Industry-Leading Mole Exterminators
Mole Species Identification
Four separate species of moles exist in the Pacific Northwest: the Townsend Mole, Broadfooted Mole, Coast Mole and Shrew Mole. Of these, the Townsend Mole is the largest and causes the greatest amount of damage to lawns, gardens, and crops. It is approximately 6 to 9 inches long with black to brown, velvety fur. The Broadfooted Mole is smaller than the Townsend and has a silver-gray or copper-brown coat. The Coast Mole is about half as large as the Townsend and has a similar coloring as the Broadfooted Mole. Lastly, the Shrew Mole is about half the size of a common house mouse and usually black. All moles have pointed snouts, large, rounded front feet with stout claws, and a short, hairless tail. The eyes and ears are very small and concealed in the fur. Our mole exterminators are incredibly adept at identifying which type of mole is causing damage to your residential or commercial property.
Mole Education
Moles do not hibernate, and they are active year-round. They are mainly solitary animals, except during the breeding season in late February through March. A female will produce three to five pups per litter at the end of a six-week gestation period. Young moles reach adulthood in about a month and are then evicted from the nest. However, they may use their family’s burrow system for up to six months before establishing their own territories nearby. The average lifespan of a mole is two to three years.
Moles need a well-established tunnel network in order to survive. They are indiscriminate and may destroy lawns, gardens, nurseries, parks, golf courses, and cemeteries as they build nests and tunnels. As efficient diggers, moles can construct 12 to 15 feet of tunnels per hour. Mounds will also appear through a homeowner’s yard as more tunnels are created. Conversely, the number of mounds or surface ridges seen in a yard is not a good indication of how many moles are present. Once the mole’s tunnel system is in place, it may be used by other mammals that can cause damage to ornamental plants. Also, surface activity will decrease during periods of hot or cold weather.
Moles are insectivores. They do not have the dental structure to gnaw grain baits even if they had a taste for them. A mole will cover a large area in its daily search for food. They feed almost exclusively on earthworms, with a single mole eating as much as 80 percent of its body weight per day. They also feed on soil insects and grubs found while tunneling. The rest of the mole’s diet is comprised of millipedes in mulch, ants, pill-bugs, and other insects found around home foundations, rocks, and landscaping timbers.
Moles don’t store food or fat. They will follow earthworms deep into the ground to avoid freezing. Winter damage by moles usually occurs during unseasonably warm periods or beneath the insulation of heavy snow.
Moles are timid animals, easily alerted or frightened by unfamiliar noises. Moles have been known to sit motionless in a tunnel for more than 20 minutes when they have been disturbed or frightened. However, they are not intimidated by methodical or constant noises and are most active when and where their surroundings are quiet.
Customer Preparation Tips
To prepare for mole extermination, flatten any mole mounds on your property one day prior to the scheduled date of treatment so the technician can inspect fresh mounds to find the most recent tunnel system.
Customer Expectations from Mole Extermination
Moles have been eliminated when new mounds are no longer present.