well, as leaving dead patches of grass and plants in their wake.

These tunnels aren’t simply destructive. Moles are quite crafty with their tunnels, building specialized chambers in their tunnels for sleeping, breeding, and raising young. The tunnels can also be used as traps for their prey. Moles can dig new burrows at a rate of up to 18 feet per hour, which means your yard could be home to a network of mole tunnels within a few mere weeks.

Do I need Eastern Ground Mole Trapping Services?

So now you know a little bit more about Eastern Ground Moles. But how do you know if you have a mole problem that needs a professional?

Mole damage can be subtle at first, but it will become more obvious over time as the moles continue digging. We rounded up all the top signs that you need mole trapping services here, but here’s a brief overview:

• Small piles of dirt strewn throughout your lawn, otherwise known as molehills.
• Dead patches of yellow or brown grass, usually in a line following the path of a tunnel.
• Raised lines of dirt just under your lawn, following the path of a tunnel.
• Uprooted plants, especially in gardens or up close to the foundation of your house.
• Visible tunnel entrances in the ground.
• In severe cases, uneven sidewalks or driveways, as moles tunnel underneath the concrete. The ground below can become unstable and make your pathways unsafe to walk on.
• You see moles! This is more likely if you have outdoor pets that hunt, but you still may be able to see the small, furry bodies digging at the entrance of their tunnels.

If you notice any of these signs, time is of the essence. The Eastern Ground Mole can be dealt with, but the most effective method of removing them from your yard and your life is to trap them. Trap Your Moles has been serving Cincinnati and the Tri-State area for years. Our mole-trapping experts are always ready to help you take back your yard. Get in touch with us today to set up your first consultation appointment.

The eastern ground mole lurks underground in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, looking for its new home. Once it finds a hospitable yard full of its favorite foods, it’s likely to stick around. In fact, once moles have made their home in your yard, they aren’t likely to leave on their own. Instead, you’ll need to have them removed before the mole damage problem gets worse.

Mole damage can be widespread and severe, including collapsed above-ground pools, broken driveways, and more. As the moles reproduce, their damage increases, costing you more money in repairs and making your yard an eyesore.

The best way to get rid of moles is to know the early signs of mole damage, so you can act fast. Read our handy guide below for the most common signs of mole damage, so you know what to look for.

Dead or Dying Patches of Grass

Did your lawn suddenly change from lush and green to dry, damaged, and patchy? If so, this could be a sign of mole damage.

Moles dig tunnels underneath your grass, disrupting the root systems and topsoil underneath your lawn. With the roots disrupted, the lawn on top of the surface dies, leading to uneven brown patches along the tunnel’s path.

Look carefully at your lawn if you notice dead patches. A small, concentrated area may not be a sign of moles. But if you have dead patches of grass in multiple areas or in what appears to be a direct tunnel path, you may be dealing with a mole infestation.

Visible Tunnels on the Surface

Along with dead patches of grass, you may notice raised tunnels as a sign of mole damage. Moles uproot plants and grass as they dig just below the surface. Your lawn may appear raised or bumpy along these paths.

You can also use visible tunnels to determine the severity of a potential mole damage problem. Moles tend to dig more tunnels rather than using the same ones. So, you’ll notice an increase in the raised tunnels and dead grass as the moles multiply and expand their territory. More tunnels mean more moles, so you’d want to act quickly to eliminate them before the problem gets any worse.

Molehills or Mounds of Dirt

Molehills and mounds of dirt may not be as common as other signs of mole damage, but you still need to be on the lookout for them. Molehills occur when moles force dirt upwards as they dig under the ground’s surface. As they push the dirt behind them to dig deeper, the dirt becomes raised in small piles.

You won’t notice huge mounds of dirt, however. Molehills are volcano-shaped piles about six inches tall. They’re also usually connected to the entrances of mole tunnel systems, which will be visible on the surface of your lawn.

An Increase in Weeds

Have you noticed more weeds sprouting in your lawn or garden? You may not connect this phenomenon to mole damage, but weeds can actually be an indication of moles in your yard.

