Apr 21, 2011 – Nature Hates A Void
QUESTION:
We have been treating a yard for moles with Talpirid. However, they always return. Is there something better that I should be using, or is this normal? I would like to know more about moles if you could explain about them.
ANSWER:
The basics of moles is that they are solitary carnivores, living alone except during breeding season and mating time, and feeding primarily on earthworms and insects in the soil, such as beetle larvae. They will also nibble on small amounts of plant material, but the damage to plants is minimal and the primary problem with moles is the raising tunnels they burrow along the surface in their feeding forays. These tunnels can cause an unsightly appearance to nicely maintained lawns, and may encourage faster drying of the soil that might harm the turf. They live completely underground, usually with a main chamber and living area away from the turf, and often around the roots of large shrubs or trees. From here they burrow main tunnels fairly deep in the soil and then come to the surface to burrow the feeding tunnels, where they are more likely to encounter grubs and other insects that feed on the turf.
Moles have always avoided rodent baits, but the Talpirid from Bell Labs offers that unique form and texture of an earthworm, so with a little luck the mole can be fooled into believing it has stumbled onto a wonderful meal if the Talpirid is placed in its path. This product seems to be working very, very well for mole control, but one fact of Nature is that it “hates a void”, and if you remove all of the animals of one kind in some habitat, it quickly will be replenished by others of that kind of animal from outside this area. Populations of all living things increase with reproduction, and then they compete with each other for resources. By removing all the competition from some place where food and habitat still are available, it is an invitation for new moles to enter and set up their home. Mole and gopher control should be considered an ongoing effort, rather than a 1-shot-and-we’re-done-with-it service. The customer needs to understand this as well so they don’t think you left some moles behind just to keep the business going.
Mole control also is done very successfully with traps, but trapping can be extremely time-consuming and takes some expertise. The amount of time you would have to charge the customer for to dig holes down into main runways, set traps, cover the holes again, and then come back to check and reset the traps might be cost prohibitive. A single mole might cost that customer a couple hundred dollars for your time, and moles can be pretty sneaky about setting off the traps without getting caught. The effective bait is done much more quickly.
Mole repellents also exist, and these may provide some effectiveness if placed correctly. They do not last very long, and would need to be replenished frequently if they are expected to keep moles out of the area. Most seem to be based on castor oil, and may be applied directly into their feeding tunnels if you determine the tunnel is still actively used, or applied to the overall surface and watered in. Keep in mind this does not eliminate moles, but in a sense just pushes them out of the immediate area, so the pressure for them to return is always there if the repellent dissipates.
Pest QuestionsApril 23, 2011
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