Moles create underground tunnels that can ruin your beautiful lawn and garden. These tunnels also allow other rodents to access your garden plants much more easily. Moles are commonly found where the soil has a lot of organic matter.
Inspecting for Mole
Moles are small mammals with cylindrical bodies, pointed muzzles, and tiny eyes. They use their wide front flippers to create tunnels. Moles prefer wet, loamy soil. They are most active in the evening or early morning in the fall or spring.
Common signs of their presence are:
- Surface tunnels or ridges
Moles usually dig surface ridges or tunnels about 6" to 12" deep because this is where they can find the best food sources. They find these tunnels to look for food and to travel.
During the winter, they dig deeper to find food. The shallower channels leave unsightly ridges and mounds in a healthy lawn.
- Another sign of a mole infestation is plant damage.
Moles displace soil around the plants as they dig. This exposes the roots and causes the plants to die. There could be different reasons for your plants becoming damaged but if you think that it’s due to a mole, you should act fast.
- Molehills are less common, but you may see one occasionally if you’re dealing with a mole infested yard.
You may notice a raised patch that is about a few inches high or loose dirt. This is a good sign that there are moles in your garden.
Try to look for more information about moles and mole removal to be more familiar with how to deal with these pests.
How Can You Get Rid of Moles?
Moles love lawns that are rich in insects and grubs. Some effective ways to get rid of these pests are the following:
- Season their food with castor oil to chase them away.
Combine one part dish detergent and three parts castor oil. Add four tablespoons of this mixture to one gallon of water and spray mole entrances and tunnels with it.
- A cat that loves walking through the flower beds is an effective deterrent to moles and other rodents.
- You can also place an ear of corn dipped in roofing tar in one of the tunnels. Moles don’t like the scent of tar, so this is a good way to block their escape.
- Take advantage of the wind.
You can set up vibrations in the earth to bother moles and drive them out. Children’s pinwheels can be placed throughout the lawn.
- Mole trapping is the best way to deal with a persistent mole problem. Use humane traps. Release the moles at least five miles from your property.
How to Prevent Moles
If there’s a large number of moles present in the lawn, you most likely have an oversupply of bugs and grubs. Spray the lawns with beneficial nematodes or milky spore disease to eliminate the grubs.
For specific plants that you want to protect, you should dig a 2' to 3' hole and line the bottom and sides with wire mesh. You can then fill the hole with plants and soil.
Use a 1/2" mesh screen to create a small cage where you want to place bulbs. Bury the whole cage at the right depth after placing several bulbs inside. Stems and roots can successfully grow out. Rodents will not be able to chew through the screen.
Professional Mole Control
A lot of homeowners use DIY pest control products to deal with the problem on their own. These products, however, don’t produce their desired results. A small problem can develop into a large one.
This is when people hire a pest control professional. They are licensed and experienced on pest services for dealing with the activities of moles in your yard. These experts understand the behaviour of each species and develop a program that can effectively prevent further mole damage in your lawn.
How to Make Your Landscaping Mole Resistant
The following are things you can do to make your landscaping resistant to moles:
- Changing your landscaping is one of the best ways to deal with moles.
- Consider shrinking your lawn.
- Replace part or all of your lawn with shrub plantings and naturalized areas.
- You should also reduce watering because overwatering douse the soil. This invites moles and earthworms to the surface as they search for food.
- Choose plants and grasses that are drought tolerant. Native plants need less water and are less prone to damage than imported varieties.
- Line raised beds with 1/4-inch metal hardware cloth. Sheet metal or hardware cloth should be installed at least 2' deep around the perimeter of the yard. It should stick up about 6".
- Consider getting natural predators. While moles are not a good predator snack, your cat or dog might enjoy scaring them off or hunting them.
