MOLES, MOLES, MOLES TAKING OVER HELP!!

Introducing a natural predator for them, or making them think you have, is what we did. Cats drive them away. We took the clumps from our litter box, put them in the tunnels and covered them with dirt. They moved on. There are predator scents you can buy at sporting goods and online if you don't want to use cat waste. There was no odor above ground. Yes, a gross method, but effective.

Hello! In master gardener classes the expert lecturer commented there are possible four solutions, get a cat, get rid of the grubs, get a mole trap or live with them.

Grubs

The use of chemicals should be educated, reading product labeling and instructions carefully to obtain effective control. Heres a helpful link below -for your consideration.

Additionally your local cooperative extension is staffed with local master gardeners that might offer recommendation suited to your landscaping problems. Consider giving them a call if you have any concerns.

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/how_to_choose_and_when_to_apply_grub_control_products_for_your_lawn

They are probably after grubs in your lawn. If you get rid of the grubs, the moles should go too. Otherwise, trap them.

I agree with Ann, they are seeking food in the form of grubs, get rid of the grubs-take away the food source.

Sandy: 1. see a dermatologist. 2. or maybe this will help: https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/how-to-get-rid-of-moles-and-gophers/9ba683603be9fa5395fab901fca3cad4

Please do not use moth balls in your yard. ONE MOTH BALL CAN KILL A DOG. They are very dangerous and can kill pets. They were never intended to be used around animals.

Many garden stores sell products made specifically for moles and voles. You can also use mole repellents to make your yard undesirable to the furry, tunneling pests. Tomcat® Mole & Gopher Repellent Granules or Tomcat® Mole & Gopher Repellent Ready-To-Spray are a convenient, non-lethal way to remove moles from your yard.

Here are some sites to review

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-yard-moles-fast-48707.html

http://pestkill.org/moles/in-your-yard/

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/animal/get-rid-of-moles/

HELLO Sandy,

You can buy a Sonic Probe to deter Moles. Look on line or buy from Garden Centres etc.

My neighborhood had this problem and my neighbors uses a mole bait that was put in their tunnels with a flat rock over the top, so that cats & dogs couldn’t check it out.

It worked.

Hi Sandy

Here is info for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuNUDnpjve0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxAKFDOamag

Can you try re-installing the sonic machine and use moth balls again?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuNUDnpjve0

I think this is what we used. Dig an opening carefully in a tunnel, sprinkle pellets in, put flat rock over the hole.

Hello Sandy,

I run a mole removal service. Lots of great advice here. What I find is that almost every situation is somewhat unique and sometimes seeing the yard and surroundings are extremely helpful. Can't do that in your case. For moles, you have to remember it's all about food - worms, grubs, insects, etc. The problem that you're running into is that if moles are allowed to breed and multiply they push out into other areas of your lawn. Sometimes this can take several years but if they are left unchecked it will happen. Some considerations: Irrigation and drainage are often overlooked. Generally speaking moles (worms) like moisture BUT extremely dry areas can also harbor insects. If you irrigate your lawn it should be even throughout. Less in shaded areas, more in unshaded areas, less at the bottom of hills where water tends to congregate. Less in areas of mulch. Fix broken sprinkler heads that dump streams of water in one spot. Moles like fences....water hits fences, drains down, and congregates at the bottom along the fence. Grub killer was mentioned by several. Grub killer will kill grubs and insects but won't kill worms and nightcrawlers. For heavy infestations with resident mole populations, it can backfire because you remove some food but not all. Moles will look that much harder for food and do much more damage. We usually recommend trapping the resident moles first and then move on to grub killer which also has to be applied at the right time of the year - it's a pretty narrow window -> read the label. Also, keep in mind if both you and your neighbors apply grub killer you're creating an equal environment and it may not work well. I always say if you don't like your neighbors put grub killer down but don't tell them:) Castor Oil can work quite well. The downfall is that you need to apply it frequently as it tends to wash out depending on the amount of rainfall you receive. It can be kind of gross on the grass especially if you have pets. See the neighborly thing I noted above under grub killer - it too applies to castor oil. The 98% foolproof option is a permanent barrier of galvanized 1/4 inch wire buried 3 feet deep around the perimeter of your property - impractical for most. A few more Poison - some out there note success but my opinion is that moles prefer things that move. Humane kill traps - This is what we do within our operations. A dead mole is never coming back and is out of the reproduction cycle. There are 20+ different mole traps out there and while most will work there are always several that will work better based on the situation. While I always say "do what you feel works for you" my opinion is that there is nothing beyond the things noted here. Forget the ultrasonic devices, gassing, chewing gum, coffee grounds, etc. A couple I forgot....hungry barn cat(s) or find a guy like Joel:) www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRLkdu_xzco.:) I'm working on a very detailed blog posting on the topic that will come out on our website later this spring. It should be posted by May.

Best,

Rick, www.metromolecontrol.com