How To Identify And Get Rid Of A Mole Problem In Your Yard In Missouri City

Many homeowners in Texas experience problems with forms of wildlife. Many of these creatures cause health risks, create hazardous conditions in yard areas, and damage property, resulting in expensive repairs. Some of the most problematic pests include possums, raccoons, skunks, and moles. 

The eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus) is a small mammal that uses its front legs equipped with claws for burrowing in the ground. The eastern mole has a pointed nose, thick brownish fur, and a smooth tail. From their nose to the tip of the tail, these creatures often exceed 6 inches long and weigh up to 1/2 a pound. 

Female moles usually have a single litter of three to five pups annually, typically during spring. Male moles are called boars, and females are referred to as sows. 

Are you a property owner in Missouri City seeking solutions regarding how to control moles in your lawn? This should come as no surprise, as moles are a common pest found in residential areas. Moles are pests usually best handled by a pest control professional who understands these undesirable creatures' behavior. 

A properly licensed Missouri City pest control company employs a team of experienced pest management technicians that receive the latest training regarding the primary types of wildlife that enter properties and create costly property damage. Qualified service providers understand the best strategies to get rid of moles efficiently. These professional mole control experts also understand the best ways of preventing these unwelcome critters from returning to the premises. 

How To Identify Mole Damage In Your Yard

Local property owners should learn to recognize some of the most common signs of moles in residential settings. Most Missouri City homeowners do not know the difference between moles and some of the other similar pests, including gophers and voles. Let's look at some ways of clearly distinguishing moles from other invaders. 

Gophers are generally bigger and more robust compared to moles or voles, often reaching one foot long. As rodents, gophers have a large front pair of teeth (incisors) that grow continuously, encouraging them to gnaw on various materials. Gophers use their distinctive cheek "pouches" for holding food, nesting materials, and other supplies. Gophers have much more noticeable eyes than moles and rounded ears. 

Voles are creatures that look much more "mouse-like." Voles have visible facial features, unlike moles, whose eyes and ears are covered by fur. Like mice, voles are fearful of humans and will avoid encounters. 

Voles do not hibernate and may exist year-round. Unlike moles, voles are primarily herbivores that consume crops, grasses, seeds, and many other similar materials. Voles have a greater reproductive capacity than moles, with females having up to five litters of roughly five pups each year. Voles remain active in burrowing activities forming tunnels, which might contain multiple adults as well as their young. 

There is a misconception that moles are completely blind. The truth is that moles have underdeveloped eyes primarily used to detect light. Instead, moles rely on their powerful senses of smell and touch. Moles are highly sensitive creatures that can detect vibrations.  

Although they are usually active all year long in this region, moles spend the majority of their lives underground. Moles are insectivores (not rodents) that consume beetles, grubs, earthworms, and more. Moles remain active in digging, which causes them to expend large amounts of energy; therefore, they often consume more than 70 percent of their body weight in food each day. When necessary, moles will supplement their diet with various types of vegetation. Moles do not routinely "drink" water, yet, they obtain water from the foods that they eat. 

Moles are mostly solitary creatures that prefer lawns and gardens filled with plenty of insects—particularly grubs. When food sources are scarce, moles must increasingly burrow through larger areas, sometimes spanning more than two acres. Based on their territorial nature, having more than one mole per acre is unlikely. Moles are most active during the spring and fall—particularly after rainfall. 

One telltale indication of mole activity is the presence of "molehills." Unlike gophers, these mounds of soil are not sifted and are often simply described as clumps. Molehills may range in diameter from roughly six to more than 20 inches and reach heights of more than six inches. Keep in mind that gopher mounds are typically much closer to other mounds, while those created by moles are often more than five feet apart. 

Fortunately, moles typically don't eat grass or plants; however, they will definitely damage both. Moles kill their prey in various ways, such as crushing the creature into the walls of a burrow or biting them. 

Part of the reason that moles remain underground is for self-preservation from predators. Homeowners who notice coyotes, badgers, or foxes digging around their lawns might have mole problems. While remaining underground helps shield moles from many predators, they are vulnerable to flood-like conditions. 

In this region, moles target yards with damp and sandy soil. They are much less likely when the conditions are very dry or in heavy clays. Moles create shallow burrows and run near the surface primarily for locating food. Homeowners often notice irregularities on the surface that are roughly three inches wide. 

Males seek female mates during the later months of winter. In most southern areas of Texas, the primary breeding season is in February. Female moles are sexually mature within one year. In spring, females may create much deeper burrowers to rear their offspring. 

Mole droppings are small, brown, and pellet-like. The droppings are sometimes visible above the ground adjacent to the surface entrances and exit holes. 

The Extent Of Damage Moles Can Create In Your Yard

Using their nails, moles are excellent at digging and creating burrows by shoveling backward with their front feet. Some estimates suggest that a mole can dig at a rate of 15 feet per hour, which is pretty efficient based on its small size. Although moles don't eat bulbs, seedlings, or plant roots, their tunneling activity cause them to fracture. 

