Can You Flood Moles Out
While some people recommend trying to flood moles out of their holes using hoses or buckets of water, we advise against it.
This approach will only damage your lawn and loosen the dirt beneath your grass, making it easier for moles and other pests to burrow into. Additionally, moles can simply take shelter above-ground until the water recedes, making this tactic ineffective.
Instead, opt for a proven mole-control method, like one of the IPM approaches we listed above.
Planting And Using Barriers To Deter Moles Or Gophers
Certain kinds of plants in your yard can help deter moles. Moles dislike the smells from plants like daffodils, marigolds and anything from the allium family. This kind of plant barrier is typically safe for children and pets, plus it makes a lovely colorful addition to your yard.
To deter gophers, plant in raised beds. You can also make gopher baskets from netted material and put bulbs or young plants in them. This will allow the bulbs and plants to grow while keeping the gophers out.
Ready-made gopher and mole barriers are also available in the form of baskets that can be placed around plants to protect them from being eaten.
Ways To Get Rid Of Moles
To get rid of and prevent moles, you will have six basic steps that can be used in conjunction with each other or on their own:
- Eliminating their food source: if the moles have nothing to eat, they will leave
- Properly water your lawn: overwatering the lawn will make it subject to fungus and insects, and the moles will come in to destroy
- Apply several repellents: whether you use an insecticide to remove the food source or mole repellents, properly treating the lawn is an important step
- Bait traps: when the moles take over, be prepared to poison them with bait
- Kill moles with traps: moles traps come in several different styles
- Hire a professional: if you cant get your landscaping back to the way it was and mole activity is not stopping, a professional pest control company can typically help
The two primary methods for taking care of a mole problem in your yard are to use natural ways or to kill moles using mole baits or mole traps.
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Identify The Areas Where Moles Are Active
This can be difficult, as moles are subterranean creatures, and they dont often come to the surface. However, there are a few telltale signs that you can look for:
- Molehills: These are small piles of dirt that moles push to the surface as they tunnel underground.
- Runways: These are long, straight paths in your lawn or garden that moles have created as they travel back and forth underground.
- Damage to Plants: Moles can damage plants by eating their roots or by damaging the plants stem as they burrow through the soil.
Use Poison Or Gas Their Tunnels
This is a lethal solution, but one that can be effective given the proper circumstances, or if your issue is persistent enough. Make sure before use that you can keep poison away from pets or children.
You can purchase poison mole bait at any hardware store or .
The standard poison baits are Zinc Phosphide. You could also use Talpirid Mole Bait. This product mimics a worm in size and texture. The mole will think the bait is food, then will be poisoned after it eats it.
You can also use carbon monoxide gas from a small engine or your car. Youll need to use a hose and cap the exhaust on either a car or a lawn mower. Then lead the hose into one of the mole hills. Block off or plug the other holes.
This technique will only be effective if the mole tunnels are sealed. Otherwise all of the gas will escape quickly and the gas will be ineffective.
Using pesticides as a means of killing insects will deter moles by cutting down on their food supply, and I recommend treating for grubs at the same time that you remove the moles so that the problem does not reoccur.
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When To Call A Professional
- You arent sure if youre experiencing a mole problem or if a similar type of critter has invaded your lawn.
- Youve used several DIY methods already, and nothing seems to be working.
- You can tell that there are multiple moles in your yard, so the problem will be too difficult to resolve on your own.
- The mole or moles have already caused extensive damage, so you want to prevent any more from happening.
- At any point, youve felt that your own or your familys safety has been compromised.
There are also certain instances when youre implementing preventative measures where it would be wise to contact a professional rather than attempting to do it on your own. This could include setting up physical barriers that reach the requirements necessary to keep out moles, or working on any landscaping in order to prevent the buildup of moisture in your yard.
Are Mole Traps Humane
According to the RSPCA , there is scientific data to indicate that ‘humane’ mole traps are not as mole-friendly as they may seem. They explain how all live catch traps negatively impact animals’ welfare and in fact, due to the distress it causes, it is not unusual for the mole to die in the trap before it is checked. Not only this, but relocating moles, which are by nature territorial, has issues in itself.
What’s more, traps that are intended to kill moles outright do not always work as intended and can cause prolonged suffering .
In other words, if you need to know how to get rid of moles in your yard, avoid traps try the methods above instead.
