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Down on moles
He’s known as the moleman. In fact, for a long time, some people only knew him as the moleman. Why? Well, for starters, he takes a unique approach to mole hunting. With a little patience and a shovel, the moleman can dig the pesky mammals from the relative safety of their underground homes. If that fails to work, the moleman has some other tricks up his sleeve certain to keep a yard free of the destructive creatures. For 15 years, the moleman has honed his skills at St. Ann Catholic Church in Cadillac. Aside from mole activity on the western property line, the landscape is essentially mole free. So, how does he do it? It took years of patience for Jeff Myers to become a mole eradicating expert. If the patient method doesn’t work, he’s got other options to outsmart the destructive underground dweller. Since 1992, Myers has helped St. Ann Catholic Church eradicate moles. Although Myers prefers to use his talents exclusively at the church, he doesn’t mind sharing his years of knowledge with everyone. “He works around the church rectory, the bushy areas and he trims the bushes but what I think he’s really notorious for is getting the moles,” said Rev. Francis Murphy, pastor at St. Ann. “Before I even knew his name, I called him the moleman.” While Myers does a lot of work around the church, it is the mole hunting that earned him his reputation. When he began working at the church, his initial focus was getting some overgrown bushes in order. When the mole activity began to get serious on the west side of the property, so did Myers. “They were leaving tracks all over,” he said. “You can’t stop the moles but you can deter them a lot.” When removing moles, Myers generally uses four methods. This step can be accomplished by spreading lawn granules designed to kill lawn insects. “That makes the moles go someplace else,” he said. A word of caution for those with pets; follow the directions carefully to make sure a pet doesn’t come in contact with the chemicals. When a mound is found (it generally looks like a round pile of dirt rising several inches above the lawn), Myers digs down several inches. He feels inside the hole to make sure he is deep enough. The sign is a small hole that usually goes in multiple directions parallel to the ground’s surface. He pours the liquid into the hole. The ingredients are 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco Sauce, 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap, 1 tablespoon chili powder and 1 quart water. “That discourages them from coming back,” he said. When the mole comes back to feed, a person can see the tunnel rise back above the ground level. Although it requires vigilance, it is an effective way to discard of the mole. From his experience, Myers said most moles move between noon at 3 p.m. When the mole moves, get behind the moving soil and stick a shovel into the ground. Lift the shovel blade forward and out and if you’re aim is good, it will produce a mole. It is critical to be quiet so the mole won’t run away. Myers then tosses the mole into a bucket with some dirt and transports it elsewhere. However, Myers said he hasn’t had much luck with traps or baits. mwhetstone@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)
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