Moles, Grubs and Armadillos
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly?
While calling moles “good” might be quite a stretch, there are some who say they do have their good qualities. No research on this end found grubs to be anything but “bad”, and just take one look at an armadillo and you will have to agree that it’s definitely the “ugly” of the three. This is another of those blogs that after doing a few hours of research, the writer feels the need for a shower. Moles, grubs and armadillos are some of the least attractive pests to study and today, we are talking about all three!
One of these is not like the other
The grub is what hatches when a beetle lays an egg in your lawn. It is white, soft and has legs up near the head. Grubs eat on the roots of your lovely lawn causing patches to turn brown and die. Untreated, they will grow up and become beetles and lay more eggs in your lawn. You know what happens after that…more grubs to eat your roots. The best time to treat for grubs is mid to late summer and early fall.
So what connects grubs to moles and armadillos?
Moles and armadillos like to eat grubs. If there are grubs in your lawn, moles and/or armadillos will dig into your lawn and feast on grubs. The easiest way to first attack a mole or armadillo problem is to rid your lawn of grubs. While this may not work all of the time, it is the first and easiest way to start. While most people can tell if they have been invaded by a mole or an armadillo, grubs might sneak up on you. Look for spongy grass, perhaps a brown patch. Pull up a piece of the turf, if it comes up easily with no roots attached (like a piece of carpet), grubs have been feeding there.
Is it a mole or an armadillo?
Let’s talk about moles. First, as any Chevy Chase fan would do, I had to read the difference in a mole and a gopher. “Caddyshack” featured a gopher, not a mole, so no best of Bill Murray clips today. At the introduction of this blog, the mole was the “good” of the good, bad and ugly. To be honest, there’s not a lot of good to be found here, especially if you are a homeowner with a mole problem. The only good is that they eat grubs and grubs aren’t good for lawns. Yes, it was a stretch. Moles can be fairly destructive, they live underground and create tunnels in your yard. Moles are small and have paddle like feet that help them dig under your lawn. Usually they leave a small mound of soil as their “entrance” to the underground and this is how you might discover your mole issue. Of course, the tunneling under your lawn is not good for the roots of your turf.
The pest so legendary they made a movie about it.
Again, a stretch. But who doesn’t remember the wedding cake scene from the southern classic, “Steel Magnolias” ? Please pardon one word at the end of this clip, but the armadillo shaped cake with the red velvet cake inside most likely gave (formerly silenced) grooms a voice in the wedding planning process. We will never know how many horrified brides had to consent to an armadillo grooms cake after this movie came out. So what makes us so fascinated with armadillos?
Leprosy or quadruplets, where should we start?
Whether naming your new craft beer brewery, looking for the perfect new recipe for a cookout, or just researching one of the strangest and yes, ugliest animals ever, you can’t go wrong with going down the armadillo “rabbit hole”. This young girl gave a very intriguing (slightly annoying) presentation on armadillos with lots of cool info. Who knew that handling armadillos frequently or even eating them could result in leprosy? (Rare, it’s rare!) Heck, even prolific songwriter/singer Robert Earl Keen, Jr. wrote a song about armadillo hunters. The fact that the only armadillos in the US are the 9 banded variety and that they always give birth to identical quadruplets is really just enough for us to make a reality show about them.
Now back to armadillos in your southern yard…
- They thrive in warm, moist climates
- They prefer loose and porous soil
- They live underground, specifically under your lawn
- They are nocturnal and forage for food at night
- Those quadruplets? They become independent at around 6 months, so they multiply quickly
- They will destroy your lawn looking for grubs, earthworms, food.
The good, bad and ugly…moles, grubs and armadillos.
There are a lot of links in this blog that you should definitely click. Funny, gross and a bit frightening. One thing is certain, if you are suspicious that you may have moles or armadillos, you need to act now. Remember you can start just by lifting up a piece of turf to look for grubs. If you are ready to get help, our licensed lawn technicians can come evaluate your situation. We answer your calls promptly. In fact, our website has an instant chat that can get you the quickest service possible. Look for it in the bottom right corner, just type in your email address and your cell number and you will get an instant reply. Lawn and Pest Solutions of New Albany, MS is not afraid of the good, the bad or the ugly. Let us help you in the battle against whatever that may be digging a tunnel under your yard!
