Moles can be a nuisance to the gardener because they dig up the soil. Here are tips for how to get rid of a mole.
How to Identify and Get Rid of Moles
How to Identify Moles in your Garden
Moles are surprising little mammals with pointed muzzles, tiny eyes, and bodies shaped like Idaho potatoes. In motion they actually swim along underground, using wide front flippers to part the soil as they go. They prefer moist, loamy soil and are most active in the early morning or evening in the spring or fall; they also come out after a warm rain.
Moles have the distinguishing characteristic of a hairless, pointed snout. Their small eyes and ear canals are concealed by fur, and they do not have external ears. They have very large and broad forefeet with webbed toes. Their hind feet or more narrow and have slender claws. They are usually about 7 inches in length and weigh about 4 ounces.
Mole Damage
- Moles usually feed on insect pests, grubs, and soil organisms, including beneficial ones like earthworms.
- Unlike vegetarian voles, moles dig deep. Their tunnels are usually at least ten inches underground, unless they’re scanning the surface in search of a mate. Check your soil and lawn for their tunnels. They will look like raised volcano-shaped swellings in your yard.
- Surface tunnels or ridges also indicate mole activity.
How to Deter Moles
- If you have a persistent mole problem, the best solution is trapping. Frankly, this is often the only way to get rid of moles. Use a humane trap, and release the moles at least 5 miles from your home in a rural area away from someone else’s garden. See more details below.
- Placing ultrasonic devices or noisemakers such as spinning daisies near the runs are often effective.
- Owning a cat that enjoys walking through your flower beds is a very effective deterrent to rodents.
- Moles are carnivores that make themselves at home in lawns rich in grubs and insects. When their food is seasoned with castor oil, they will go elsewhere for meals. (Wouldn’t you?) Mix up a spray of 3 parts castor oil to 1 part dish detergent; use 4 tablespoons of this concoction in a gallon of water, and soak the tunnels and the entrances.
- Dip an ear of corn in roofing tar and place it in one of their tunnels. Moles hate the smell of tar, and you’ll block their escape.
- Some readers say it works to sprinkle dried blood, tobacco, powdered red pepper, or coffee grounds near tunnel entrances. Remember to re-apply after a rain.
- However, many folk remedies do not control moles, such as placing gum, human air, bleach, ammonia or mothballs near the tunnels. And remember that moles will not eat peanuts or grain; they are insectivores.
- You may have luck using wind powerâsetting up vibrations in the ground that will bother moles and send them away. Low-tech methods include kidsâ pinwheels placed here and there on the lawn, or a homemade thumper: Cut fins in the sides of a bleach bottle and place it on a stick driven into the ground near a mole entrance.
- Finally, there are mole repellents as well as baits though we do not personally use. Bromethalin is sold in the form of a worm-shaped bait; place baits in an active mole run. Correct placement is critical; read and follow all directions provided with the product.
Trapping Moles
No permit is required for trapping. Place traps so that they will be triggered as moles travel in the runs.
Before placing a trap, make sure the run is active by pressing down with your foot; if the soil is pushed up the next day, the run is still active.
Straight runs, especially those near the edges of a driveway or sidewalk, are preferred. It the trap does not catch a run in two days, move the trap to a different run.
Prevent Moles
- Check out your soil for the presence of pests; if you have a lot of moles, you may have an oversupply of grubs and bugs. You can try getting rid of the grubs with beneficial nematodes, however, it doesn’t necessary mean the moles will go away; grubs are only part of their diet.
- If you want to protect specific plants, dig a 2- to 3-foot hole and line the sides and bottom of the hole with wire mesh. Fill the hole with soil and plant.
- Where you are determined to try bulbs, make a small âcageâ of 1/2-inch mesh screen. Place several bulbs inside, root plate down and bury the entire cage at the proper depth. Rodents wonât be able to chew through, but roots and stems can grow out. Note: moles are often blamed for the damaged caused by field mice.
Learn more about moles and what they do in your yard. Do you have comments or questions about moles? Let us know below!
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don't take your moles ( chipmunks raccoons etc..) to rural areas. WE DON'T WANT YOUR PROBLEMS.
