If you have seen the movie “Caddyshack,” in which Bill Murray spars with a gopher on the golf course grass, you may think that having such a pest on your lawn can be funny. But the fact is that moles are no laughing matter when it comes to your yard. In fact, moles can cause severe damage to your lawn.  The critters are insectivores – which means they only eat insects – and they will tunnel under your yard looking for bugs and grub. And moles are hungry all of the time. Even though many moles are often less than a pound in weight, they can tunnel as much as 100 feet a day looking for something to eat.

You will know if you have moles if you see evidence of their infestation, which can include tunnels and molehills. There is a cliché about not making a mountain out of a molehill – not making too much of something small – but in reality, moles can ruin your lawn, so you had best pay attention to the situation and get rid of their presence as soon as possible.

Here are some tips to keep moles at bay when it comes to your lawn:

Have great insect and grub control

Since moles feast on insects, particularly grubs (the larvae of beetles including Japanese beetles) you need to have a good grub control program to keep the pests at bay and stop the cycle, as well as taking care of keeping insects out of your yard. In addition, this bug control can also help your lawn because it keeps the insects from doing damage on their own to it. Lawn Doctor can help you all year with insect and grub control, but the best time to apply the treatment is late summer or early fall, before the grubs “grow up” into adult insects.

Do not overwater

Moles are attracted to wet earth, so if you water your lawn too much, you could be creating a perfect breeding ground for the moles. Talk with your Lawn Doctor lawn care service professional about how much you should water, and how much is too much when it comes to attracting moles.

Repellents

The castor bean plant is a natural repellent when it comes to moles. Lawn Doctor can apply mole repellents to your lawn or you can also create a homemade remedy to protect your lawn, by applying a combination of castor oil and dish detergent, mixed with water, to keep the moles away.

Controls

In some cases, as a last resort, you may need to get traps or talk with your Lawn Doctor lawn specialist about professional control  services that can kill the moles.