There is nothing as reminiscent of fall in the air as the honking of a vee-formation of Canadian geese flying overhead on a late fall afternoon. Their beauty and grace and haunting honks are a near spiritual experience.

But ask some park management people, homeowners with ponds, lakes or cornfields how they feel about visiting Canadian geese and you'll the truth. In the northeastern part of our country these strong birds are becoming a public and private nuisance. In one area a few residents town began feeding the few geese on the park pond.Apparently these geese told other geese and over the years the population on the banks of the pond has boomeranged.

Experts say not to feed nor do anything else to attract and retain the geese. Dogs and cats in the area will tend to discourage them and hunters in season can also make a dent in their population if extreme measures are needed.

Mice are a nuisance with the approach of cooler weather. In their efforts to find warmth, they can burrow or chew into residences, basements, garages and other out buildings. The best way to keep them out is to caulk around foundation walls and openings around window and door sills. Experts suggest keeping the doors to basements and garagees closed as much as possible.

If an infestation of mice is suspected, place mousetraps baited with cheese or peanut butter close to walls where their droppings have been seen. Mice can get into very small spaces.

The common or Eastern Mole and the Hairy-Tailed Mole will burrow in lawns or where soil conditions are right in search of food. Their ability to tunnel makes them the most victorious pests know to homeowners in the eastern U.S. The moles principle diet is grubs, earthworm, beetles, ants and other insect larvae. They eat their weight every day and taunt homeowners by tunneling their way through lawns and gardens.

There is no one particularly successful method of controlling moles, even the professionals have a difficult time, so overcoming the mole assault rests with the homeowner.

The best results in controlling the damage moles make come from trapping. There are several types of traps available. One is the harpoon trap and is probably the easiest to use. A spring-operated mechanism situated above one segment of the moles pathway with two supports on either side. When the trap is activated the harpoon is dropped into the animal.

Some tips for homeowners: keep the lawn cut short to try to discern mole activity. Do not place sod or topsoil over tunnels until you are certain the mole has left the neighborhood. If you can, try and trap the moles after the fall rains or early spring before they start adding a new generation. As you can see our yard pest controls are easily handled.