As moles dig, they uproot grass and plants with their tunnels. This disruption of their root systems can allow weeds a chance to sprout. As more plants and grass are uprooted, more weeds may pop up in their place. If you don’t catch the mole problem in its early stages, your yard could quickly be overtaken by weeds and mole damage.

Visual Signs of Moles

Mole damage isn’t the only thing you need to look out for in your yard. If you suspect a mole problem, the largest sign will be when you spot the moles themselves. But what do you need to look for? How do you tell a mole apart from other yard pests?

The eastern ground mole is the most common mole species in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. They are small mammals with dark brown fur. They have potato-shaped bodies and are approximately seven inches long and weigh around four ounces. They have beady, black eyes that may be hard to spot due to how tiny they are. Moles also have pointed muzzles and wide, flipper-like feet used to dig tunnels.

Moles are most active during the spring and fall and during evenings or early mornings. You can also catch them more easily moving around after it rains or on a warm day. When the soil is moist and the ground is warmer, they’ll tend to make their way closer to the surface, instead of digging deeper underground.

If you spot moles in your yard, along with other visual signs of mole damage, you’re likely dealing with a mole infestation.

How Do I Prevent Mole Damage?

Getting rid of the moles once they move into your yard is the only surefire way to prevent future damage. However, there are some things you can do to prevent moles from finding your yard hospitable in the first place.

Moles like soft, damp soil. It’s easier to dig in and is home to their favorite foods—grubs and insect larvae that feed upon plant roots. You can take steps to make your soil dryer and less hospitable to insects by using mulch sparingly, and not over-watering. You can also introduce beneficial parasites like nematodes into your garden ecosystem to keep worm and grub populations under control. The less insects in your soil, the less likely moles are to make a home in your yard.

Get Rid of Mole Damage for Good

If you’ve noticed the above signs of mole damage, have tried all the preventatives, and you’re still dealing with a mole infestation, it’s time to call Trap Your Moles. We’ve been the Tri-State’s mole and pest removal experts for years. Get in touch with our trapping experts with our contact form, or give us a call. We can diagnose your mole problem and come up with a solution so you can say goodbye to mole damage permanently.

Their bushy tails and tiny paws might be cute, but squirrels can be a nuisance for homeowners in Cincinnati. The Eastern Gray Squirrel is the most common squirrel species in Cincinnati, and while it’s mostly a harmless, outdoor critter, it can easily cause chaos in homes and gardens. They can especially cause trouble when they move into your home, requiring squirrel trapping services.

The most common issues that squirrels can cause include:

• Damage to your home, including siding, shingles, insulation, and wiring.
• Damage to your garden and plants.
• Health problems due to bacteria from droppings or allergies.
• Carrying diseases or parasites that are transmissible to humans.

While squirrels overall can be healthy to the Cincinnati ecosystem, these problems can quickly get out of control if squirrels are left unchecked. There are several signs you might have a squirrel problem that would require squirrel trapping services. Keep reading for our list of the top signs you need squirrel trapping services.

You See Squirrel Droppings

Seeing animal droppings in your basement or attic is always a cause for concern. But how do you know that the droppings you’ve found belong to a squirrel and not some other pest? Squirrel droppings can look like rat droppings, but there are a few key features that distinguish them from rat droppings:

• They’re smaller than rat droppings, around 3/8 of an inch long and 1/8 of an inch in diameter.
• They’re rounded on the edges and shaped like coffee beans.
• They can be shiny when fresh, but they dry and change color to a paler hue.
• They’re a different color than rat droppings; squirrel droppings are brown with tints of red, tan, or green, while rat droppings are dark brown or black.
• Squirrels don’t defecate while walking, so they will leave piles instead of scattered pellets.
• They tend to defecate in the same area over time.

If you notice droppings matching this description, it might be time to call for squirrel trapping services.

You Hear Strange Noises in Your Attic or Walls

Unless your home is very old, it’s likely pretty quiet. If you suddenly start to hear scurrying, scratching, or chewing noises in your ceiling or walls, there is a good chance squirrels have moved in. Stay quiet and listen when you hear new noises. If you suspect squirrels, get in touch with a wildlife trapping service like Trap Your Moles to do an inspection.

