Controlling Moles & Voles

Controlling Moles and Voles

This one is not much easier than the rabbits and deer.  If you are willing to do it, the only really effective way to control moles is trapping.  Easier said than done for the inexperienced, so hiring a mole expert is the way to go.  And from what I understand, the good ones are GOOD, and will guarantee to come back if the moles come back (which they will).  But if you prefer to spend a lot less money and try it yourself, try the Victor spear type trap or the Victor scissor (Out-o-sight) trap for deep tunnels.  You’ll be experienced in no time.

Certainly you have heard that they are after the grubs in your yard, so you apply grub poison.  Well, they do like grubs, but are just as happy eating earthworms so your problem has not been solved.  They also really love “loose” moist soil for tunneling, but are not really bothered by tunneling through rock hard clay.  They are born to tunnel after all.  I admit that I have tried the soil sprays in desperation, such as Mole Stop by Spectracide.  You attach the bottle/sprayer to your hose and soak down the problem area, then water it in well.  The moles seem to leave, moving to another area.  Given the choice, I prefer they dig in my lawn rather than the landscaping where they damage roots and bulbs.  It is also possible the spray did not work, and the moles just moved on, they tend to be rather transient. And of course we know so much more about the adverse affects from chemical sprays than we did years ago.

There are hundreds of “home remedy” ideas out there from chewing gum to “gassing” the tunnels.  I have never really heard definitively that any of them work. We just need to coexist with all the creatures I think.