Mole tunnels may be a few feet deep with occasional entry and exit holes, or moles may tunnel just under the surface of the turf, as quickly as one foot per minute, in search of their primary diet, which consists of earthworms, grubs and other insects.

As winter rain accumulates in some parts of the country, homeowners might be calling landscape professionals complaining of a certain pest infestation, as is happening in the Triangle and eastern portions of North Carolina.

"We are getting hundreds of calls from homeowners reporting turf damage that shows up almost overnight," says Paul Brooks, vice president of the local Weed Man.

The culprit in the damage – moles – those 6- to 8-inch rodents that while searching for food can dig deep tunnels at the rate of 12 to15 feet per hour and surface tunnels as quickly as one foot per minute. The deep tunnels may have occasional entry and exit holes. The surface tunnels, which can destroy a lawn, often occur during wet weather, as worms and insects move up toward the water.

"The wet weather has drawn moles closer to the surface, so their tunnels are now more visible and are causing homeowners headaches," Brooks states.

There are various methods for mole control including poisoning, gassing, trapping, and eliminating their food supply.

"Because there is a mole species in North Carolina that is endangered (and protected), treatment involves application of an organic mole repellent to encourage these rodents to move on," says Brooks.