How To Rid Lawn Of Moles And Voles

Average Size Of Moles Voles & Gophers:

When comparing tunnels, its interesting to note that gophers and voles dig different sized paths than moles.

Moles have the widest sized tunnels out of the group. However, this will be tough to notice if you havent seen a gopher or vole tunnel before.

Most importantly, a big point of comparison is the size and amount of the hills.

Moles create extremely noticeable mounds of dirt where theyve dug into the ground. They push the soil up onto itself and create a cone-like shape surrounding their entry point.

Voles, on the other hand, dont create these sorts of mounds. Rather, they have small holes on the ground where theyve entered it.

Gophers have a tendency to make many holes, whereas moles will most likely create one or two entry points into their tunnel. If youre only seeing one hole, you more than likely have a mole problem.

Conversely, if you see multiple tunnel entry points in your yard with fresh dirt packed on them, you probably have some gophers nearby. If you have a few holes in your yard but no fresh dirt in or around that hole, then that more than likely means that there was previously a gopher there, but it has since left the tunnel.

Between these three animals, youd probably be hoping for a mole in your garden since they dont directly damage your plants

How To Trap A Mole Without Killing It

When other methods fail, trapping is the most effective method of treating the problem. Many traps are quick-kill, but it is possible to capture a mole without killing it. Here’s how:

Using Repellants To Deter Voles

Repellents are always convenient to use. A large variety of repellents such as Ro-Pel, Liquid Fence, the fungicide Thiram, Plantskyyd, etc. can be used for this purpose. They need to be reapplied every now and then particularly in case they are washed off by heavy rains.

Young trees and shrubs can be covered with hardware cloth around the base of the trunks to keep voles away from munching on the plants. It should be a couple of inches deep and should go up at least 1-2 feet above the ground.

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What Do Voles Eat

They are herbivorous or plant-eaters unlike moles. They do not have preferences as such but rather feast on whichever part they can reach.

Voles have huge front teeth making them efficient for the act of chewing on fleshy roots stems, seeds, specific flower bulbs, mushrooms, and tubers.

Their favorite meal is lawn grasses but also feed on shrubs and tree barks at the ground level. Voles can create grassy runways by munching the topsoil grasses.

They prefer feeding in areas where they will not get targeted by their predators. They are active both day and night time.

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Trapping Voles With Mouse Traps

Mouse snap traps can be used to kill voles. Place the trap perpendicular to a vole runway, aligning the trap’s trigger with the path the vole must take in using the runway. Peanut butter is an excellent bait for trapping voles. The best time to trap is either autumn or late winter.

The key to success in trapping is determining where on your landscape the voles are most likely to use as a thoroughfare that’s where you want to locate the trap. The widest vole runways are indicative of heavy traffic. Another good indicator is a runway that is heavily soiled with vole urine and feces.

Need Some Professional Help

There you have it: The vole vs. mole debate solved! Now you can identify whats messing with your lawn or your plants in Central and Southern Maryland and start eliminating these nuisance pests from your yard. Still having trouble either figuring out what kind of critter you have on your property or keeping them away? We understand. Let Natural Green come check out your problem and help. We look at a lot of lawns all day and have dealt with many vole or mole problems. We can find out what the real problem is and offer some suggestions to help.Want to get back to enjoy a lawn that is not full of tunnels and meat-eating moles? Hoping to save your plants from those veggie-eating voles? Give us a call and well bring our proven lawn and pest control experience and create a custom plan for your Central and Southern Maryland home. Get started today with a free quote.

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Voles Vs Moles: How To Tell The Difference & How To Get Rid Of Them

Voles. Moles. You may not think theres any difference between them. In fact, they sound so similar, you might just think were starting to go into a childrens nursery rhyme. I am a mole and I live in a hole But even though these two lawn pests sound similar by name and can cause similar damage to your lawn and landscape, they are actually quite different.Lets learn more about voles vs. moles and how you can identify them and properly kick them to the curb so they stop destroying your lovely lawn.

