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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
March 29, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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March 29, 2012
 
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MASTERGARDENER April Ist - Palm Sunday April 6t"- Good Friday, Stations of the Cross 12 to 5 p.m. on the church grounds i April 8t" - Easter Sunday i 7:00 a.m. Sunrise Service under the tent I on the church property and 8:30 a.m. ,~ ...................................... & 10:30 a.m. Services at the Fire Hall .....New Community % Church of Union 951 E Dalby Rd, Corner of Dalby & McReavy, Union • 360-898-7855 CLEANERS & TAILORS cff&filS r Member Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ' Sat 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. 215 South Second • 426-3371 Serving She~ton and Mason County for 86 year Learn about moles -- save your garden As I was leaving Pioneer Prima- ry School last week after doing some work at the greenhouse, I couldn't help but notice how busy the local mole population had been. The grassy area between the bus parking and Spencer Lake Rd was inundated with molehills. I remem- bered that Donald D. Tapio, Exten- sion Educator based in Grays Harbor County had just N sent a really lovely , article about the biology of moles. Unfortunately, trapping has been illegal in Washing- ton state since the passage of Initia- tive 713 in 2000, By JEANNE which doesn't leave REHWALDT the home gardener with many options. So today's column will acquaint you with the habits of the mole thanks to Donald D: Tapio. There's no question that moles con- tinue to be a source of major frustra- tion for home gardeners. All one has to do is look across the rural land- scape to validate that moles enjoy liv- ing here in our coastal area perhaps even more than we do. They are no- torious "for the characteristic mounds of soil and tunnels they create in our gardens and lawns. Who hasn't pulled up a wilted plant only to find mole tunnels beneath? Moles are built for digging. With a bullet-shaped head and nose, paw- it weren't for their raised feeding tunnels and occasional mounds of excavated dirt, we would likely praise them for their habits. In the process of digging, they mix and aerate soil, provide tunnels for water to reach down to plant roots, and eat many destructive insects including grubs, beetles and insect larvae. Vegetation occasionally makes up a small portion of the diet. Moles require large quantities of food. They spend perhaps half their lives searching for something to eat. The estimated yearly intake of food for a single mole is about 40 pounds. Moles travel extensively in search- ing for food--up to half a mile a day. Most of this travel, fortunately, is back and forth in the tunnel and not in a straight line. Moles live most of their lives in underground runways. The low ridges pushed up as they move just under the soil surface in search of food may determine their presence. These runways, in heavily infested areas, form a vast intercon- necting network. Some runways are major lanes of travel used by several moles. Major runways often appear under fence lines, under roads or along sidewalks. The main runways are usually about 6 inches under ground level, but may be as shallow as 2 inches or as deep as 20 inches. Extremely shallow runways, imme- diately under lawn turf, for instance, are feeder offshoots from a main runway and probably used only once. Moles contain twice the hemoglobin year -- they do not hibernate. Mating takes place from late February to ear- ly March, producing young only once a year. The young, averaging three to the litter, are born from late March to early May. Young moles spend about one month in the nest and are nearly full-grown when they leave. They may sometimes be distinguished from adults by a shorter snout, slightly smaller size and pearly gray fur. Nests are constructed underground in a fortress-like arrangement in fence lines and well-drained, slightly raised sections of fields. Large mole- hills 30-40 inches in diameter or areas of intensive mound-building ac- tivity are probably nesting sites. Nest cavities average 9 inches in diameter and about 6 inches in height. Nor- mally, three or four runways lead into the nest. Moles build nests of grasses or moss with a dry, inner pocket surrounded by wet, coarser grasses. Nests normally occur 5 to 18 inches under ground level. Although it may seem as though there are dozens of moles invading your lawn, there are likely only one or two. In general, they are at densities of only one to three per acre. Being loners, except during the breeding season, there's no question that in most home lawns, a few moles are raising a lot of turf. Unfortunately the mole is here to stay. The WSU Master Gardeners are holding the third in the series of Country Living classes from 9:30 a.m. A Fam y Farm , Greenhouse. Nursery. Produce erful shoulder muscles and large,as other mammals of similar size.to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial outward-facing front feet with strong This allows them to breathe more Hall. The topic for the morning is Jim ~ ~2~ , Seafood ° Bark claws, these earth miners literally easily in underground environments Freed with Mushrooms and Specialty .~ ~ . Soils ° Plants swim through the soil in search of with low oxygen. Moles do come to the Forest Products. The afternoon ses- A J~ .01ympicMountainlceCream~[ their favorite food, the earthworm, surface occasionally, mainly at night sion is Kimberly Wheeler with Home In fact, moles can dig surface tunnels to search for food, water and nesting Composting. If you would like to ~~%~ 1921 E. Hwy 106, Union WA 98592 I at approximately 18 feet per hourmaterial. Migrations may occur over- register for the Country Living class i i ] ~ ! (360) 898-2222. (360)426-2222 l[and can travel through existing tun- land as well. please call 427-9670 Ext. 680. Pay- Winter Hours: Fri-Sat-Sun 9am-5:3Opm [ nels at about 80 feet per minute. If Moles are active throughout thement is accepted at,the door. www.hunter-farms.com [ t d h ity fi Oon.a omb Sound Learning s u ents ost commun esta [ / Reyn_olds is I I~~celebrating I [ ~~her 90t~ [ The students in Sound Tierrablanca Cakes, and [ ~~: birthday. She [ Learning's English Lan- Inmigrantes Unidos de ]~~wasborn [ guage Program hosted a Shelton. ] ~~ in Lebanon, [ successful community fi- "I feel very happy to [ esta on Saturday to raise have collaborated in this e " " I ~~--ashvedinthe: ~[: r: |WM/'M~VVUULU vgu [ money for their classes, vent, said Sound Learn- I Shelton area for > [ [ LIKE TO BE SELLING [ Guests enjoyed a delicious ing student Cecilia Ba- Im°re than 60 years" [ [MORE OF THIS WEE[(?[ variety of tacos, desserts, zaldua. "I did my part so and other treats; activities that these programs can I Fr~f_ami!y_are invited t° ] I We. can help you whenyoufall I for children; and later in continue to offer this im- Icelebrate her birthday at an open [ I (360)426-441:~toadvertlse I Ih°usefr°ml2:00N°°nt°2:00p'm'l I ~,-~a~c