Another solution to attempt is to go to Walmart/Academy Sports/Amazon online, and purchase (Red Fox Urine or Grey Wolf Urine), for approximately less than $20USD a bottle.
You take the urine bottle (Stand UP WIND!+ Wear GLOVES!), and either spray the Urine on âScent Keysâ (Shaped like a âPâ or a âTâ) (OR) Spray the Urine on a material like a Cat Ball (cotton or fabric material that will hold the scent) (OR) Cotton Material Scraps/Rags, and
THEN take those sprayed items with the Urine Scent on them and Place one at each corner of Your Yard (at each corner of Your garden+Midway/the middle of each side of your garden - creating a box barrier), and midway/middle of each side of Your Yard - basically, You are creating an invisibility Box Scent Barrier. You can ALSO place some of the Scent Keys, Scent Balls, Scent Scraps down INSIDE the tunnel(s). The âsmellâ of the Predator is what will drive the prey away.
The Theory behind this treatment is based on the Predator vs Prey Drive. That something bigger (Predator) that might EAT ME!, has moved into the area, so I (Smaller/Prey) should MOVE OUT! It usually works almost immediately, so it is best to apply this just before Dusk at night, so the prey naturally wakes up/becomes active and immediately looks to move out+Leave!
This works especially well, if You use the urine of an animalâs natural Predator. Moles, Voles, Field Mice, Etc are ALL PREY of Red Foxes!..Also, in the comments above, where someone states they used âHuman Urineâ, it likely had a similar effect, although not sure a Mole,Vole, Chipmunk, Mouse will recognize a Human as a natural predator+cause them to relocate.
Note: Must use when NOT raining, and reapply after rain (obviously the smell washes away)..
No Guarantee this will work for You, But, at like approx.$8usd a bottle for the Red Fox Urine itâs not much of an investment to lose if it doesnât.
Plus, I have used this successfully to treat for house mice, (spread sprayed items under the house+sprayed each corner and midway of the houseâs foundation/skirting), mice moved out in 24-48hrs. Continue to apply 1xweek, then 1x every 2wks, then 1x Mthly, unless they return, if they return, then step up treatment again to weekly.
I also had a small porch and something had crawled inside it, so just before dusk, I sprayed the heck out of that porch with the Urine. I went inside and waited to see what would happen. 10-15min (max) later, and whatever it was tore its way out from under the porch and took off & never returned..(I missed seeing it, because I got bored waiting, but Iâm fairly sure it was a raccoon or a opossum).
Btw, do NOT use moth balls, read the label, they are horrid for the environment & can cause breathing issues for humans & bad for pets.
Yes!, this is No Kill, Yes, it moves the pests out of your property to the woods or someone elseâs area, but thatâs the nature of Humans living in Suburbia.
We are living in their environment.
Your neighbor may not garden, may not care, or may not even notice there are moles in their yard (or) the moles may move to the woods behind your houses or the open field where no one lives. You do not necessarily need to kill the Moles, Voles, Chipmunks, Mice, as they all serve their own purpose in nature, from pest control, etc..
Good Luck!!!
Last August our area was flooded which moved moles into my yard. Tried smoke flares, poison granules, glue boards, traps, repellent, human hair, planting garlic and green onions on edge of flower beds, buzzing stakes, and even called a pest control company ( they used the wrong bait, thought I said VOLES). The gummy worm did kill one mole last fall which my old cat found.( Told they would die underground). I've been trying to push it away from going deeper into my prized flower garden with 6" boards. So far it won't dig under them. The mounds can be huge, with 4"+ wide tunnels. Nearby a mound now something is eating my Veronicas. This sure is a smart monster! To hire a good pest control guy is over $350. The mound always appear in the morning, sometimes just a little hill, other times huge.
Had been digging post holes to repair a fence and found that several holes kept catching moles that would fall in and were unable to dig out. Not sure if its because the earth was packed and they couldn't break through or what, but worked fairly well.
brown big like a silver dollar screams like a mouse cant see legs black little eyes ,is it a baby mole or mouse ??? and very fast
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