You Notice Damage to Your Home

Squirrels will chew and scratch at human structures to find an entry point inside. They can chew through your siding and shingles, chew on wires inside and out, and tear up insulation. You may also notice damage to bird feeders and patio furniture outside. They can rip open garbage bags looking for food and put teeth marks on drywall. Look closely at your home indoors and out to check for signs of damage. They could be attributed to other critters, like raccoons or mice, but squirrels are just as likely a culprit.

You Notice Damage to Your Garden or Other Plants

Squirrels are omnivores, so they’ll munch on just about anything they can get their paws on. Your garden is a great source of food for them. If you notice your petunias are getting chomped, you may need to invest in squirrel trapping services.

Look for damage to tree bark, flowers, shrubs, and grass. If you grow vegetables or fruit in your backyard, squirrels are huge fans of berries and leafy green vegetables. If your plants are being dug up or munched on and if you notice other signs of squirrels, it’s likely they’re the ones to blame.

You Notice a Foul Smell in Your Home

If squirrels have made a home in your attic, they tend to wander throughout the structure of your home. They can easily fall behind drywall and become trapped. If you’ve heard frantic scratching for a day or so, and then start to notice a foul odor, the stuck squirrel likely died inside your home and is starting to decay. The noxious odors, especially in the summer, can cause discomfort for the humans in your home, and potentially be a health hazard.

Another smelly sign of squirrels is urine damage to your ceiling, walls, or floor. A family of squirrels living in your attic will have to go some time, and what better place than inside your home? You may notice what looks like water damage on your ceiling, accompanied by an odor. Get in touch with a wildlife trapping service fast to remove the squirrel problem before you tackle cleaning up their mess.

You See More Squirrels Outdoors

The final and most obvious sign that you may have a squirrel issue in your home or yard is seeing more squirrels outside in the first place. If you’ve noticed any of the other signs above and are catching more glimpses of bushy tails in your grass or trees, the chances are good that you’re unwittingly playing host to a family of squirrels. Keep an eye on your roof or fences. If squirrels are suddenly hanging out in these places, they may have found a way inside. Check your home closely for damage or an entry point if you’ve seen an uptick in squirrels in your yard.

Call Trap Your Moles for Squirrel Trapping

Trap Your Moles offers many wildlife removal services in Cincinnati, not just mole trapping. If you have noticed any of the above signs of squirrel damage, get in touch with the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky wildlife removal experts for squirrel trapping services. You don’t have to watch your home and yard be taken over by squirrels. We’ve got the experienced trappers and the permits needed to get rid of your squirrel problem for good.

Use our contact form or give Trap Your Moles a call today. We can often diagnose a wildlife problem over the phone and set up your first visit as soon as possible.

The Eastern Ground Mole is the most common mole that plagues Ohio yards. This tiny pest is a nuisance to homeowners everywhere, and it can cause serious damage. Lawns, gardens, and even sidewalks aren’t safe once a family of moles moves into your yard.

For most homeowners, the key to saving your yard from mole damage is to prevent them from appearing in the first place. There are many do-it-yourself methods and mole prevention tactics that homeowners can take to make their yards inhospitable to moles. Keep reading for our top list of mole prevention methods, as well as our suggestions for how to get rid of moles for good if you are dealing with an infestation.

Make Your Yard Unattractive to Moles

Most ground mole prevention methods involve making your yard unattractive to moles in the first place. If feeding, breeding, and digging are difficult in your yard, any moles that check out your property will be more likely to choose your neighbor’s yard instead. With those three things in mind, these are the top methods to making sure that ground moles don’t call your yard home.

Remove Their Food Sources

Moles feast on grubs, worms, and other small insects that live among the root systems of your plants and in your lawn. Eliminating insects from your yard is the first step to making sure that moles can’t call your property home. You can purchase earth-friendly beneficial nematodes and spread them throughout your yard to create an inhospitable ecosystem for grubs. Nematodes are microscopic predatory worms that hunt down pest insects, but they’re harmless to humans, plants, and pets.

