Thanks to the weather of late, I’ve not spent much time in my front yard. I also sort of let the grass grow a bit longer than I should have at the end of the season. Couple that with the fact that I thought my zoysia was just turning brown due to the cold weather and it’s no surprise I didn’t realize that my front yard had become the playground for one or more moles, until I stepped onto the turf and my foot sank nearly an inch into one of his little burrows.
See all those squiggly yellow lines on the picture there, that’s approximately where his roads criss-crosses under the ground. (“…criss-cross’ll make you, JUMP, JUMP…”) You can tell by following the really white (read: Dead) lines in the grass.
This is no laughing matter. I suspect what happened is, that once I fixed my backyard landscaping, and low-teched a way to keep the bird seed from raining down on the ground, when his food source dried up, the little booger bored his way to my front yard where the steep slope is perpetually moist and makes for easy digging!
This past Saturday, after realizing the problem, and after having stomped down more than 30 feet of my prized, yet burrowed up lawn, it wasn’t but a few hours later that I noticed he’d come right back through and dug some of it back up!
My dogs are no help. They did manage to catch a mole in the backyard once, but he was so cute, that I let him go.
Oh the poor choices I’ve made in the past!!
I have since purchased some mole grub from the local hardware store. It looks like gummy worms, but it’s laced with some kinda special poison. You’re supposed to refrain from stomping on his runs (oopsy!) and instead, poke a little hole in one of his burrows and drop the little arsenic-laced gummy worm in the hole and then hope he comes back its way and dines on the tasty treat.
I dunno…I don’t have high hopes.
I fear that, come spring, my yard is going to look line someone took rock salt and played “Island of Sodor” (“Hey mom, let’s follow the tracks!“) on my lawn.
Postulates & Pastimes 
2 replies on “I’m all right, ain’t nobody worried ’bout me…”
There is a good chance that you have moles because you have grubs hiding below the soil line. Those rascals are digging for food, hence the reason they use those worm things to feed them poison. Merit (sp) will take care of the grubs and the moles will go to your neighbors yard. If you don’t eliminate the food source you are fighting an uphill battle.
RE: Excellent! I just hope it’s not too late to salvage my lawn. Thx for the recommendation!
Good luck with the moles. You might enjoy this:
RE: Sheep ARE stupid. I’m beginning to think perhaps moles are more intelligent. Thanks for the link. I had no idea the gov’t. response to the “rabid outbreak” was so swift and complete. That’s sad. Where’s PETA now?