How to Get Rid of Moles in the Ground

Moles are animals that create underground tunnels and rarely surface. They primarily feed on grubs and worms and dig their burrows in high, dry places. On the contrary, they prefer a cool, moist soil to hunt for their food, making a well-manicured lawn optimal for hunting. Moles can leave the ground in shambles with their expansive tunnels. The burrows they build are often used by other pests such as mice and voles to eat the roots of plants. It is important to get rid of moles to maintain a nice yard and keep your plants safe from other critters.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Aluminum sheeting or hardware cloth
• Castor oil
• Spray bottle
• Hose
• Skunk lilies, chocolate lilies or garlic plant
• Used cat litter
• Human hair clippings
• Mole trap

Instructions

1. Inspect the ground to determine which mole tunnels the moles use frequently. Destroy part of the tunnel by breaking away the dirt with a shovel. Wait a couple of days to see if the mole repairs it. If the tunnel is repaired, you know it is an active tunnel. This will allow you to target only the active tunnels in your quest for getting rid of moles in the ground.

2. Remove the mole's source of food. Where there are moles, there are likely an abundance of grubs. Reduce the amount of water you use on your lawn. This will in turn reduce the amount of worms and grubs and make the moles find a new place to burrow.

3. Create a mole barrier. Bury aluminum sheeting or hardware cloth 2 to 3 feet deep in the ground where you are noticing tunnels. Do the same thing, only about 6 inches above the ground to prevent the moles from climbing over the barrier. Only use this method for small areas.

4. Apply castor oil to the ground to repel moles. Thoroughly water the area prior to applying the castor oil. Fill a spray bottle, and soak the ground with castor oil. Water the soil again to allow the oil to seep into the dirt. Reapply the castor oil after it dissipates due to rain.

5. Plant skunk lilies or chocolate lilies in the ground. The strong odors these flowers emit are unappealing to moles. The odor of a garlic plant will also deter moles from burrowing nearby.

6. Pour used kitty litter into the tunnels the moles have made in the ground. Cats are a natural enemy of moles, so trick them into thinking there is a cat nearby. Continue to refill the tunnels with cat litter until you are sure the moles have left the yard.

7. Place some human hair clippings into the mole tunnels. Moles have an aversion to the smell of humans, and they also dislike the feel of human hair, making this an ideal mole repellent.

8. Purchase a mole trap to humanely trap the moles. These can be bought at home improvement stores and come in a variety of models. Read the instructions with the trap to determine how to use it and where to place it.

References

• Get Rid of Things
• Xomba
• The Free Library by Farlex