You can also purchase a milky spore mix to spread through your garden. Milky spore disease is a naturally occurring pathogen that is harmless to plants but kills insect larvae. Milky spores do take several years to take effect, but they can be a worthwhile investment to prevent grubs and moles from taking refuge in your yard.

Apply a Mole Repellent

If you’re still working on eliminating mole food sources, you can also spread a homemade repellent throughout your lawn and garden to make sure moles stay away. Castor oil is an effective mole repellent, as it causes digestive upset in moles and makes them less likely to stay in your yard. Mix three parts castor oil with one part dish soap, and then mix four tablespoons of the mixture into a gallon of water. Soak mole tunnel entrances in the water and oil mixture and the moles will eventually move on.

There are also commercial repellents in liquid or granule form available for purchase. Be sure to follow all label instructions carefully when using a commercial repellent.

Create Barriers and Obstacles

You can use landscaping to your advantage to prevent moles from moving into your yard. Create barriers at the edges of your property that make it difficult for moles to dig into your yard. If your yard or garden isn’t easy to get to, the moles will move on to somewhere else, instead.

You can create barriers with several methods. Plants such as daffodils, marigolds, or other allium family plants have a strong smell that is repulsive to moles. Plant these along the edges of your garden or lawn for a beautiful and effective barrier.

Trenches are another type of barrier you can use, as well. Dig a trench around your garden approximately 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep, and then fill the trenches with pebbles or line them with mesh. These trenches will be difficult, if not impossible, for moles to traverse.

Make your Yard Unsafe for Moles

The final step to DIY mole prevention is to make your yard unsafe or difficult for them to live in. Keep your lawn trimmed short so the moles don’t have anywhere to hide. Avoid using mulch or overwatering your lawn, as moles prefer moist soil to dig in. If the soil is too dry, they will have a more difficult time establishing their home tunnels. Drier soil also means fewer earthworms, which are another mole food source.

Get Rid of Existing Moles

If you’ve taken all the preventative methods and you’re still dealing with moles, or you’re trying to fight an active infestation, you will need to find a way to remove the existing moles from your yard. We recommend calling in a professional mole removal service to deal with your infestation, however, there are some DIY methods available to homeowners.

Baiting/Poison

Commercial mole bait is typically shaped like a worm or other mole food source but is laced with a poison that will kill the mole after it has been consumed. Mole poison also comes in a gel form that can be deposited into their tunnels. When a mole comes in contact with the gel, it causes internal blood coagulation, and the mole will die quickly.

Poison gas is also available as an option for killing moles. It is available in a granule or tablet form that you can deposit into the mouth of a mole tunnel. It then reacts with the soil to create a poison gas that will kill the moles as they traverse their tunnels.

Trapping

Trapping the moles is the other removal method for existing mole infestations. You can purchase commercial, mechanical traps and place them in your yard where the moles have tunneled. These traps are spring-loaded and are usually designed to impale or squeeze the mole when set off. These traps require a lot of supervision and effort, but they are effective.

Call the Professionals

If your DIY methods haven’t yielded results and you’re tired of seeing mole damage in your yard, a professional service should be your next step. Trap Your Moles is experienced with trapping the Tri-State’s moles and saving your yard from their tunnels for good. If you’ve tried everything and are still experiencing a mole infestation, get in touch with us for a quote. Once the moles are gone, you can take the mole prevention steps outlined above, and hopefully, you can experience a beautiful, mole-free yard for years to come.

Holes, holes, holes!

Patches of your grass are dying, and there are little mounds of dirt everywhere. Instead of the problem being temporary, the holes only increase, and soon enough your yard looks like a prairie!

It looks like you have a mole infestation.

Moles might seem like cute critters you’d find in a Disney movie, but they’re difficult to remove, and they’ll wreak havoc on your lawn. It’s not as simple as flooding their warrens. These guys have intricate networks, and they can dig fast.

Fortunately, there’s a solution to your mole problem. Read on to find out more.

Are Moles Dangerous?

