How to Get Rid of Moles Damaging your Yard
Although moles can quickly damage a lawn, they do provide the benefits of aerating the soil and eating harmful white grubs. However, their preferred diet is earthworms which are beneficial to the soil. Every day, they can eat enough grubs and worms to equal their weight. They do not eat grass or other plants. They are skillful diggers and can tunnel up to a foot a minute.
There are many home remedies for getting rid of moles - human hair, moth balls, chewing gum, etc, etc. These remedies are generally ineffective. There are only three proven methods - castor oil based repellents, live trapping or bait/trap killing.
If using traps, you need to decide up front if you want to live trap and relocate them or use kill traps.
Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Before you can get rid of a mole, you must determine which tunnels the mole is using. Flatten each tunnel in a couple areas by stepping on them. The following morning, check the areas you flattened to see if the earth is pushed up. If so, you have located an active tunnel.
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To set a live trap, dig a hole and place a bucket, large jar, etc. in the path of the tunnel. Cover the hole with a board or some other solid covering. The mole will fall into the bucket but can't climb out. You can relocate him/her to another location (not your neighbor's yard). I've had limited success with this approach (not to mention that digging a hole in Midwest clay and rock is not an easy task).
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There are many types (spring/plunger, scissor and tube to name a few) of kill traps available to get rid of moles. Spring traps are the most common. To prepare a spring trap, flatten the tunnel (the mole opening the tunnel is what springs the trap) around the area where you want to place the trap and then set it in place. Load or arm the trap. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your particular trap. Some traps are reusable, others can be disposed with the mole.
If you have pets or small children, place a 5 gallon bucket over the trap to keep them away. Remember, moles are already in the dark so they won't care the bucket is there.
Check the trap every couple of days. If it hasn't been triggered, try another tunnel.
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If you're planning to use bait, Talpirid is the most effective. Talpirid looks like a worm so the mole is attracted to it. I shy away from using bait because I'm worried my dogs will eat the bait or eat a mole that has eaten the bait. Handle it VERY carefully per the instructions.
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Tips & Warnings
Moles are most active in the afternoon or early evening during spring and fall.
Many people use insecticides to remove the food source of moles. Out of respect for the environment and my pets, I don't use any chemicals around my home unless absolutely necessary. Any insecticide will also kill earthworms and other beneficial insects.
My dad would mole hunt by standing over the tunnels with a spade shovel. When he saw the earth moving, he'd drive the spade down. I've done this on occasion but don't normally have the time or patience for it.
Moles do not cause long-term damage. If they aren't creating specific problems for you, leave them alone.
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Comments
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I learned long ago to just live with them, and use avoidance methods, such as raised beds with hardware cloth tacked to the bottoms, and planting lots and lots of veggies which don't really fit in a bed, so that even if they destroy some, they won't get them all. They can't dig through it, and they won't climb over the sides. Problem solved.
