Hi all, Each year around this time in upstate New York Zone 5 we seem to get a lot of moles. Once the snow covers the ground & then melts in the spring our lawn looks like a construction site. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of these guys? Thanks for any comments or advise.
Reducing the grubs in your lawn is a good start. It is pretty difficult to get rid of moles. You can use a spring-loaded trap that kills them when they tunnel under it. You probably don't have a lot of moles as they are territorial and only get together to mate. If you kill off one, then another will move into the territory. They make main tunnels that are deep, and shallow feeding tunnels that connect to the main tunnel. I did see one mole repellant touted on a gardening program that is made from caster beans as I recall. It is suppose to repel them. I have no idea if it works.
One other thought is that you may actually have voles. Voles make runs on the surface or just below and like the cover of long grass and snow. They are active during the winter under the snow. Voles don't leave big hills of dirt but moles do.
I found some stuff called Mole Patrol at TCS that kills the little buggers pretty good. I find the surface holes and sprinkle a few pellets in, but I do not know how that would do with the snow moisture. When they're bad I have to do it every day for a week or three and take a shovel to fling the carcasses. Do not fling them where the cattle graze... flinging them near where the cats crap may get rid of two pests at once.
How do you find the carcasses of these subterranean critters once they're dead?
-Fleemo
I knew that it was a misconception that they stay underground... but I did not realize how many of them come up at night. What I was surprised most by was the first time I went after them with this stuff mounting a large offensive on them was, just how many of them came up to die. I can't explain why but suspect they are looking for water (does this stuff dehydrate them like rat poison? I dunno) as that is the reason for their overnight behavior (looking for food and etc).
I'm no expert, I just know that they get more active at the surface level here in the fall and spring and putting some Mole Patrol in the holes or even moving a little dirt gently with a spade and then replacing it carefully gets results. They recolonize tunnels out here in the country so the fight never ends.
To the original poster, maybe you are seeing a freeze/thaw heave of past infestations but it can't hurt to nuke the gnawing little bastiids in a few places just in case.
Rat poison doesn't dehydrate rats, they bleed to death.
Moles do not come to the surface for food, they eat grubs they find underground.
Depends on the type of poison
Again... that's a misconception. I'm not going to get into the quibblefest that this ng has become (and why it is a shadow of it's former self) by going around on it. Google this set and see what you get:
mole hole surface night
Bottom line is this... the OP needs something to kill moles. He might try going to TSC (Tractor Supply Co) or whatever Ag store chain is local to him and buy a bottle of Mole Patrol and apply as directed and see if it works. It does for *many* (TSC sells generally accepted products to farmers who just need results and shun gimmicks) out here in the sticks where these things are a way of life in recent years. If he turns out to be an exception what's he out... 7 bucks? He needs to get them now before they are out of mind until they have litters in the spring. Moles have small litters, but each one of those buggers can do a helluva lot of damage.
In article , snipped-for-privacy@usaor.net says... :) > Rat poison doesn't dehydrate rats, they bleed to death. :) >
:) :) Depends on the type of poison :) Curious to know what rat toxin is supposed to cause dehydration. Think the dehydration tale came from either the fact of one; the medical equivalent of warafin (early anti-coagulant in rat bait) did cause a thirsty sensation in the people that was on it, but it didn't have the same effect on rodents, or two; just a lazy exterminator..."No Mrs. Jones, the rats won't die in the attic, they will go outside to look for water and die."
That seems rather severe but if it works that's good for you.
The local township agents always said that this is why they leave the barn as opposed to dying in it when you use the Blue Death that they distribute. Preferring to believe the local officials over some guy on usenet I looked around a little this morning and it looks as though the bleeding causes the thirst, at least according to a few sites, so they may both be right. I can't believe I spent time looking at that on Thanksgiving... won't waste any more of my day on it, that's for sure!