You might be tempted to think that moles are like mice, rats, gophers, or voles. But that’s not the case. They’re shy creatures that don’t bite humans.

Moles live most of their life underground. As such, they tend to have poor eyesight. However, they make up for this by having an incredibly sensitive nose that allows them to navigate their subterranean home with ease.

You may be worried that moles are responsible for eating your plants. But moles are insectivores (meaning they only eat insects) which is why they spend most of their time underground. Their diet consists of grubs, worms, and anything else they can find in the dark, moist soil.

Why Are There Moles in Your Yard?

Moles may be attracted to a number of features that your yard provides. As a result, they may remain in your yard for many mole generations.

They seek out cool soil that is filled with insects. They have a tendency to follow human-made borders: hedgerows, fences, and walkways. They love the root systems of bushes, shrubs, and trees since these places are filled to the brim with bugs.

Moles will only migrate to another yard if their food supply diminishes. Pesticides may drive moles to leave your property for greener pastures, but this process could take a long time.

What Damage Can Moles Do to Your Yard?

For starters, mole tunnel networks can weaken the ground. You risk twisting an ankle when you accidentally collapse a section of the tunnel. This may cause future problems when having to fill in and replant areas of your lawn or garden.

Moles are also notorious for killing off grass and other plants. While moles do not eat plants (remember, they’re only insectivores!) they often disturb the root systems. These root systems tend to have abundant food sources. 

If moles like your yard, they may stay there for a long time. Meaning more tunnels, more dead plants, and more risk of tripping when you accidentally collapse a tunnel.

Another threat moles pose to the integrity of your yard is not the moles themselves, but what comes after. Voles, another species entirely, will use the networks moles have already dug. And voles love to eat your plants and roots!

How Do You Identify a Mole Infestation?

Moles are quite easy to identify since they have three main signs:

1. As mentioned earlier, moles cause the grass to die when they burrow past its roots. You may be able to identify lines of dead grass and dying shrubs. This may be a result of the tunnel running directly beneath your landscaping.
2. Wherever moles dig an entry or exit hole, they leave a mound known as a molehill. These may be up to 6 inches in height. So while the saying “don’t make a mountain out of a molehill” may be useful advice, molehills can be a sign of serious problems!
3. Molehills, unlike the holes of other species, are spaced apart by as much as 6 feet or more. In addition to this, molehills are often piled with dirt clods and clumps of earth, rather than finer dirt. If you find holes that are very close together, you might not have a mole issue.

If you’re not sure whether your yard is showing these signs, there are experts in mole control who can take a look.

How to Get Rid of Moles

There are plenty of home remedies circling the internet, but your best bet is to hire a professional. This will save you time and avoid an infestation that never seems to end. There are three main methods of eliminating moles from your yard:

1. Eliminating their food source via pesticides. This is the slowest method and may take time to work–if it works at all. Remember, most of a mole’s food supply is beneath the earth!
2. Trapping is the fastest and most effective method of mole removal. Moles are driven out or isolated and then captured with mole traps. 
3. Baiting involves feeding the moles poisoned grubs. While this will kill moles quickly (usually in a day or less) that risks a dog or a cat eating a poisoned mole and getting sick as a result!

Once you’ve eliminated the local mole population, there are methods to ensure they don’t return.

How to Prevent a Future Mole Infestation

You’ve paid a professional and gotten rid of those pesky moles! However, there are some tips to keep your yard mole-free for the coming years:

1. Maintain a trimmed, tidy yard. Moles prefer staying in cover. Eliminate tall grass, piles of mulch, and other debris that will encourage moles to move in.
2. Control a mole’s food supply. Solutions such as milky spore and beneficial nematodes will kill off their favorite grubs.
3. Create barriers of fragrant plants. Moles are especially averse to anything from the allium family. These include marigolds and daffodils.
4. Purchase a sonic spike. These can be found in your local home and garden. When inserted in the ground, they create uncomfortable electric pulses to drive away moles–but which you and your family won’t feel.

Final Thoughts

If moles are infesting your beautiful lawn or garden, it’s time to act. Find a professional near you who can give you back your outdoor property.