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Next I Bet You Didnt Know That You Could Repurpose Your Dogs Pet Waste To Fight The Battle Against Moles And Voles
Most people dont know this But these critters are deterred by pet waste just as much as humans are, so placing your dogs waste near the entry and exit points of the moles tunnels is a good way to naturally encourage these varmints to infest your neighbors yard and not yours.
Moreover, yet another natural way to fight moles is to strategically install plants throughout the yard that the moles naturally dislike.
Not only could this be an aesthetic way to win the battle but the good news these plants such as Castor bean, Crown imperial, and Narcissus are examples of mole-repelling plants. and are known for being effective for deterring moles and gophers out of your yard.
How To Tell The Difference Between Moles & Voles
Factsheet | HGIC 2366 | Reviewed:Apr 15, 2022 |
A mole is 4 to 7 inches long with paddle-shaped feet and prominent digging claws.Courtesy of Mississippi State University Extension Service
It is important to know the difference between mole and vole damage to the landscape. One way to distinguish the difference is by the diet of each animal. Moles M are meat-eaters, and their diet consists of insects, grubs, and earthworms. Voles V, on the other hand, are vegetarians and eat the roots and stems of plants.
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Spray The Areas Where Moles Are Active
Spray the mixture around the perimeter of your ground, paying particular attention to any areas that seem to be frequented by moles.
Be sure to saturate the ground completely. The scent of the soap will repel the moles and keep them away.
You can repeat this process every few days or as needed until the moles are gone. You may also need to reapply after heavy rainfalls.
Spray Your Lawn With Natural Repellents
Just as moles hate the smell of planted castor beans, they hate the smell of castor oil.
Applying castor oil wont kill the moles, but the smell can effectively drive them away. If you mix three parts of castor oil with one-part dish soap, then dilute four tablespoons in a gallon of water, you have a natural, homemade mole repellent spray. Either spray it or pour it at mole tunnel entrances. If you have a smaller yard and a big mole colony, you may want to spray the whole yard.
Moles are sensitive to other smells too, particularly feces. If you have a dog, drop those droppings right into the mole hills and seal it up.
The smell will drive the moles away. If you dont have a pet, you can also leave leftover fish in the moles tunnels. Moles hate the smell of fish, and it will naturally drive them away but this may just attract other animals to your yard.
While I love natural remedies, Ill be honest and say that castor oil and other strategies like this only work in the short-term. You may only cause the moles to move to a different part of your yard.
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Will Moles Come Into Your House
No, moles won’t go into your house. They enjoy the quiet and warmth of life underground, so you won’t have to worry about them invading your home. Since they only stay in one area if there’s enough food, they won’t live in your garden forever.
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How To Kill Moles
If repelling them isnt good enough, there are two very effective ways to kill moles trapping and baiting. Tomcat provides products for both options to meet your specific needs and preferences.
Youll have the most luck killing moles in your yard if you use traps or bait in the spring or fall. Both products should be placed in a main, or active, runway. These are usually the straight tunnels in your lawn or the tunnels that follow the perimeter of your yard. To identify a main runway, carefully poke holes in the top of the runway using your index finger, half-inch dowel, or small probe. If the mole repairs the damage in one or two days, it is a prime runway to set a trap or place bait.
Traps: The Tomcat® Mole Trap provides a method to kill quickly and hold the mole to provide proof of control. Unlike many competitive spear traps, the Tomcat® Mole Trap does not draw blood, and its hands-free design makes it easier to use than other traditional mole traps. For more information, see our article How to Use a Tomcat® Mole Trap.
Baits:Tomcat® Mole Killera and Tomcat® Mole Killer Grubs kill moles by simulating their food source, earthworms and grubs. Moles eat the baited earthworm or grubs and die quickly underground in their tunnels. For more information on using baited earthworms and grubs, see our article How to Use Tomcat® Mole Killer Baited Worms & Grubs.
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What You Can Do To Manage Moles
We think the best solution is to tolerate moles when possible, since they play such a beneficial role in your gardens ecology.
Rake the mounds as soon as you notice them in the lawn. This will prevent the soil from killing the lawn. Rake the extra soil into the lawn to provide a light topdressing.
You may want to consider replacing part of your lawn with garden beds. This will attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators, while hiding the mole damage.
Traps are effective, but difficult to use correctly. Traps can be dangerous, so get and follow detailed instructions. Leg hold traps are illegal in Washington.
Castor oil and noisemakers have mixed results. Castor-oil repellents may help in the short term. Devices that make noise or vibrations may sometimes work. Flooding and fumigating rarely work, since nearby moles will move into the vacated tunnel.
