Mole - Management
Controlling Mole Damage
The first step in controlling moles is to actually deter-mine if a mole is the culprit. Because moles are insectivores, they do not routinely eat garden seeds and bulbs, although they are often blamed. The real culprits are probably voles, white-footed mice, or house mice. If your garden has runways in it, the moles are looking for insects and earthworms. Moles play a beneficial role in the management of soil and in the control of undesirable grubs and insects. By tunneling and shifting soil particles, moles permit better aeration of soil, aid in drying out sod, and allow humus (organic matter) to travel deeper into the soil. This tunneling also allows subsoil material to be moved closer to the surface where nutrients may be more available to plant roots. Perhaps the mole’s greatest crime is the nuisance it creates in lawns and gardens. If you have this problem, take control measures. Click on one of the following to learn more:
Important Mole Facts to Remember
- Trapping is the only effective control method.
- Locate active travel tunnels.
- There are fewer moles in your yard than you think—two or three moles per acre, at most.
- Moles have a low reproductive rate; removing a few moles has a great impact on the population.
- Be patient and persistent; keep moving the trap until you are successful.
- Do not put chewing gum, chemicals, broken glass, or other objects in the burrows.