Re: Need some advice...

I so agree with Marge...I am also a big fan of the work that moles do.
But, I can also understand Bonnie's worry about her mother's
safety...good luck to you Bonnie in finding a solution to your problem.



Melody, IA (Z 5/4)

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious."    
--Albert Einstein

 --- On Tue 08/17, Marge Talt < mtalt@hort.net > wrote:
From: Marge Talt [mailto: mtalt@hort.net]
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2004 04:19:02 -0400
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Need some advice...

You know, Bonnie, reading your post again, there really isn't any
way<br>to ensure that you will not have moles working that area as long
as<br>it contains food for them. If you manage to kill the one(s) that
are<br>there now, others will come to take their place. I wonder if
that<br>soil is perhaps looser than the surrounding area; has more
organic<br>material and thus more earthworms or something...something
that's<br>attracting them to the area around the pond...<br><br>I do
know, from sad experience, that moles can die from excessive<br>soil
vibration right next to them...one day I was building a<br>retaining
wall and there was a mole working right where I was; I<br>could see the
soil heaving...I just kept on pounding in stakes and<br>the mole
surfaced and died right in my hand - I was very sad:-( Had<br>I realized
this, I would have moved away until the mole moved on. <br>They have the
absolutely softest fur on the planet. I expect this is<br>why those odd
pinwheel mole discouragers are sold tho' I do not think<br>they are
particularly effective in reality.<br><br>I am a mole fan...anything
that aerates my stolid clay soil and eats<br>Japanese beetle grubs is a
friend of mine. I just stomp tunnels in<br>what passes for our lawn if
they get on my nerves...otherwise I think<br>what grass I have is
grateful for the loosening of the otherwise<br>compacted
soil:-)<br><br>Here's a link to extensive information about moles and
their control<br>in
Virginia:<br><br>http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/wildlife/420-201/420-201.html<br><br>And
another from
Oregon:<br><br>http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat/html/ec/ec987/ec987.html<br><br>And
less information, but better pix from Ohio<br><br>

    http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/0011.html<br><br>The

Virginia site points out that mole traps pose dangers to
the<br>installer of same as well as pets and other small wildlife.
If<br>trapping is what you decide to do, it appears it is best left to
a<br>professional mole exterminator. Poisons are also difficult
and<br>dangerous, eve

n if the average homeowner can get those rated
for<br>moles...<br><br>Marge Talt, zone 7
Maryland<br>mtalt@hort.net<br>Editor: Gardening in
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:<br>http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635<br>----------<br>> From:
Bonnie & Bill Morgan <wmorgan972@ameritech.net><br>> <br>> As you know,
I'm the live and let live type of person, but this is<br>the first<br>>
time I've had a mole do so much damage! Since we put the pond in,<br>a
mole<br>> has been making long runs to the pond, around the surrounding
area<br>and right<br>> back to the pond. We've pressed the disturbed
soil back down and<br>an hour or<br>> two later, the "hill" is larger
and taller. It has killed out much<br>of the<br>> grass on the West side
of the pond. <br>> <br>> I know that his presence probably means I have
some underground<br>problem (is<br>> it grubs they go after?) but what
would be the safest and sanest<br>way to stop<br>> the devastation. I'm
really worried momma will take her little dog<br>outside<br>> and trip
over or fall into one of the mole's hills. Any ideas?<br>> <br>> Thanks
and blessings,<br>> Bonnie (SW OH - zone
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