Types Of Mole Traps – Humane Wildlife Removal

What are some different types of mole traps?

Moles are found throughout the eastern and western United States, Europe, and Asia. There are more than 42 species of this animal worldwide, and all spend the majority of their lives underground in large tunnel networks that they dig out themselves.

If you’re trying to get rid of moles on your property, the good news is that these animals are typically very solitary. They avoid each other unless it is the mating season (late winter through early spring). Three or more moles within one acre is considered to be quite a lot. If you’re seeing lots of molehills and mole runs on your property, they are likely all being caused by the same animal. That can make it much easier to solve the problem.

There are plenty of commercially available traps that are designed specifically for use with moles. Many of these traps are designed to be lethal, although more humane live traps are also available. Both lethal and non-lethal mole traps are effective, but with non-lethal traps, you will need to relocate the animal away from your property once captured.
Non-lethal mole traps are simple in design. They are typically long, cylindrical plastic tubes that are meant to be placed directly inside the entrance to a mole tunnel.

Bait is sometimes placed inside. When the mole runs into the trap, it sets off the trigger and the ends of the tube close around the animal. It’s impossible for a mole to avoid or escape one of these traps once inside.

Lethal mole traps are somewhat similar in that almost all are designed to be placed right inside a mole’s tunnel entrance. The obvious difference is that these types of traps seek to kill the animals.

The most common lethal mole trap is a spring or scissor trap. These traps have a lot of force behind them, so be careful when arming them. A typical design has a trigger plate at the bottom that can be covered lightly in soil to conceal it. When armed, the spring inside the trap creates heavy tension against the trap’s metal jaws. When triggered, the spring releases and the ends of the trap clamp down on the mole with great force. This usually kills the animal instantly.

There are also other spring-style model traps that kill the animals via a sharp spike. The basic concept is the same, but instead of clamping down on the animal, these traps stab them in a lethal way once triggered. This should also kill the animal instantly without undue suffering.

There’s also another type of mole trap known as the half-barrel or Duffus trap. These are commonly used by professionals because they’re so effective. The basic design features a half-barrel made of metal which contains two separate triggers and wire loops designed to capture and suffocate moles. When a mole touches one of the triggers of this trap, the wire loop instantly tightens very strongly around the animal. The big advantages of this trap are that it’s easy to set and can catch two moles in the same trap.