Will Cats Help Get Rid Of Rodents In The Yard

Yes! My cat is quite the mouser and will bring home a small rodent almost everyday. Sometimes more than one per day if shes feeling particularly frisky.

If you are thinking of getting a cat anyways then it can be a helpful tool to get rid of moles, voles and other rodents in the home and garden. I dont think you should get a cat for the sole purpose of catching moles though. What if the kitty you choose turns out to be terrible at catching moles? You still have to take care of it and its a living creature that is depending on you.

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Get Rid Of Moles With Dawn Soap

If youve been working hard on your lawn and garden, one of the most frustrating things you can find on your grass are mole hills.

Those large lumps of brown dirt can totally ruin the look of your luscious lawn, and burrowing rodents can cause damage to the grass roots underneath.

Moles arent all bad through, they do serve a purpose. Creatures that burrow under the ground help to aerate the soil and help keep the bug population under control. Moles eat insects and worms in the ground so if you have a few mole hills on your lawn take comfort knowing they are getting rid of spiders and other bugs.

You can kill moles with a trap but I prefer cruelty-free methods. Instead of killing the rodents Id rather they prefer not to tear up my lawn in the first place .

You can get live traps and relocate the moles but I have a recipe to share that uses one of my favorite household supplies: Dawn dish soap. Combined with castor oil it makes a great natural mole repellent for your lawn. Many commercial repellents use concentrated pellets or liquids composed of castor oil and other irritating ingredients to drive moles away. Now you can make your own!

Fend Off Mole And Gopher Organic Odor Tubes

Repellent Odor Tubes by Fend Off use a garlic formula to repel moles, gophers and other varmints burrowing in the ground. A safe effective way to rid your yard of moles and gophers!

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Trying To Get Rid Of Moles For Good

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Since they move about underground and usually only come on land to find a mate, you may not ever see a mole itself. Their tunnels, however, are clear signs that this pest has invaded your property. Even though they can reach as deep as a foot, moles tend to kick up dirt overhead that causes large mounds running the length of the tunnels, crisscrossing throughout your yard.

How To Deter Moles

Once your yard is free of moles, you can take steps to make your yard less of an attractive mole playground:

Plant these in your flower bed or around your vegetable garden to keep away these pests.

Why are marigolds and daffodils said to repel moles? Daffodil bulbs are toxic, which is why moles may avoid their roots. Marigolds may deter moles by extension as the natural pyrethrins in the plant may repel the grubs and insects that are their food source.

Mulch and compost piles: Get rid of these, if you can, as they are a magnet for moles.

Remove their food source: Milky spore and other beneficial nematodes will kill the grubs that moles eat.

Once you have said bye to moles, you want to keep them out. You dont want a mole hole leading to a mountain of a problem.

Main Image Credit: A common mole / Kenneth Catania, Vanderbilt University / CC BY-SA

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Coffee Grounds Deter Moles

Back in the day, my mother had a pretty huge mole problem happening in her garden. Honestly, she kind of liked that she didnt have to rototill the garden in those spots, but the moles were starting to expose some of the roots on the plants.

Fortunately, we got some good advice to try and throw coffee grounds on the garden to deter the moles. We loved drinking coffee daily, so this was an easy solution. It didnt totally get rid of all mole activity, but it kept them away from the spots that had fresh coffee grounds.

Coffee grounds have an overpowering smell that deters moles, so place them in a few of the tunnels or mounds to drive them off. You can also spread them over the top of your garden as its perfect for your garden and makes an excellent fertilizer 7.

If you see a molehill in your yard or garden, go ahead and try to place the coffee grounds on top of the tunnel entry point. This will have the most impact on the moles as theyll want to avoid the areas with the grounds, and the smell will get inside of the tunnel.

The more coffee grounds you place on your garden, the more effective it will be. Youll need to place coffee grounds daily in order to keep scent as strong as possible.

