How can I get rid of moles in my yard and garden?

There are lots of ways to get rid of moles on your property. Many methods are more humane and don’t harm the animals, but killing is also an option in some cases.

Repellants and Deterrents

Let’s start with the repellant and deterrent methods. One of the easiest methods is to smoke the mole out of its burrow. This can be accomplished by placing commercially available smoke bombs inside tunnel entrances, or by using a bellows to pump smoke into mole tunnels. To protect your plants, you can try planting them in raised flower boxes, plant pots, or troughs. These will help to keep your plants out of the way so moles don’t disturb them.

Another effective method is to plant new seeds or bulbs directly in the ground but place them inside small mesh enclosures. Be sure to use mesh with holes no larger than 1 inch. This will keep moles from digging too close to your plants.

Along the same lines, you can dig a trench to protect specific areas of your property. Start by digging out a narrow ditch (no wider than 6 inches) that extends at least a foot underground. Try to dig the trench as deep as you can – 2 feet or more will be increasingly effective. Once the trench is dug, you should fill it in with rocks, or line it with metal mesh or hardware cloth. Make sure any holes in these materials are smaller than 3/4 inch so moles can’t get through. Moles will not be able to dig through a rock-filled or mesh-lined trench, so this method can be effective to keep moles out.

Other DIY methods include spreading cat litter around molehills and inside tunnel entrances. Moles have very sensitive noses and despise the odor given off by the cat litter. A similar method uses blood meal, a dry powder usually made from the blood of cows or pigs killed in slaughterhouses. This is usually available at agricultural supply stores since it also doubles as animal feed. 

Moles also despise the odor of blood meal, so try spreading it around molehills or inside tunnel entrances. There are also some commercially available repellant products which claim to specifically deter moles. Many of these products use castor oil – the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife claims that these products have been tested on moles and are effective. That said, other reports are not as confident. Some believe that mothballs, garlic, and holly leaves can also deter moles, but the evidence in favor of these methods is not very strong. That said, they’re worth trying if you have nuisance moles.

Another humane method is a mechanical device sometimes called a “thumper” that sends strong vibrations into the ground. Since moles have such sensitive senses of hearing and touch, some believe these devices to be effective. Along the same lines, there are also sonic repellant products available. These devices emit sounds that won’t bother humans, but will supposedly deter moles.

Live Traps

There are also some humane live traps available for moles, but most mole traps are designed to be lethal. One type of non-lethal trap is designed not to catch the mole, but to trap the animal inside its burrow. Once the animal is trapped, you can then capture or kill it.

Lethal Traps

One of the most common lethal mole trap designs is the basic spring trap. These work best when placed right next to mole tunnel entrances. When the mole steps on the trigger plate, the trap clamps down on the mole with great force and kills the animal instantly.

Poisons

There are also multiple types of poison that are effective for repelling or killing moles.

Bromethalin: This poison is commonly available in the form of bait that mimics the mole’s favorite foods like earthworms and other ground-dwelling insects like slugs. The poison consists of a combination of bromine and fluoride. When ingested by a mole, the poison will kill the animal.
Calcium carbide: These poisons produce acetylene gas which is highly repellant to moles. Moles will usually flee before the gas can kill them, but it can be fatal too.

Warafin: This poison is a common rat poison that can also be used effectively on moles. It is also commonly available in the form of baits that will kill the mole after they are ingested. They should be placed inside mole tunnels. Just be sure to keep your pets away once this poison is out in your yard.

Strychnine: This poison is highly toxic to animals and humans alike, so be careful if you use it. The purchase and use of Strychnine is now restricted in many areas for this reason. When it is available, it is recommended only for below-ground use. Be careful with this poison – it can be deadly to many animals including household dogs and cats.

Aluminium phosphide: This poison is commercially available under the names Phostoxin and Talunex. When these tablets are unsealed, they react with atmospheric moisture to produce
phosphine gas which is highly repellant and toxic to many animals including moles. Place the tablets inside a mole tunnel for the best effect.

Zinc phosphide: Similar to aluminium phosphide, this poison also works by producing toxic
phosphine gas, but it’s a bit more controlled. It is also commonly sold as an animal bait. When eaten, chemicals in the mole’s digestive system react with the phosphide to produce the toxic phosphine gas. This gas will then kill the mole.

Nitrogen gas: This method is much safer than other mole poisons because it has no adverse effect on the local environment. When pumped into mole tunnels, it is effective in repelling or killing the animals, but won’t do damage once it dissipates into the air.

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