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Damage to Lawns and Gardens Caused by Moles and Voles

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We are most familiar with moles, which are mouse-like creatures that can do so much damage to your lawn. What about voles? Well, their names might sound alike, and voles are also often mistaken for moles. These creatures, however, are different from each other. Whereas voles are rodents, moles are not. They also have different characteristics and food preferences. But both animals can wreak havoc to your garden and lawns.

The Mole – How It Destroys Grounds

Moles are insectivorous. This means that they won’t eat your precious tulip bulbs. Instead, they’ll feed on insect larvae, grubs, and earthworms. So, how do they cause damage to your yard? It is seldom to see moles crawling on the grass. They are always underneath the ground. These creatures create tunnels that they use to get to food sources. Oftentimes, moles create berms or mounded hills when forming their runways. So, while going on their merry way in search for their favorite worms, they also spoil your lawn.

The Vole and the Damage It Causes

Unlike moles, voles are vegetarians. They target seeds, bulbs, and roots. When food is scarce, such as during winter time, it’s also pretty common for voles to eat shrubs and tree bark. Because they like plants, they can cause considerable damage to gardens. Your prized plants are surely not safe if there are voles around. Just imagine all of your hard work going down the drain once voles start snacking on your precious dahlias or your succulent tomatoes. Won’t that make you feel really frustrated?

Voles can make tunnels if they need to. However, they often choose the easy way, and that is exploiting the tunnels that have been created by moles. In case they choose to build underground runways, they do not create berms. Nevertheless, they produce damage under the ground, which could also weaken the integrity of the top soil.

Keeping Out Moles and Voles

Voles

1. Keep grounds well-maintained.

Voles are attracted to lush vegetation, and they grow particularly emboldened when there are tall grasses or deep mulch that keeps them hidden. So, one way to discourage these critters is by ensuring that your lawn is maintained well. Mow grass regularly, and get rid of weeds. When putting mulch, keep the layer thin and not too deep.

2. Wrap tree trunks in metal wires.

Because voles eat bark, it’s best to protect the base of trees. Get some metal wires or mesh wires and put these around the bark of trees. Also, keep mulch and dense vegetation away from the base of trees.

3. Use traps and other methods to eradicate voles.

You can use humane mice traps to catch voles. There are also poisons and other substances that can be used to repel or kill voles.

Moles

1. Control the insect population in your garden.

Since moles are attracted to all sorts of worms and insects, be sure to keep the insect population in your lawn under control. By keeping their food sources scarce, they won’t be encouraged to live in your lawn or to go back to your garden every time they’re hungry.

2. Utilize traps to capture moles.

There are all sorts of traps that you can use, such as harpoon, scissors or choker mole traps. If you prefer a more humane way to get rid of moles, check out the Havahart traps, which are live trapping devices. But you have to be find a place far from your property where you can release the animal you’ve trapped.

Final Note

Critters pose a problem and a challenge to most homeowners. If you want to get rid of pests but you don’t know how, consult a professional. Experts will suggest what sort of methods you can use. They can also propose eco-friendly and safer options so that you won’t have to expose yourself, your kids and your pets to dangerous chemicals.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Creative Commons – Hackworth. “Bloody moles! 3 September 2007”. September 3, 2007. Online image. Flickr. December 5, 2012. image source

Claire Lassiter is a freelance writer who frequently blogs about pest management. She covers many topics, including rodents, roaches, stinging pests, and other damaging bugs. She provides material for Rove Pest Control, a company that specializes in eradicating several kinds of destructive pests.






Homemade Pest Barriers for Your Vegetable Garden

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One of the most satisfying and relaxing hobbies is gardening. Growing your own vegetables offers a lot of benefits. For one, you’re almost always assured of healthy food. This is especially true if you’re using organic methods in caring for your crops. Two, owning your own vegetable garden also allows you to save money. After all, you won’t have to purchase vegetables from your local grocery store, since you can simply pick them from your own garden. Three, gardening is a great way to boost your mood. The repetitive task can help reduce your stress, and when you see your vegetable garden flourishing, it can easily bring a smile to your face.

However, tending to your vegetable garden can also be a bit stressful. You have to protect it against the different weather conditions, and most importantly, you have to protect it against pests. If you don’t want to use pesticides, then here are some homemade pest barriers that you can do for your vegetable garden.

Homemade Plant Cover

Plant covers not only help retain the soil’s heat, but it can also help you a lot if you want to plant early. In addition to these, plant covers can also protect your plants from pestiferous insects as well as rodents.

In creating your own plant cover, all you will need are woven plastic and wooden frame. You can also make use of wire frame as well as muslin. Setting this up is easy if you have basic carpentry skills. You only have to build the frame and cover it with the muslin or the woven plastic. Once done, simply cover the plants you want protected and secure the entry points by placing weights over them. This can keep pestiferous pests and small rodents from damaging the plants.

