Mountains of mole hills

“No!”

My friend Tracy’s voice was clearly audible from across the street. He and his dog Scout were taking one of their regular walks through the neighborhood. Apparently Scout had committed some sort of furry faux pas. They crossed from the opposite sidewalk to where I was cutting fresh basil from the flower bed for dinner.

“Do you know what he just did?” Tracy asked.

I had no idea what had transpired and said so. He explained, “Scout just dug up a mole.”

I wasn’t sure whether I sensed some remorse in my friend’s voice or not, so I held my tongue. Had I said what I was thinking, it would have been that most of my neighbors would probably cook Scout a steak dinner for removing one of the tunneling terrors from our lawns.

The two continued on their walk, but curiosity got the better of me. I made my way across the street in search of the little mammal. You will note that I did not say rodent, because they are not rodents at all. Moles are carnivores and are not closely related to voles, mice, rats or squirrels.

I found the mole quickly and studied it at length. There is really nothing with a face quite like a mole’s. In fact, the whole creature is fascinating. It’s as if God took a mouse and thought of what it would and would not need to live underground. While not deaf or blind, the mole cannot see well and both the ears and eyes are hard to find. And a mouse could never tunnel its way around with “normal” feet. Fortunately the mole doesn’t have those, either.

According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, there are three species of moles in the state. The eastern mole, Scalopus acquaticus, is widespread and common. The star-nosed mole, Condylura crostata, and the hairy-tailed mole, Parascalops breweri, are found in localized areas and are much less commonly encountered. While there are some differences in appearance, all three species share soft fur, small mostly-hidden eyes, ear holes that are barely visible, and large, paddle-like feet with sharp claws that are used for digging those bothersome tunnels. They are odd-looking creatures but I have actually heard some folks (especially children) call them “cute.”

So, if moles don’t eat your grass and plants (although they certainly can tear them up a bit), what do they eat? Their preferred food includes earthworms, grubs and insects. Moles are voracious eaters and are estimated to consume some 70 percent of their body weight each day. These hearty appetites are largely attributed to their incessant digging, which requires large amounts of energy. The mole digs both main tunnels some 8 to 12 inches below the surface and temporary tunnels just under the surface. The tunnel systems are as interesting as the animals that dig them. Sometimes the networks are used for several generations, and they have sleeping and birthing chambers as well as food storage areas where large stockpiles of worms may sometimes be found.

But what is one to do with unwanted moles in the yard? This topic alone takes up copious amounts of space on many a lawn maintenance web board. First, know that if something is eating plants around your home, it’s not a mole. Still, many of us spend far too much time and money caring for our yards to stomach the pushed up tunnels through our lawns. So how do we get rid of something we never see and know relatively little about?

The least destructive, but also possibly least effective, tool includes sonic spikes or rods that vibrate at certain frequencies and are advertised to ward off the furry intruders. Based on online reviews, it appears that these may or may not be very helpful. I found one advertised on Amazon that apparently wards off moles, voles, gophers and dandruff! Several types of poisons are available for moles, some of which are even disguised as worms, grubs or other favorite food sources. However, with all of the cats, dogs, and wildlife here on Daniel Island, poisoning anything is probably a poor choice. It would be awful to accidentally hurt someone’s pet. Finally, there are mechanical traps, which are generally effective (and lethal). Most of them are designed to be unlikely to harm other animals and to operate within the tunnels themselves. Some professionals recommend treating yards for the grubs that moles are looking for, since without adequate food, the moles will soon move on.

The next time one of those pesky mole tunnels forms in your yard, take heart. Its creator is not seeking to do you or your garden harm. That said, there are ways to manage or rid oneself of these busy burrowers if the tunnels offend you or are doing damage to your grass.

And if your dog unexpectedly ends a mole’s digging career a little early, don’t be surprised if he starts getting invited to some pet play dates in certain neighbors’ yards.