I am going to use a word in this article numerous times that some people may have an aversion to. There have been countless memes made about it, some even made into t-shirts. This word has been the topic of Saturday Night Live skits, and even made a punchline for an american president. 

We are talking about MOIST. 

This is a difficult time of year in the greater Cincinnati region when it comes to ground mole control and that has a lot to do with moisture.

Moist soil is paramount in the control of eastern ground moles because without it, there is little food source for the moles. Earthworms (85%+ of a ground mole’s diet) breathe through their skin, and that skin must be kept moist in order to work. Dry skin stops the diffusion process, effectively preventing earthworms from getting oxygen. That is why worms are so commonly spotted above ground when it is rainy and at night, when air is wetter. The rest of the time, damp soil allows the worms to live below ground and receive the air they need to survive. Generally, however, they vacate wet soil, preferring soil that is only moist.

Because of the moisture requirements of the earthworm, when we allow our lawns and properties to dessicate and dry up, the worms are forced to go deeper into the soil where the environment is consistently moist. Eastern ground moles are resourceful and smart, they will follow the worms deeper into the soil to “hunt” and the surface level (5” or shallower) tunnels we counted on for trapping them in, are now sometimes as deep as 8 inches. When the tunneling is that deep, it is difficult to locate the runs and the traps we use are only effective in up to 6” of soil. When it is that dry, the only “evidence” we see in most green spaces are the mounds the ground moles use to deposit the soil accumulations they are consistently pushing through the earth. 

If you have eastern ground moles on your property, you may have found yourself thanking the deity of your choice for the sudden “disappearance” of the moles in the past few weeks, only for your praise to be rescinded the morning after a midnight rain fall. The night’s rains hydrate the soil, bringing the worms to the surface, in turn bringing the moles to the surface again, but it does not last long. With the afternoon high sun, the moisture wicking wind, and the inability for the soil to retain its moisture, by evening that same day the worms and the moles retreated again to the deep avoiding our traps and attempts at capture.

So how do we combat this and ensure effective trapping of eastern ground moles during the “dry season” from July through September in our region? We have to embrace the word moist. 

We have to add moisture to the soil. There is no other way. The most effective and efficient way is by using a sprinkler/irrigation system to artificially hydrate the soil and create the moist environment the worms and moles desire.

We recommend 2-4 inches of water a week (7 day period) spaced out through the week. For example:

Sunday - ½” - 1” water

Monday - None

Tuesday - ½” - 1” water

Wednesday - None

Thursday - ½” - 1” water

Friday - None

Saturday - ½” - 1” water

This provides for consistent and substantial moisture in the soil. You can not “cheat” and add 4” of water in one 24 hour period and call it “good enough” because the soil will be too dry to effectively absorb the moisture, or that would make the soil too moist for a short period of time, and within days the sun and wind will wick the moisture away leaving the soil dry, cracked, and barren again. 

An effective way to make this happen is to stop by your local hardware store or garden supply center and buy a reliable rain gauge. We do not have them at this time, but you can bet by next season, all Huntsman mole clients from July to September of 2021 will be provided with their very own branded rain gauges to assist in keeping their soil moist, and our trapping program effective.

I hope this helped you in your ongoing battle with the moles on your property. If you feel like defeat is coming, think about calling on a champion to fight the Jabberwocky … err moles… on your behalf and be the savior of your kingdom. Just click on the “schedule service” tab, fill out the form, and take the headache and stress out of the equation.

Till next time… see ya folks!

(for those keeping track, the “moist/moisture”  count is 17)