How To Get Rid of Moles in Your Lawn
Moles are practically blind varmints with tiny eyes and prominent snouts. There are several different types of mole species in America. Most moles are around 6 to 7 inches long with large forefeet used to dig underground tunnels. They typically live to about 6 years old. Moles will often make homes in open and rural areas where they can find lots of insects to feed on, and these critters can actually eat up to 90 percent of their body weight in insects alone!
Although it wouldn’t seem like a bad thing to have a little mole in your yard to eat all your destructive pests, their tunnels can actually cause significant damage to your lawn and garden.
Thankfully, there are lots of remedies you can use to easily remove moles from your lawn.
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Step One: Eliminate their food source
Moles love to feed on all sorts of pests and larvae. If you find a mole tunnel in your yard, it’s likely that they came there because there’s a pest infestation you haven’t spotted yet. Inspect your lawn for pests and try to eliminate them as much as possible. A mole won’t want to stay for long in a place with no food.
Step Two: Protect your garden
There are a few products you can use to protect your garden against infestations. Sprinkling some Diatomaceous Earth or using a DIY eucalyptus oil spray can protect your garden against moles. We recommend using products with a strong scent, as moles primarily use their sense of smell to navigate through their tunnels. You can also use Epsom salts or cayenne pepper in your garden if you’re worried about moles eating any vegetation. Moles generally dislike the taste of both these things. However, the most effective way to eliminate moles is by using castor oil. To fight moles with castor oil:
- Mix ¾ cup castor oil with ¼ cup of dish soap
- Mix your castor solution with a gallon of water
- Soak the tunnels and entrances with the solution
This solution won’t kill moles, but will taste horrible to them and upset their digestive tract. Some have suggested using leftover coffee grounds or animal feces in gardens to deter them, but these methods may introduce other pests such as rats and mice.
Step Three: Do some gardening!
Since moles are so sensitive to strong smells, there are a few plants, veggies, and flowers you can use to deter them. This will not only look great for your garden, but it’s completely safe to use around your family. Here is a list of plants that will deter moles:
- Daffodils
- Marigolds
- Alliums
- Fritillaria
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Castor bean
- Crown imperial
- Narcissus
Step Four: Get loud!
The other thing moles are sensitive to are sounds and loud noises. You can play music from an outdoor radio, but it may become annoying to your neighbors. Try using noise-making garden stakes. These stakes use sonic noise and electronic pulses to deter moles. Plant these by tunnel entries, or close to your garden.
Step Five: Baiting the moles
If you find that deterring moles isn’t working, it may be time to bait, and trap or kill them. It’s an aggressive approach, but using stronger chemicals to kill moles is a sure-fire way to get them out of your yard. Here are some top-rated mole killers you can buy on Amazon:
The Best Bait – Tomcat Mole Killer
The Best Gas – The Giant Destroyer
The Best Trap – Wire Tek Mole Eliminator
The Best Heavy-Duty Sound Repellent – Wikomo Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
If you’re still having trouble getting the moles of your lawn, call one of our partners at Pest Brigade to give you some advice on your mole problem.
Aftercare: Prevent the moles from coming back
After you’ve effectively eliminated moles from your yard, it’s time to stop them from coming back. Practice regular yard care to ensure you don’t allow other garden pests to return. Next, be sure to:
- Install wire mesh and cages around your garden
- Keep mulch dry and rotate it regularly
- Rake up leaves and other yard debris
- Use moisture-absorbing soil to retain moisture in places that commonly get dense
- Trim trees, bushes, and other vegetation
- Allow your yard to absorb as much sunlight as possible by keeping the grounds clear
If you have any solutions or product recommendations, comment down below!
