The past several months I have mentioned weather conditions of cool, or hot conditions with copious amounts of rainfall. Now, like a switch, the weather has changed from hot with hit-or-miss rainfall.

Fortunately, the lawns are doing remarkably well — except those that are being visited by critters that can cause considerable damage.

These critters are moles and voles. While these two unwelcomed visitors can cause anxiety and a strong desire for immediate control, it is worth distinguishing which pest is in the lawn.

In northern Ohio we primarily deal with the meadow voles, (Microtus pennsylvanicus), commonly known as meadow mice. Meadow voles look like plump mice with short tails and are members of the rodent family. Their main dining experience is with spent bird seed, roots from garden vegetables, bulbs, and bark from landscape shrubs: this helps keep their teeth sharp and trimmed.

These mice-like creatures create extensive subsurface trail systems throughout the yard with runways excavated from 1 to 2 inches deep. When excavating the runways, they chew off the turf grass roots leaving dead strips of grass in their wake. During times of snow cover, they tunnel under the snow and eat the bark of landscape plants. Favorites include viburnums and burning bush. If they chew off enough bark, they can even girdle and kill the shrub. They can be nasty little devils.

Voles use their runways primarily to hide from predators such as the neighborhood cat. They also need protection from overhead attacks from hawks.

Besides the grass runways, they also make use of landscape mulch. Regular mowing of lawns and keeping landscape mulch at no more than 3-inch depths will go a long way in reducing their habitats.

Another control tactic, devised by Rob Hawk of Swain County North Carolina Extension, is while walking and getting exercise, put on heavy boots and stomp on the grass ridge tunnels to flatten them.

Hawk also suggested removing bird feeders during a vole epidemic. He also said mice snap traps work great when they are baited with apple slices and peanut butter placed near the tunnels.

Another mammal that causes damage to our lawns is the Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus). The specific epithet of their scientific name is aquaticus. Eastern moles have webbed feet which allow them to swim and dig through the soil.

Adult moles only weigh 5 ounces yet consume 45-50 pounds of worms and insects each year. Moles are very territorial, and only three to five adult moles reside in an acre of lawn. That means in an average residential lawn, one mole is causing all the damage.

The good news is that moles are not considered rodents like the voles are. They will not eat bark to keep their teeth sharp. However, while voles are herbivores, moles are considered carnivores. The tell-tale sign of moles is the visible ridges that are seen because of tunneling in the lawn. Of course, these ridges are considered ankle twisters. Ask me how I know this.

One of my favorite movies is “Caddyshack.” The movie starred Bill Murray as Carl Spackler, the groundskeeper taking care of the fictional Bushwood Country Club golf course. The number one nemesis that he dealt with was ridding the golf course of moles. Like Carl’s many attempts to control the moles in the movie, homeowners have tried home remedies from castor oil to moth balls, with little success.

Moles follow the food source — with the primary food source being the earthworm. During winter and times of summer droughts, earthworms travel deep into the soil.

This is the time of the year one will find the soil volcanoes in the yard. When the earthworms are closer to the surface, the surface tunnels appear.

Another fascinating fact about moles is that they can dig surface tunnels at a rate of approximately 18 feet an hour. They also have twice as much blood and hemoglobin as other animals of similar size. This allows moles to breathe in underground environments with low oxygen. Though moles will eat grubs in the soil, grubs are considered more of an appetizer and not the main course; therefore, grub control products do not control moles in the yard.

Trapping is the most effective and practical method for mole control. The harpoon trap is the most effective for the Eastern Mole.

Moles construct two runways one for travel and one for feeding. Set the traps in the travel runs. To identify travel runs in a yard or area, look for tunnels that follow a generally straight line. Main travel runs often will follow walkways and foundations.

Lightly tamp down main runways, and the ones that reappear within 24 hours are the active runs. After establishing the active runs, lightly tamp down a 6-inch portion of the run. Set the trap with the trigger pan securely pressed into the tamped down area of the run creating a blockage. When the mole attempts to reopen the tunnel, this will set off the trap.