Homemade Screen Cones

Cabbage is susceptible to maggots and other insect pests. If you want to protect the young plants from these pests, what you can do is to make homemade screen cones. These pest barriers work similarly to plant covers in such a way that you place the cone over the young plant, preventing pests from damaging the cabbage.

What you need are the same materials – a strip of wood and a woven plastic. Shape the woven plastic into a cone. See to it that it’s big enough to cover the plant without crowding it. Once done, secure the edges on the wood. You can simply pin the edges of the screen on the wood and secure it with small nails or staple it shut.

Screen cones can not only prevent maggots from chewing through the roots, but it can also prevent flies from laying their eggs on the plant. These eggs, when they hatch, become the maggots that attack the roots.

When to Call a Pest Control Company

These pest barrier methods are very effective in controlling the pest population in your vegetable garden. However, if these methods don’t work and your plants are unhealthy and/or dying, then maybe it’s time to call your local pest control company. Just see to it though that the company offers green services to get rid of insect pests, particularly since you don’t want toxic chemicals to contaminate your garden’s soil and plants.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Jennifer Dallman contributes articles to a number of pest control blogs, including http://www.preventivepestcontrol.com/ Owning a vegetable garden is very rewarding, but if your garden is infested with pestiferous insects, then be sure to get rid of them the organic and safe way.

 

Homemade Pest Control Solutions for Garden Pests

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There are different kinds of insects and bugs that can destroy your precious garden. Some of these insects and bugs can even be hazardous to your family’s health. Whether you find mosquitoes and flies in your backyard, or leaf-eating caterpillar and aphids in your garden, pest infestation is always a nuisance. For this reason, a lot of homeowners are taking into consideration different pest control solutions to address the problem.

If you are bothered and alarmed by the presence of harmful insects and bugs in your home and garden, you probably have considered using chemical pesticides to immediately take care of the problem, but before you apply that chemical bug spray, you must first consider that chemical pesticide toxicity can endanger your and your family’s health. Long-term exposure to the toxicity of such pesticides can increase the risk of developing liver and nerve damage, reproductive disorders, and tumors. Fortunately, there are natural pest control solutions that you can take advantage of. Organic method of eliminating pest is an excellent alternative to poisonous pesticides because natural products are safe to use around people, pets, and plants.

Homemade Concoctions For Pests In The Garden

Natural pest control solutions are very beneficial for many homeowners since it is less expensive as compared to buying and applying chemical pesticides. It is also safer for your garden, family, pets, and the environment. To promote a greener environment at home that is free from harmful insects and bugs, you can consider making some of these homemade concoctions for the following insects:

Soft-bodied Insects: Mites, Aphids, Mealy bugs, and Earwigs

If you have these insects in your garden, you can drive them away by mixing one tablespoon of canola oil and a few drops of ivory soap into a quart of water. Mix them well and pour it into a spray bottle. Use the mixture on plants since the oil will smother the insects. Another natural pest control solution is to sprinkle diatomaceous earth over the plants and around the edges of your garden beds. The diatoms have particles that are very small and sharp, but it is only harmful to soft-bodied insects and small exoskeletons of insects. The insects won’t develop immunity to such natural pest control solution since it is not a chemical pesticide.

Slugs and Deer

To drive slugs and deer out of your garden using natural remedies, you can use coffee grounds. Coffee grounds add nitrogen to the soil; thus, it promotes the acidity for acid loving plants. You can make caffeine spray which consists of different natural herbs including: yarrow, thyme, lavender, tansy, pennyroyal, rue, catnip and Artemisia. Get a cup of the herbal mixture and mix it with two tablespoons of used coffee grounds and two cups of water. Marinate the mixture for at least a day before straining and pouring it into a spray bottle.

Grubs

For this type of insect, you can use the natural pest control known as milky spore. The granules of this pest control are spread on the soil which will then infect the grubs with a disease that will kill them. This natural pest control will only affect grubs; thus, it is safe for beneficial insects and pets.

Leaf-eating caterpillars

This type of insect can eat away your garden’s healthy leaves. You can easily remove caterpillars manually from your garden. You can pluck them straight off the vine and put them in another area of the yard- away from your garden. You can also eliminate them through insecticidal soap or caffeine spray. To make an insecticidal soap, you have to mix one tablespoon of biodegradable, plant-based liquid soap, and a quart of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray insects and bugs as needed. The soap can lead to the dehydration and extermination of soft-bodied insects.

Before using any of the solutions, you must be aware that some of the natural pest control solutions mentioned above may also kill beneficial insects. For this reason, you have to use these homemade concoctions selectively, and only spray on infected plants.

Kris Lim is a writer for home and garden websites where she offers tips and advice on how to improve gardens. She also occasionally writes Rove Pest Control reviews for the professional pest control company.

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