Recently I noticed what looks like burrows in my back yard possibly by a MOLE? What started out in an area of approx. 100 sq ft, is now consumiing
1/3 of my backyard. I did a search and came up with these "sonic" mole repellers that I'll try. Any experience out there? TIA
I've had the same problem over the years and have spoken with several county extension agents as well as doing a bunch of internet research on the problem. The consensus is that the sonic mole repellers are a waste of money. Same thing for fumigating their tunnels and for various spray or granular mole repellents. If you want to get rid of these critters, the consensus is that you need to put mole traps on the transit tunnels - the ones where if you collapse the tunnel, the moles open them up within a day or two. Anyway, there are several versions of mole traps available at your local hardware store or via the internet. The traps are "kill" traps, so if you're squeamish about that kind of thing, you're more or less out of luck.
KB
Hello,
It is the grass that attracts the moles . . . well, no, itis the insects that eat the grass roots that attract the moles, so, to get rid of the moles, you need to plant ground-cover other than common, lawn grass, or wait until all the grass dies; the moles move on to greener pastures (your neighbor's lawn), then re-plant (re-sod) your lawn . . . Truly
Joe, here in Indiana moles are a huge problem. We talked to a friend who is an exterminator. He said you have to eliminate the moles' food source, which is grubs. We treated the lawn with Grub-X several times, and it took care of the problem. Good luck!
I solved my mole problem by moving. I had a bad grub problem, which caused my mole problem. 5 miles away I have no grubs!
The sonic things are useless. What worked for me (well, it significantly reduced the problem) were sulphur bombs. Light em, stickem in the holes, and then run around plugging all the other holes to keep the gas in. It was actually quite fun. Do they still make them?
Or try moving. As someone else said, the first thing is to kill your grubs, but if you neighbors don't, it won't help much.
your problem is a result of grubs in the turf.
unfortunately, you can't doing anything about them until May. I live in Ohio- a place I buy grub treatment stuff from cautioned me that you must apply at the correct time, which in my area of NE Ohio is USUALLY between mid May and Memorial Day.
Check with an expert around then- it depends on how warm and how wet or dry of a spring you have. There is a time window of when you can effectively treat for grubs- need to get them as larvae come close enough to the surface, but before they emerge as adult bugs.
Gid rid of the grubs, and you get rid of moles, skunks etc. looking for them.
You usually have to treat every 3 years or so. I meant to do it this spring, but got behind and didn't get it done, and guess what? I also have mole tunnels all over too. It's probably been 4 years since I last treated.
also, if you have enough grubs, your turf will also develop large brown dead spots.
i'm not totally sure, but i think the name of the stuff is trilox or something like that.
If you live in a somewhat rural area, as i do, go to a grain elevator and buy a 30# or 40# bag. I found it's cheaper to buy it there than at the hardware store or Lowes etc.
Reading this thread, I want to comment. First off, the traps are useless as far as my experience with them. I did find a mole in the process of digging in my garden. A manure fork finished him off. I was just lucky to hit him dead on.
As far as the grubs, I dont doubt it, but I do question it because I am a farmer and have a terrible problem with moles. I have horses, and live in a hilly area. When there are heavy rains after a dry spell, the dried (almost powder) horse manure tends to run down the hills and forms a thick layer where it stops at the botom of the hill. It's a great fertilizer, but it also seems to be the places where the moles do most of their digging. The manure/soil is soft and that is what they seem to like. If there are grubs in there, it is not evident, the grass grows like wild from all that natural fertilizer.
I also have a manure pile, and the moles are terrible in and near that.....
Mark
Steve
GMTA, Sparky.
Steve
Spear traps seem to get it done. Moles were a common nuissance where I was growing up.
If you see one burrowing, my grandpa advised my mother, "get behind it with a space, pop it up and hit it on the head."
My mother is in her 70's and delighted in telling me that last week, this advise of her father's came in handy and she caught a mole and took care of him in this exact fashion a few days ago.