Our problem with Blue Death is that they become accustomed to it if you use the same thing every year. Found where they used the stuff for bedding once! We now switch off with Rampage at times though the agents don't give that kind for free. Rampage is also very good near the house (like near the pole building we park in) when you see them as it nails them in hours before they can have litters.
Interesting side note, if ya believe in predicting weather the old fashioned way: Usually they don't make the big move until about the time of the fall plowing but they started moving indoors a good month ahead of time in spite of a warm fall. At one time that would have indicated a harsh winter ahead, but today's rats are likely more high tech than that :-)
In article , snipped-for-privacy@usaor.net says... :) The local township agents always said that this is why they leave the barn :) as opposed to dying in it when you use the Blue Death that they distribute. :) Preferring to believe the local officials over some guy on usenet some guy over the Internet? me? It's Lar. If you had fleas in your barn from the rats I'd bet these same officials would tell you that you need to treat for fleas two weeks after the initial service to now kill the ones hatching from eggs.
:) I looked :) around a little this morning and it looks as though the bleeding causes the :) thirst, at least according to a few sites, so they may both be right. I :) can't believe I spent time looking at that on Thanksgiving... won't waste :) any more of my day on it, that's for sure!
web surfing is best done AFTER a good Thanksgiving gorging. :) :) Our problem with Blue Death is that they become accustomed to it if you use :) the same thing every year. Found where they used the stuff for bedding once! :) We now switch off with Rampage at times though the agents don't give that :) kind for free. Rampage is also very good near the house (like near the pole :) building we park in) when you see them as it nails them in hours before they :) can have litters. guessing Blue death comes in pellets rather than a block, one of the downfall of pellets is that it can be moved around, and they will store it for future food when they can. You do need to be more careful with the Rampage over the anti coagulant baits though. Secondary poisoning is more of a non issue with it, but it would be more of a problem for non target animals getting into the bait. It's a vitamin D3 overdose which causes mice to have a little mousy heart attack.
:) Interesting side note, if ya believe in predicting weather the old fashioned :) way: Usually they don't make the big move until about the time of the fall :) plowing but they started moving indoors a good month ahead of time in spite :) of a warm fall. At one time that would have indicated a harsh winter ahead, :) but today's rats are likely more high tech than that :-) Usually Fall business in pest control work is when we see the rodent work being the main stay of income. This year, in the Dallas area anyway, has been the most Summer rodent work I have seen in 17 years. Our activity is due to lack of Winter last year...an older female that would of died in a normal Winter lived on to have a few more litters..then those litters started having litters 30-45 days later and it has mushroomed up to being ridiculous on the amount of work this year.
I've heard that if you pour used cat litter down the holes they look for some place else to live. Cats eat baby moles -- certainly ours did. The smell of cat urine will drive the moles away to another location. Doesn't help your neighbors, but it'll help you.
Leave the moles the hell alone! They ain't bothering you.
If you get a spring harpoon type trap and learn how to use it it works great. I get them everytime.
From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley
God forbid any wildlife trespass on our lawns.
Leave the moles the hell alone! =A0They ain't bothering you.
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Good advice. I have one on the side of my forehead. I wanted to have it removed, but the doctor said to leave it alone. It ain't cancerous and you don't want it become it.
I have 7 acres of woods that they can play in all they want but they are not going to tear up my lawn.
From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley
These mole traps are pretty specific to a tunneling mole and will not have any affect on other critters walking around your lawn. They have a set of spikes aimed downwards towards a tunnel or tunnel opening.
-al sung Rapid Realm Technology, Inc. Hopkinton, MA
Yeah and those downward facing spikes could be painful! susan
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Good advice. I have one on the side of my forehead. I wanted to have it removed, but the doctor said to leave it alone. It ain't cancerous and you don't want it become it.
My dad would trap them using regular mouse traps with a small piece of bacon wired to the trap. I've heard of smoking sticks for rodents. Moles can be rather destructive to a lawn, and they may be feasting on grubs. Hawks, cats, and fox hunt moles.
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