Dig A Trench And Line It

Controlling moles and gophers where they dig is a big part of getting rid of them. For moles, dig a trench roughly 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep. Then, fill the trench with rock or line it with wire mesh or hardware cloth that has holes no bigger than 3/4 inches wide. This will prevent moles from burrowing into your lawn or garden.

Deter gophers by digging a trench around your flower bed or vegetable garden and burying a wire mesh screen or hardware cloth in it. Again, make sure the holes in the wire mesh or hardware cloth are no bigger than 3/4 inches wide.

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Rodent Bark Chewing In Winter

Voles and rabbits probably damaged the bark on this unprotected pussywillow. Use tree guards or fine hardware mesh around the trunks and stems of young trees and shrubs to deter them.

Voles and rabbits probably damaged the bark on this unprotected pussywillow. Use tree guards or fine hardware mesh around the trunks and stems of young trees and shrubs to deter them.

Protect your trees. Surround your trees with fine mesh tree guards, burying the bases in the ground. Keep the guards loose enough to let the trees grow.

Put up a physical barrier. Fence your garden with 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth. Bury it six to 10 inches deep in the ground and let it extend at least one foot above the ground.

Try a natural remedy. Some gardeners swear by putting mothballs into vole burrows or mixing irritants like garlic and ammonia with water and spraying them in the entrances. The downside is that these wash away in the rain and have to be reapplied.

Apply predator urine. Some garden centers and nurseries sell the urine of predators like coyotes and foxes, which is said to repel voles.

Exterminate voles with mouse traps or poison baits. Do this as a last resort, and do not use poisons or any kind of traps around pets or children.

Need more help? Call a wildlife control professional to get rid of pesky moles and voles.

More Ways To Get Rid Of Moles And Gophers

If other methods fail, you may opt for the most aggressive approach. The most effective way to control moles and gophers is with traps or poisons that result in the death of the creatures. If you use poisons or chemicals, be sure to follow the product directions carefully and keep pets and children at a safe distance. Chemical repellents and poisons are hazardous to pets and children in and around the treated area.

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Identification: Is It A Mole Vole Or Gopher

• Mole
• Vole
• Gopher

If the damage to your yard is beyond just aesthetic, then theres a chance that moles arent the problem. Moles, voles, and gophers are often mistaken for each other, but there are distinct differences between each of them.

One of the first signs of identifying your pests is based on the damages. Moles only eat the grubs and worms in your soil. Voles and gophers, on the other hand, would much rather munch on your fresh greens or damage your plants.

If youre seeing mounds of dirt in your yard but no destruction to your plants, then you more than likely have a mole problem. In contrast, if you have a vole or gopher problem, youll see that your plants are destroyed rather than the soil around them.

In total, voles and gophers cause much more terror than moles. For voles, your plants could dry out or become unrooted due to the animals munching at the base of the plant.

Gophers have a tendency to pull out entire plants all at once. They just go underground and pull their snack inside, roots and all!

To make identification a little bit easier, you can clearly identify a mole by noticing their bright red/pink nose and long pink claws. A vole, on the other hand, is much smaller and looks more similar to a rat.

One more note about spotting moles is that they genuinely look like they dont have eyes at all .

Out of these three animals, gophers are the largest of the group and have a similar look to that of a large rat.

Vole Trails In Spring Lawn

After snow melts, its easy to discover if voles spent the winter eating your lawn because youll see trails in the grass. The trails are runways or paths that voles use to move about beneath the snow. They eat the grass in the runway or use it to make nests.

You’ll often spot vole runways in mulch, with tunnels that are just barely below the surface. Parts of the runway might resemble an open path, while other parts are more tunnel-like.

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Will Coffee Grounds Get Rid Of Ground Moles

• Holes in the Ground With No Mounds

No one likes to find the telltale signs of a ground mole in the yard the unsightly open holes and molehills are signs of a tunnel network below the surface. Among the various deterrents you can try to get moles to move is to spread coffee grounds, but your success will probably be limited.