May 14 2024 35 mins
Welcome to The Sunshine Gardening Podcast, your ultimate source for gardening tips and tricks! I'm Kristin Hildabrand, your host. In today's episode, which is episode 32, we will explore the world of pest control, focusing on those pesky creatures that can ruin your lawn. Dr. Matthew Springer, University of Kentucky Assistant Extension Professor of Wildlife Management, is joining us. From moles to voles and everything in between, we'll discuss practical ways to control these pests and keep your lawn healthy. If you're dealing with unwelcome visitors on your lawn, tune in to get expert advice on managing these critters!
So, put on your gardening gloves, and let's dive into the secrets of controlling moles and other unwanted visitors on your lawn. Let's get started!
In episode thirty-two of the Sunshine Gardening podcast, host Kristin Hildabrand discusses methods to control common lawn pests, focusing on moles and covering voles, chipmunks, skunks, and the newly emerging issue of armadillos. Kristin is joined by guest Dr. Matthew Springer, UK Assistant Extension Professor of Wildlife Management, who shares his expertise on various wildlife management strategies and insights on pest behaviors.
Controlling Moles in the Lawn
The episode begins with Kristin welcoming her audience, highlighting the relevance of pest management during the active lawn care months. Dr. Springer shares his background, explaining his shift from pre-med to wildlife management due to his interest in the outdoors and environmental sciences, influenced partly by his father's forestry background.
The conversation then turns to pest control, starting with moles. Dr. Springer elucidates mole behavior and their solitary nature except during breeding and provides strategies for homeowners to deal with mole infestations effectively. He discusses using physical barriers and baits (specifically mentioning a product called talpirid) and the pros and cons of various mole traps, emphasizing safety concerns when pets and children are present.
Besides moles, they discuss other pests like voles and chipmunks, noting their different behaviors and impacts on lawns and gardens. Dr. Springer details how trapping these smaller rodents effectively can involve snap traps baited with peanut butter and oats, also stressing the importance of correct trap sizing to avoid teaching animals to avoid the traps.
Vole
Chipmunk
A significant part of the discussion also addresses the recent presence of armadillos in Kentucky, their unique biological traits, and the difficulties they present in control due to their random digging habits and poor responsiveness to baits. Dr. Springer highlights that while armadillos are not a major problem, their numbers will likely increase, posing future challenges.
Armadillo
Throughout the episode, Dr. Springer stresses the indiscriminate nature of wildlife impacts on lawns and gardens and the importance of setting realistic management goals. He advocates for tolerance and strategic intervention only where necessary,