How do I control moles? That's one of the most common questions we get at the Extension Office.

Everyone is familiar with what the mole looks like and the tunnels it digs in yards and gardens. If you'll bear with me and let me explain a few more things about moles, it might make it a little easier for you to control them.

The mole lives totally on insects. It burrows through the ground looking for grubs, earthworms and other insects. The mole will eat nearly 100 percent of its body weight daily. Moles spend a tremendous amount of energy digging their tunnels in search of food. Because of their need for energy, the mole must eat almost continuously. In fact, a mole will starve to death in just a matter of hours if denied food.

The mole is also a very solitary creature. The yard that you feel is totally infested with moles may actually only have one or two. More than a couple of moles per acre are considered a very heavy population.

It is pretty common for rats, chipmunks and other small animals to use old mole tunnels. These pests may feed on exposed plant roots. Remember, the mole does not directly harm plants. The only damage done to plants is by disturbing the soil near the plants or by these other pests that have used the tunnels.

So, armed with all this knowledge, how do you go about controlling moles?

First, decide if control is really worth the effort. Remember, the mole is eating a lot of insects. If the area is away from the house or garden, you might just leave it untreated. If you choose to treat an area you try to control the mole indirectly. If you eliminate or limit the food supply the mole will leave on its own.

Treat the area at least twice ,about 10 to 14 days apart, with a general insecticide. Several insecticides are available in granular form. You can apply them with a push-type fertilizer spreader which is a lot easier than walking and spraying with a pump-up type sprayer. The poison peanut bits are not very effective because the moles do not eat them. Don't forget the mole eats only insects. Trying to poison a mole with a poison peanut is like trying to poison me with turnip greens.

The traps don't work very well either. If a mole happens to hit a trap, it's just luck. If you do use traps, don't put them in old tunnels. Moles do not use the old tunnels. They are constantly digging new ones in their search for food.

The most effective control is going to be the insecticide. Without the food the mole will leave.