You may want to install a physical barrier. If you know the moles are coming from a certain area, dig a trench and insert bamboo cloth or hardware cloth. The barrier should be at least six to 12 inches deep. This will protect the roots of young plants. Older trees and shrubs are usually not affected. Digging and installing a barrier can be labor-intensive.
Dont use a pesticide that kills grubs or earthworms. The moles will return, their damage wont disappear, and in the process you will kill earthworms that help your soil. Pesticides may also harm other wildlife, pets and children.
The Best Way To Kill Moles
Scientists opinions differ when it comes to eliminating moles. Some argue that flooding a tunnel with water does not work. Others say that castor oil has been tested over time and has proved to be an effective control method.
They argue that moles castor oil is effective when trying to kill the pests. . Gas bombs and mole poison baits have also been seen to work. Trapping is common and highly effective, but some states such as Massachusetts have banned this method. While thats the case, you can opt for bait such as Talpirid.
Talpirid is a bait mole killer that comes in a form that imitates earthworms. This bait contains a potent neurotoxin, highly toxic, known as rodenticide bromethalin, and can kill moles within 24 hours. Due to its active ingredient bromethalin, it is directed to be used under restriction. If kids or pets accidentally consume this formula, it can pose a serious health hazard.
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How Do You Get Moles
When researching how to get rid of moles, your first step is to identify where they come from and what attracts them to your yard. Their main motivation? Food. Moles love to eat earthworms, grubs, and other insects that live deep within your lawn, so you may want to invest in products that can help control these insects. If you cut off the moles food supply, they will lose interest.
Moles may be small, but they cause plenty of damage as they dig through root systems. If you see small mounds of dirt in your yard that look like little volcanoes, those might be molehills. These are entry and exit ways created by moles to lead to their tunnels. Some of these tunnels make three- to 30-inch protrusions or ridges on lawns and in gardens which cause major inconveniences if youre trying to grow flowers, garden vegetables, lawns, and small trees.
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What Do Moles Eat
Moles and voles differ in their feeding habits as well. While voles eat plant material and can be very destructive in the garden, moles have an entirely different diet. Moles are insectivores. Their diet consists of grubs, worms, bugs, beetles, and other subterranean insects.
A big step in knowing how to get rid of moles is understanding their diet. One old-wives tale that continues to live on is the suggestion of sticking a half-chewed piece of chewing gum into mole hills so the animal will eat it and choke. This is completely ineffective because moles only eat insects. A piece of chewing gum would simply get pushed out of their way as they go about digging their tunnels in search of real food.
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How To Kill Moles In Your Yard With Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is a hot spice that deters any tunneling animal from invading your yard. The hotness of the pepper upsets a moles digestive system and makes your grass undesirable. Its one of the best natural ways to get rid of moles in your yard and it is easy to distribute.
After a mole consumes a small amount of cayenne pepper, it will either die or avoid returning to your yard. Identify where the holes in your lawn are and pour a small amount of cayenne pepper in the hole.
The moles consume the hot pepper as they burrow for grubs and earthworms and avoid returning to your lawn. Creating a cayenne pepper mixture is an additional way to use this technique.
Mix a ½ cup of the spice with water in a spray bottle and spray the affected areas. Using cayenne pepper is a long term solution for getting rid of moles in your garden or lawn area.
Kill Ground Moles In The Garden With Mole Traps
Mole traps are commonly found at home goods stores and are a quick and easy way to enforce mole control in your garden and lawn, just as it is one of the quickest home remedies for killing mice in or outside your house.
If you are concerned about the cleanup process regarding mole traps, there are now several hands-free devices that do not draw blood. The trap will catch a mole and kill it quickly and allows you to dispose of the critter without touching it.
Set up the mole traps at the holes you have located in your yard. The latest models of these traps have a signal to inform you when the trap has a mole inside it.
This easy method makes killing moles in your yard worry-free. Additionally, the clean up needed is minimal.
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What Is The Best Mole Repellent
The best mole repellent is the one that works for you.
Because there are so many different mole species in the US, theres no absolutely best repellent for moles.
Youll have to use a bunch of these DIY remedies on this page to see which one proves to be effective for your mole problem.
Thankfully, I have everything you need on one page here so you dont need to go hunting for it all over the web.
The repellent and home remedies here are the most effective in my experience. I removed all the ones that are downright ineffective and included some of my own thoughts on them.
Youll find what works and what doesnt. And if you have any questions, leave me a comment at the end of this page.
