Mole control - Why?

I agree with Celia that one has no reason to eliminate moles. All they want
to do is quietly eat various insect larvae.
I don't know what their range is but we have a major problem with pocket
gophers (Thomomys umbrinis) and the poor moles get blamed here also, even
though the nearest mole is about 200 miles away. Pocket gophers spend most
of their time underground and have voracious appetites for bulbs and
rhizomes. In appearance they look like a field mouse who has been dosing
heavily on steroids. If uncontrolled they could literally put us out of
business.

Trapping can work but they are exceedingly clever at evading them, poisons
work and are a last resource but what we really depend on is a big orange
cat who is a gopher specialist. He has them figured out and rarely wastes
much time in the hunt. Some cats will catch them but this one enjoys eating
them. There is one drawback to this as he will always throw up the first 1
or 2 he eats each spring, usually in my chair. We have been through that
little episode already this spring.

I have been thinking for years that a family of snakes is what we really
need but it is rare to see even a garter snake here. At one point I was
sufficiently desperate that I considered getting in some of the local
rattlesnakes. That idea was voted down.

John Montgomery
monashee@bcgrizzly.com
Vernon,  BC     Where all the pests are small.
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