Mole Control In Cincinnati, Ohio
Mole control is a process that often takes time, patience, and persistence. There are no proven, consistent methods of mole control in which one application can rid a lawn completely of moles. Old wives’ tales such as poisoned “peanuts,” “juicy fruit” placements, or repellents are not effective mole control methods. Our professional mole control program involves the following:
- Inspection – An initial inspection of the lawn and continued inspections with each visit.
- Monitoring – Continued, regular monitoring of mole activity while controlling moles.
- Control – Trapping and/or baiting for control of active mole infestations. Includes trapping or the placement of bait to control active infestations. Our professional technicians will design a program that is best for your situation.
- Documentation – We document every visit and provide a detailed service report with each completed visit, sent via email to our customers.
The method of control we use varies depending on your situation. Our technicians are professional mole control experts who will determine which method is best for your situation. Initially, the process begins with a thorough inspection of the lawn and landscaped areas, along with our professional monitoring and control program. We continue monitoring and controlling moles while providing a report with each visit, emailed to our customers immediately following the conclusion of the visit.
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The Process
The goal of mole control is to prevent and minimize lawn damage by trapping and removing moles. Since there are no proven preventive mole control measures, moles must be dealt with as they arrive.
Moles can enter the property throughout the year, even after the property has been mole-free for some time. They construct tunnels that they may or may not re-use. There are active tunnels, which the moles use most often. Moles that travel active tunnels often do so on a daily basis. There are also probing tunnels — tunnels moles construct, usually in search of food — that they usually never re-enter. With continued inspection and monitoring, we identify the active tunnels in order to effectively control moles in the lawn.
Our program involves two parts:
Rapid Response Period – Initially, we make six visits, beginning with a complete inspection and monitoring visit. After a brief monitoring period, we either place traps or make bait placements for the control of moles. The technician will determine the best approach. The Rapid Response Period last between 6-10 weeks, consisting of six visits total. We continue to inspect, monitor, and employing the appropriate control methods. You receive a detailed report after each visit via email. You pay for the first six visits. After the first six visits, you can cancel your program at any time.
Maintenance Visits – After the initial Rapid Response Period, we automatically make visits based on the level of mole activity. On properties that have little to no mole activity, we make one visit per month. For properties with more extensive activity, we make more frequent visits. As always, we inspect and monitor the level of activity, employing the most appropriate control method, and send you a detailed service report after each visit. We invoice you for these visits at the end of each month for the services performed.
Note: No long-term contracts are required. Your commitment is for the initial first six visits. After the first six visits (the Rapid Response Period), we continue with maintenance visits, billing you monthly for services performed. You can cancel your service any time after the first six visits. Otherwise, our professional mole control experts continue inspecting, monitoring, and controlling moles on a regular basis.
Mole FAQs
Here are some answers to common mole questions.
How many moles are in my lawn?
The number of moles present in lawns can vary greatly; there is no formula for determining how many moles might inhabit a lawn. Where mole activity is found, there is usually more than one mole present. Oftentimes, more moles are present than most people anticipate. A female produces 2-6 young per litter in the spring. Moreover, multiple families can be present, adding to the problem.
How long will I need your service?
There are several factors that come into play here — the extent of mole activity, the size of your lawn, number of moles present, environment, time of year, weather, and new mole activity — as well as many other factors that play a role in mole eradication. Therefore, it is impossible to say how long the service will be needed.
Many of our clients need the service for a short amount of time (i.e. a month) if they have a smaller infestation. Others, who have larger lawns in areas where moles are more prevalent, may need mole control all season long. A typical scenario (note that this is typical, not a guarantee) that we have seen is that a client needs mole control for a month or two, then does not need the service for some time. Moles (in this scenario) return in the future. Our clients call us back to begin another round of mole visits.
For this reason, we do not require long-term contracts. For others, though, a long-term agreement makes sense — and saves them money in the long run.
What Do Moles Eat?
Moles primarily eat earthworms. Moles are also known to eat white grubs and other insects, but the vast majority of their diet consists of earthworms.
Grub control may be a good way to protect your lawn from grub damage, is not an effective method of mole control.
In the Cincinnati area, we see different broods of the 17-year cicada. As the cicada nymphs grow in the soil, they become an ample source of protein for moles. As a result, females produce more young in their litters. This is why many homeowners experience a significant amount of mole activity leading up to the years when cicadas emerge.
The bottom line is that moles love big, juicy worms! Since this is the case, they always have something to eat.
Is there something I can do to help identify active tunnels?
Yes! By stomping down a tunnel (or a portion of a tunnel), you will know if the tunnel is active if it reemerges. When moles re-use the “stomped down” tunnel, they will push the soil back up. This is how you know that the tunnel is active.
Before calling us to set up service, we encourage homeowners to first stomp down all the tunnels in their lawn. If there is no activity, we suggest that you wait before starting service. This could save you some money! If, however, the tunnels reemerge, then it’s time to call Cincinnati Mole Control!
We make regular service visits for the purpose of identifying active tunnels. Placing the traps on active tunnels leads to better results.
Do moles hibernate? Do I need mole control in the winter?
Moles can be active in the winter as well.
Moles do not hibernate and are active all year round. In colder seasons, such as winter in the Cincinnati area, moles will tunnel deeper when the surface of the ground is frozen, but they still move around. Moles typically follow the food source, which is mostly earthworms. In the winter, when the ground is frozen, the earthworms tunnel deeper in the soil, where moles follow.
Mole control in the winter can be effective, especially since they mate in the spring. While mole activity slows down in the winter, trapping moles in the winter can help prevent them from having babies in the spring. After all, dead moles cannot reproduce!