Also I seem to recall something aobut moles getting pretty disinterested if there weren't bugs to eat. I could be wrong about that, but perhaps you'll find that Diazonon will eliminate the reason the moles are attracted to your yard. I think they prefer to feast on grubs, so if you get rid of the grubs, the moles will go elswewhere.
Best Regards,
-- Todd H.
The notion that getting rid of grubs will automatically get rid of moles is a myth. I too have had problems with moles and definitely do not have a grub problem. I've removed sample sections of turf and found no grubs. Nor do I have any beetles around in summer. Moles like many animals, eat a wide variety of foods, one of which is grubs. So, eliminating grubs can be a step in the right direction, but even with no grubs, the moles can persist.
Little wine, and flowers, I always get lucky with moles. :)
As for sonic repellers, I've heard nothing positive about them, other than from those who sell them.
Try reducing the moles food sources and use chemical/herbal repellents. This should make your neighbor's lawns more desireable.
later,
tom @
This is good advise. Just like: if you have a spider problem in your basement, it's time to start checking for termites.
I don't have any experience with the sonic solution, but if you can convince a stray cat to hang out on your property they can do some real damage to the population. We had one for a while and I'd find a mole head on my front porch every morning and one on my back porch every evening. I didn't even know we had a mole problem...
Get a cat. Fun for the cat, amusing for the people, not so much fun for the moles. My once-feral 15-year-old was a mole terror for several years, then they disappeared. He either wiped them out, or they fled and now scare their offspring with tales of "the clawed reaper". He is also great and keeping the bunnies, squirrels, chipmunks, and racoons far, far away from the house. Not so great with the deer, wild turkeys, and one very fat groundhog, but hey, he only weighs 9 pounds.
Hilary
years ago I heard a guy on the radio swear that the following will work. i have tried it, but can't swear that it worked.
take some Juicyfruit chewing gum (it must be Juicyfruit, unchewed of course) and shove it into the tunnels with a stick. don't touch the gum with your bare hands as moles can smell your scent.
IIRC, the moles will eat the chewing gum and will be unable to digest it. they will die from the undigested chewing gum.
it may not work, but it won't cost much to find out.
1/3 of my backyard. I did a search and came up with these "sonic" mole repellers that I'll try. Any experience out there? TIAGetting rid of moles list...
-Dynamite.
-Wait patiently near mole hole with shotgun.
-Run exhaust from car/truck/lawn mower into mole hole. (Be careful that these holes/tunnels do not go to under your or neighbors house.)
-Place poison gas cartridge in hole.
-Ex-lax.
-Moth balls.
-Chewing gum.
-Bubble Gum. (Moles blow bubbles, when it pops they go crazy and wander off trying to lick it off their whiskers.)
-Mole traps.
-Mouse traps.
-Drowning with water.
-Castor oil.
-Castor beans.
-Castor bean seed.
-3 oz. of castor oil, 3 tablespoons liquid detergent, 8 tablespoons of water. Blend till frothy, spray yard.
-Plant pepper spurge around the perimeter of your yard.
-Cat litter in holes.
-Sprinkle Drano in the tunnel.
-Mole barrier 16 to 18 inches into the soil, and about eight inches above it surrounding your property.
-Place two "jam jars" back to back in mole tunnel, then cover.
-Place human hair in tunnel. (Causes moles to inflict self wounds - moles allergic to human hair - Since they can't make their blood clot they bleed to death.)
-Ultrasonic devices.
-Sonic torpedoes.
-Solar moler
-Border your yard with pinwheels.
-Lay a thorny limb in the hole then cover the hole.
-Place crushed glass in tunnel. (The idea of sharp objects is that moles are said to be hemophiliacs and if they cut themselves, they will bleed to death.)
-Use fresh human urine on mounds.
-Treating the soil with "milky spore disease" to kill grubs. (Said to kill food supply.)
-Get a cat that likes to hunt small animals.
Learning to dance with a mole?
Isn't it possible that the reason the moles are in the area of the manure is because of the presence of maggots?
snipped-for-privacy@UNLISTED.com wrote:
There are no maggots in manure..... And this manure is already broken down (composted). Its just soil now. A very light and easy to dig soil though.
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