Don't just dump or scatter them across the surface of the garden or dirt. Mix it in. That way, the inevitable rain will NOT wash it all away.

Earthworms show up (good) and the soil stays moist longer (very dry here) and my gardener admires the technique (also good)

In the distant past I read something about sprinkling a combo of coffee grounds & egg shells around for pest control on the dirt in the garden, but not only am I dubious about that, but I think the egg shells would look unsightly unless you pulverized them. And would look pretty bad on bits of the house outside.

Moles … we got gophers, which destroyed a whole lot of stuff before I got a bunch of solar powered ultrasonic repellant stakes (check Amazon for quick reference, then if you are boycotting them, buy elsewhere). They worked on our gophers, and when I saw a new hole in another part of the yard I just moved the stakes around. They are also supposed to work on moles, voles, and snakes.
They beep every minute or so — you get used to it. Big bonus: no poisons to enter the wildlife foodchain.