RE: Need some advice...

Jesse, I won't use poison.  I just don't.  And with momma, she may get
curious and who knows what she might eat!  (God love her, she really is a
danger to herself.)  The worst I would do would be to use a trap.  I might
try the vibration thing to see if that will work to gently move it out of
that area.  I really do want to use the least force possible.

Blessings,
Bonnie (SW OH - zone 5)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf
Of Jesse Bell
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 9:18 AM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Need some advice...

OHhhh...please don't use poisons on any wildlife or animals (including
mice) because it sets off a chain reaction. The mouse, mole or what have
you eats the poison, stumbles around outside, an owl, hawk, cat, dog eat
it and they both die.



Marge Talt <mtalt@hort.net> wrote:
You know, Bonnie, reading your post again, there really isn't any way
to ensure that you will not have moles working that area as long as
it contains food for them. If you manage to kill the one(s) that are
there now, others will come to take their place. I wonder if that
soil is perhaps looser than the surrounding area; has more organic
material and thus more earthworms or something...something that's
attracting them to the area around the pond...

I do know, from sad experience, that moles can die from excessive
soil vibration right next to them...one day I was building a
retaining wall and there was a mole working right where I was; I
could see the soil heaving...I just kept on pounding in stakes and
the mole surfaced and died right in my hand - I was very sad:-( Had
I realized this, I would have moved away until the mole moved on. 
They have the absolutely softest fur on the planet. I expect this is
why those odd pinwheel mole discouragers are sold tho' I do not think
they are particularly effective in reality.

I am a mole fan...anything that aerates my stolid clay soil and eats
Japanese beetle grubs is a friend of mine. I just stomp tunnels in
what passes for our lawn if they get on my nerves...otherwise I think
what grass I have is grateful for the loosening of the otherwise
compacted soil:-)

Here's a link to extensive information about moles and their control
in Virginia:

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/wildlife/420-201/420-201.html

And another from Oregon:

http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat/html/ec/ec987/ec987.html

And less information, but better pix from Ohio

http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/0011.html

The Virginia site points out that mole traps pose dangers to the
installer of same as well as pets and other small wildlife. If
trapping is what you decide to do, it appears it is best left to a
professional mole exterminator. Poisons are also difficult and
dangerous, even if the average homeowner can get those rated for
moles...

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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----------
> From: Bonnie & Bill Morgan 
> 
> As you know, I'm the live and let live type of person, but this is
the first
> time I've had a mole do so much damage! Since we put the pond in,
a mole
> has been making long runs to the pond, around the surrounding area
and right
> back to the pond. We've pressed the disturbed soil back down and
an hour or
> two later, the "hill" is larger and taller. It has killed out much
of the
> grass on the West side of the pond. 
> 
> I know that his presence probably means I have some underground
problem (is
> it grubs they go after?) but what would be the safest and sanest
way to stop
> the devastation. I'm really worried momma will take her little dog
outside
> and trip over or fall into one of the mole's hills. Any ideas?
> 
> Thanks and blessings,
> Bonnie (SW OH - zone 5)

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