Mole Control
Mole & Vole Control for Detroit Metro Lawns.
Moles destroy lawns from below. Voles destroy them from the surface. RIDD identifies which one you're dealing with and removes them so your yard can recover.
The problem
What Moles and Voles Do to Your Yard
Moles tunnel just beneath the surface in search of earthworms and grubs, pushing up raised ridges and killing the grass and roots above them as they go. Earthworms are most of a mole's diet, and Michigan's moist soil is full of them, which is what makes a lawn attractive. A single mole works fast, tunneling up to roughly 18 feet an hour in loose soil, so one animal can do a lot of visible damage.
Voles cause a different kind of damage. They cut shallow surface runways through the grass and burrow around the bases of plants, shrubs, and trees, gnawing on roots and bark. In winter their damage hides under the snow and shows up as dead patches and chewed stems in spring.
The solution
How RIDD Removes Moles and Voles
Treatment starts with correctly identifying which pest is active, because moles and voles call for different methods. Moles are controlled through professional trapping, which is the most effective and reliable approach. Voles are handled with baiting, habitat changes, and protecting vulnerable plants and young trees.
Repellents and home remedies, like castor-oil granules and sonic spikes, are largely ineffective for both. We monitor and adjust until the activity stops.
Local species
Moles vs. Voles: How to Tell Them Apart
Moles and voles get blamed for each other constantly, but they are very different animals and they call for different fixes. Here is how they sort out.
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Moles vs. Voles
The quick tell: moles are insectivores that tunnel underground for earthworms and grubs and leave raised ridges and mounds. Voles are small plant-eating rodents that run in surface paths through the grass and gnaw bark and roots. One almost never surfaces; the other lives at the surface.
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Eastern Moles
The eastern mole is Michigan's most common mole. It pushes up the raised ridges and soft, spongy spots you feel underfoot, working drier, loamy soil as it hunts earthworms and grubs. Moles are solitary, so one animal can chew up a lawn without a large population behind it.
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Star-Nosed Moles
Star-nosed moles favor wet, low-lying ground. They tunnel deeper than eastern moles and tend to push up tall, volcano-shaped soil mounds rather than long surface ridges. They are the mole you are more likely to find near damp areas and drainage.
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Meadow Voles
Meadow voles are Michigan's common vole. They cut narrow runways through turf, burrow around the base of shrubs and young trees, and girdle bark, especially under winter snow. Unlike moles, voles breed fast, so a few can become many.
Plans
How Mole and Vole Control Is Priced
Mole and vole control is a targeted, trapping-based service rather than a monthly plan. Pricing depends on the size of the lawn and how active the tunneling is, so we quote it per property.
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Pest 4
Starting at $ 49 /mo
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Pest 6
RecommendedStarting at $ 69 /mo
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RIDD Package 4
Starting at $ 89 /mo
The plans below are our recurring general pest control options, which are separate from mole and vole work. Call us for a lawn assessment and a quote.
Coverage
Where We Offer Mole and Vole Control
We treat moles and voles across every community in our Detroit metro service area. Find your city below, or call us if you're not sure we cover you. We probably do.
Common questions
Mole & Vole FAQs
How do I know if I have moles or voles?
Moles create raised ridges or tunnels and soft, spongy spots across your lawn, and they are almost never seen above ground. Voles create visible surface runways through the grass and gnaw marks on plant stems and tree bark near the ground. If you're not sure, send us a photo and we'll help identify it.
Will killing grubs get rid of my moles?
Usually not. Moles eat mostly earthworms, not just grubs, so a grub treatment can leave plenty of food in the soil and the moles stay. Grub control has its own benefits for your lawn, but trapping is what actually removes the moles.
Do mole repellents work?
Reliably, no. Castor-oil granules and sonic spikes are not effective long-term solutions. Professional trapping is the gold standard for mole removal, which is why we lead with it.
Will moles or voles come back after treatment?
New animals can move into a vacated tunnel system. If activity returns after treatment, call us and we'll come back out. The lasting draw for moles is moist, earthworm-rich soil, so there is no quick lawn change that keeps them out for good, which is why monitoring and re-trapping matter.
My dog keeps digging in the same spots. Could that mean moles?
Probably yes. Dogs and cats are very good at detecting mole activity underground and will dig where moles are tunneling. It is a reliable early indicator that something is working under your lawn.
Ready when you are
Moles, Voles, or Not Sure?
Book a lawn assessment, or call us now.
