Mole Control

The Antagonists
In the near corner it's you: the gardener. You reign unchallenged at the top of the food chain. You are armed with a large, intuitive brain, two opposable thumbs and the inate desire to protect your property from invaders.

In the far corner it's a mole. He (or she) is perfectly adapted to life underground. They are not cunning, or vindictive, or determined to drive you crazy. What they are is far worse: they're hungry.

Your Strategy
Your strategy for winning this battle is simple: Eradicate the moles. If you do not kill your opponent you won't win.

First the Bad News
Here's a paradox for you: The healthier, more lush and vibrant a landscape is the more inviting it is to a mole. Moles eat earthworms. Sure they eat grubs, ants, and a few seeds and small quantities of vegetable matter too, but earthworms are their preferred diet. The healthier a soil, the greater the earthworm population.

Moles feed all year long, day and night, weekends and holidays. Surface runs are the ridges you see in the soil and lawn. They may be used daily, intermittently or only once and abandoned. A mole can tunnel at the rate of 100 feet per day.

As moles tunnel, the worms or insects fall on the runway floor and are eaten by the mole upon the encounter. Deep runs, 3 to 12 inches under the surface, are used for main runways for daily travel to the surface runs.

Now Some Good News
Moles are extremely territorial. Chances are that all that damage you're seeing in your lawn is being caused by one mole in its pursuit of food.

Just because they are loners doesn't mean that if you kill one your problems are over. Moles will also take advantage of existing but empty runs. Kill the original builder and another, less creative mole may move in.

Trapping is the most reliable and effective means of control. Spring-triggered traps are available with the harpoon style (Victor Mole Trap) being the easiest and most readily available. To be successful, in spring or fall set the trap carefully over an active run, and load up with patience and persistence. Moles have the uncanny capability of detecting, avoiding and springing these traps, especially when improperly set.

To locate an active runway, poke finger holes into the runway at several locations, or depress a portion of a tunnel to half its original dimension. If active, the mole will repair it in a day or two. Deep runways, will be the ones with periodic volcano-like mounds; these main runs are also likely to be located along artificial borders, such as fence row, hedgerows, and concrete paths and woody perimeters.

Use two or three traps per yard, or three to five per acre. Setting taps over mounds will not achieve desirable results.

After setting the trap, cover with a box or plastic pail to prevent animals and children from tampering with it. Check the trap once or twice a day, carefully avoiding stepping on the runs. If no mole is trapped in 4 to 5 days move it to another location. As you become experienced, you will become successful.

Once you catch one mole, expect to catch its mate too. If conditions are ideal, there may be more than one pair, though less likely. However, once a pair moves out, another pair can quickly move in. In addition, moles breed in February and March; if you can trap the pregnant female you save yourself hassles later. The young are born in litters of 3 to 5, six weeks after mating. They stay with the parents for about a month before leaving to create more runways search of a mate and a new home.

Additional Options for Control

Controlling The Food Source
Chemical control of the food source is not the sole answer. Earthworms should not be destroyed as they play a vital role in keeping the soil productive. White grubs can be easily controlled, though these are not a favorite food source; therefore grub control is no guarantee for mole control. Controlling the food source is only temporary; long term food source control is expensive and detrimental in other ways.

Pets
Pets may provide control. Unfortunately dogs cause more damage in their pursuit. Cats, if interested in mole control, are much more adept and successful than dogs.

Mole Watch
Setting up a "mole watch" in the more active times of spring or fall may yield more success. Locate active runways as previously suggested then insert a thin wire marker flag over the compressed area. When movement occurs quickly insert a shovel or spade directly behind the mole then impale it with a pitchfork or stomp hard directly on top of the creature. For those desiring more humane methods, scoop out the mole with a shovel, put it in a bucket, and release it miles away from any residences in a wooded field.

Mole Barriers
Mole barriers are practical for small gardens and lawns. Bury sheet metal or galvanized hardware cloth to a 2 foot depth, bend 3 inches of the base outward so the mole cant's dig under it. Leave the barrier 6 inches above ground.

Gimmicks
Ultrasound and electronic devices are reportedly useless, as are many commercial and home remedies. Poisons and fumigants give only temporary, if any, control. Chewing gum, flooding of tunnels, lye, car exhaust, whistling bottles and vibrating windmills serve more to relieve the frustrations of the homeowner.

For more detailed information on moles and their control, obtain a copy of Dr. Mole. Written by a local author, the booklet gives detailed instructions to help you avoid the frustrations of learning to control moles by trial and error.

When one accepts that the battle will be ongoing, maintains patience and self-control, employs traps at the proper time and setting them as directed, in time, control will provide satisfaction. Maybe.