Moles are known for ruining lawns in residential areas, parks, golf courses, and cemeteries. Homeowners that have spent time planting flowers or vegetables in gardens or have spent money on professional landscaping are often plagued by destructive mole activity. Large patches of grass often turn yellowish and die when the underground root system is destroyed. 

Although moles are primarily outdoor creatures that will avoid human interaction, they might accidentally burrow beneath the foundation and enter openings in basements or crawl space areas. In many instances, property owners will detect mole activity when their lawn or garden becomes "squishy."

Moles might remain in your yard for several weeks until most of the insects are gone before seeking a new home. Once lawns and plants in yard areas die, weeds often begin emerging in large quantities. 

In extreme cases, a property owner might endure a slip-and-fall accident, such as when mowing the lawn, because of collapsed tunnels or ground holes. Making matters worse, these depressions in the surface along the property's exterior may result in a series of ground holes that hold water, which creates conditions that are favorable for the breeding and development of mosquitoes. 

Moles are primarily considered a nuisance pest that poses minimal health risks. Despite having some small teeth, it is unlikely that they would bite a human. No history or evidence suggests that humans can acquire any diseases from moles. 

Four Naturally Effective Tips To Prevent Moles In Your Yard

What are some of the best preventative measures for property owners in Missouri City to consider implementing at their homes? Here are four effective mole control tips: 

1. In areas of heavy mole activity, consider installing a barrier that extends roughly 12 inches below composed of sheet metal or another durable, inorganic material.
2. Some reports suggest that creating a perimeter using a mix of castor oil and dish soap is an effective mole repellant. 
3. Grubs are among the preferred types of food for moles; therefore, treat your lawn annually for these pests or consult with a professional service provider. 
4. Avoid overwatering lawns and gardens, as these conditions often attract insects that moles consume.

These four tips are useful for preventing moles, yet, many other options exist. For example, although it is more labor intensive, consider creating a trench. Here, a trench measuring roughly two feet deep and six inches wide is filled with rocks. Remember to keep your lawn trimmed and limit weeds and other debris from lawn and garden areas. 

The Best Way To Get Rid Of A Mole Problem

What is the best option for how to control moles in my yard? Rather than trying mass-marketed home pest control products or crude and potentially dangerous methods, these troublesome pests are best treated by professionals. Today, established mole control companies deploy some of the latest and most innovative solutions for removing these pests.

At Modern Pest Control, we recognize the importance of performing both eco-friendly and pet-friendly mole control for our many customers throughout the Missouri City region. After assessing the situation on your property, our service experts will choose the best way to control moles based on specific circumstances. 

Did you know that Modern Pest Control now offers customers a wildlife warranty? We guarantee our services—ask your representative for full details. Our experts may use several treatment methods when it comes to problems with types of wildlife. The first critical step involves conducting a thorough inspection of the premises. 

We often trap certain types of wildlife, including raccoons, squirrels, and possums. This might involve using traps with a one-way entry door and promptly relocating these creatures. We might implement a variety of exclusionary options that physically prevent certain creatures from entering parts of a property. 

Our experts with Modern Pest Control now have three yearlong residential property protection plans. These options are an excellent choice for homeowners seeking to prevent pest-related problems rather than taking remedial action after a pest intrusion or infestation emerges. All three are comprehensive and represent a tremendous value for homeowners in the Missouri City region. 

With our Modern Plus Plan, a trained service professional will visit your property on a quarterly basis for an inspection and to ensure the property remains free of types of ants, crickets, millipedes, and cockroaches. Our next upgraded plan is the Signature Service Plan which also involves quarterly treatment visits from an experienced pest management professional. The Signature Service Plan includes termite control, often featuring professional-grade Sentricon System products. 

Sentricon is the industry leader in the realm of termite control, which has been used in millions of properties. Termites eat the specially formulated bait and pass it on to others within the colony. 

Our top-tier plan is the Signature Plus Service, which provides a complete range of general exterior pest treatment services, a host of preventative protection offerings, and specialized control of termites using options from Sentricon and also addresses mosquitoes. 

The Signature Plus Service plan includes a monthly visit from a mosquito control specialist that substantially reduces the number of active adult mosquitoes on the property and eliminates the majority of activity involving mosquito harboring and breeding. This robust mosquito control plan extends March through November, which is the peak season for these potentially dangerous creatures that are an annual threat to public health. 

Modern Pest Control is a family-owned provider of home pest control solutions that has proudly assisted residential and commercial customers in Missouri City struggling with pest-related concerns. Our organization was founded back in 1952 and remains among the industry leaders, which is evident in our QualityPro and GreenPro Service Certification. We meet or exceed the standards for quality and safety established by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other advocates and educators in professional pest management.  

All of our industry-related credentials and complemented by our commitment to the local community in terms of civic responsibility and support. Our organization supports various worthwhile programs involving the Houston YMCA, local food banks, youth sports activities, and much more. 

Contact our office today regarding an inspection.