No Mole Yard

No Mole Yard

            First things first, is it a Mole? Or is it a Vole? Yes there is a difference. The truth is you will fail if you’re treating for Voles and have Moles and vice-a-versa treating for Moles and have Voles. Now that everyone is tongue twisted, let me help you distinguish between Moles and Voles. The first difference is physical appearance, just about every species of Moles have common physical characteristics because of their underground existence, and it is rare to find moles with good vision. Their eyes are very small and covered with a layer of skin then a layer of fur. Their ears do not have any external parts and the opening is covered with fur. The biggest difference is the Mole has a long slender snout and usually hairless, this snout extends in front of the mouth. The tail is about 1 ¼”, quite a bit shorter than a mouse or Vole.  Voles are more apt to be confused with the common house mouse than with Moles. Voles are about 2/3’s larger than a house mouse. The surest way to tell them apart is the tail, a Vole’s tail is fully furred while a house mouse’ is not.

            The reason I bring this up is most customers will say “I have Moles all over the yard” I will in turn ask how do you know they are Moles? And the most common answer is I see them running around all over the yard. Well if they are Moles they are not running around they are underground in their tunnels. If it is running around all over the yard it is likely a Vole, who is content wreaking their havoc by sunshine or moonlight.

            Once you have identified the culprit in your yard, you must use the proper trap, bait or call a professional. This is only my opinion but an honest professional will probably decline a mole/vole job because of the guarantee factor, in my book if I cannot guarantee a job I will not take it on. There are many devices/baits out there that claim to trap, kill, or discourage Moles and Voles. Do not be so quick to believe these claims, pellets that are designed to kill Moles and Voles are a (in my opinion) a waste of your money. A Vole diet (an herbivore) consists of green plants, they also will partake in trees, shrubs, roots, and bulbs, occasionally enjoying a small insect or two, the majority of their diet is plant based. A Mole diet on the other hand (an insectivore) consists of insects and worms that it finds in the soil, their favorite being earthworms. So nowhere do you see pellets in their diet.

            Because of ground conditions spring and fall are the most common times for Mole and Vole damage to lawns, flower beds, and gardens. Their constant digging/tunneling does sometimes ruin your lawn, garden, or flower bed, just remember that it also aerates and mixes the soil in your yard or garden making for a healthier lawn. Voles also play major part in the diet of many predators such as owls, hawks, fox, weasels, opossum, and skunks. Eradicating all the Voles, and Moles may do more harm than good just keep that in mind when your pouring all those pellets down a hole in your lawn.

            As always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me anytime by email 4brothespest@gmail.com or 920-279-5652. Looking for resources on getting rid of your particular pest? Try www.domyownpestcontrol.com and remember before you apply any pesticides or rodenticides READ THE LABEL!!!!

John G Gonzales Jr

Now What?

Now What?

Now that you have discovered ants, your next move is to identify those ants. I can hear you now “why? An ant is an ant”. Wrong, the ant species has peculiar habits and biology that help you find the colony/colonies so that the most cost-effective control strategies can be implemented. This is where I recommend a Professional. A Professional can tell you if they are Carpenter ants (one node segment, 12-segmented antennae, no club) or Pavement ants (two node segments, 12-segmented antennae-segmented club). That is just an example of two species don’t forget about the dozen or more species you may encounter.

            So now you see that it’s not just about spraying ant killer (pesticides), there is a little work involved. Don’t kid yourself you cannot see the nodes or the segments on the antennae with the naked eye. If you still insist on taking care of those ants alone, Remember before using any pesticide, read the label and follow ALL directions carefully.

            Those noises you hear in the wall, mouse, and rat? Once again it’s not that simple. It could be a House Mouse, or a Deer Mouse. Unfortunately it could even be a Norway Rat maybe even a Roof Rat. When it comes to the habitat of the House Mouse & the Deer Mouse, we are talking about their nest being less than 30ft from a food source, Home Range 6-30 ft. from nest. Nocturnal mostly feeding 30 minutes after sunset and before sunrise Pretty much the same. The difference is Color a Deer Mouse is reddish-brown, golden brown, white feet, chest, with a bi-colored tail.  House Mouse, Grayish, Dusty Gray.  Another distinguishing feature are the eyes, Deer Mouse eyes – Large Protruding Black eyes.  House Mouse eyes- Small and somewhat protruding (color blind). I would like to leave you with a few common myths about mice.

Ø  Myth:   Mice grow to become Rats

Ø  Fact:     Rats and Mice are different species

 

Ø  Myth:   Mice consume bait and go outside to die

Ø  Fact:     If true, this would be convenient. There is no evidence that rodents will exit a structure seeking water and then die outside.

 

Ø  Myth:   Cheese is a Favorite Mouse Food (Great for using as Bait)

Ø  Fact:     A mouse’s typical diet consists of seeds and fruit. Although they will eat it if it is the only food available. The ideal baits are peanut butter (smaller than pea size amount), chocolate, and meats such as bacon.

 

Ø  Myth:   Cats and Dogs can control Mice

Ø  Fact:     Cats can kill the occasional young or old mouse, but they cannot control a rodent infestation.

Your chances of solving a mouse problem are greater than solving a carpenter ant problem. Evidence of mice in the house are noises in the walls, chewed up pantry items, and droppings. The traditional snap trap devices are pretty reliable, they now make them where u can set and empty with one hand.                                                                      

I like to use glue boards/glue traps, the most important reason is it tells me what direction the mice are traveling, and it is possible to catch/trap multiple mice in one trap.

            In conclusion the safest, surest way to control any pest/rodent problem is to hire a certified licensed professional. If you decide to tackle on your own, Remember before using any pesticide, rodenticides (mouse poison) read the label and follow ALL directions carefully.

You can always contact me (John) at 4brotherspest@gmail.com if you have questions on your particular situation.

Do it Yourself Vs Professional

The general public "John Q Public or "Jane Public" would say "If an ounce is good then a pound is better". A Certified, Licensed Professional would say "the label is the law". I'm not here to promote the do it yourself'er or the pest control professional. What I would like to do is educate you when it comes to pest control. Pest control has been around hundreds/thousands of years, long before there were professionals to do it. When it comes to taking care of those ants on the counter or the mice in the basement, well its not as simple as that. There is a reason why those ants are on the counter , whether it be a colony has taken up residence in the wall nearby or an ant has found the mother lode when it comes to sugar. The mouse in the basement isn't the worst of your problems,  (mice enter for one of three reasons, food, water , shelter) the problem is how did the mouse get in. A homeowner is only concerned on getting rid of the problem , a pest control technician is concerned with not only getting rid of the problem but preventing it from happening again. We as homeowners tend to overdue it when it comes to ant spray or mouse poison. A licensed technician can only apply a product (pesticide) that is labeled for that particular environment and that particular pest. And as far as mouse poison goes it can only be placed in a child/pet proof station, not just thrown here and there. So if you must take care of your pest issue alone do so with great care, and for once in your life read the label. If you decide to hire a professional , the most important part is not the price. The most important part is the guarantee, what kind of guarantee do they offer? We're not talking money back guarantee either we are talking coming back at no charge until problem is solved.