Any tips ?, some friends have asked me to try & get rid of the moles in their garden, but never had to do it before, so all ideas, except the Jasper Carrot method are welcome.
Regards,
Rob
Regards,
Rob
Getting rid of moles...
- Thread starter woof
- Start date
Stamp the mounds down, there will be a tunnel between them so perforate it with a steel spike/garden fork and stamp your heel on it to collapse it. Stomp around as much as possible and make as much vibrations on the ground as you can. some folk stick childrens pin wheels in the ground to create a constant vibration. Leaving a running petrol lawn mower next to the latest mole hill for a few minutes has also proven effective. If you see a molehill being created you have an easy target for a spade.
for how long --- the only permanent way is to kill them, get some mole traps, even then others may move in ater a while.
Talunex. Very nasty stuff but effective.
You will need to find a pro to do it for you (strictly controlled compound) - I used to use it but it gave me the habdabs so I stopped.
You will need to find a pro to do it for you (strictly controlled compound) - I used to use it but it gave me the habdabs so I stopped.
Some useful information here................http://www.themoleman.com/control.htm
and here..............................http://www.walcotefarm.co.uk/
and here..............................http://www.walcotefarm.co.uk/
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It really depends upon the size of the garden as a lot of the non lethal tricks just scare them off into neighbouring gardens! I have over 2 acres and the only really effective cure is to trap and kill them as the noise/smell/vibration ones just move them around within the garden. Sticking mothballs into their tunnel can be effective, as can pouring neat cheap windscreen wash , as they don't like the strong smells. I've found the expensive sonic/vibrating things to be less use than burning money.
Traps
Tunnel traps are far more effective than scissor traps
You need to "tune the trigger" to make it light to release
Don't try and trap in the hills. Probe the ground between hills to follow the tunnel and trap near hedges and shaded beds, trees etc.
Prep the hole carefully, ensuring loose soil is thrust down the tunnel in both directions.
Lift the turf as a mat and cover the trap carefully to exclude all light.
Tunnel traps are far more effective than scissor traps
You need to "tune the trigger" to make it light to release
Don't try and trap in the hills. Probe the ground between hills to follow the tunnel and trap near hedges and shaded beds, trees etc.
Prep the hole carefully, ensuring loose soil is thrust down the tunnel in both directions.
Lift the turf as a mat and cover the trap carefully to exclude all light.
can you explain a little more on why to put loose soil down the tunnel ? I trap moles and always try to keep the holes clean. but am happy to lean something new ?
Theory being that if you do this (and collapse the tunnel in a few places), they are tunnelling through rather than skittering along. Because they operate by touch, it makes them less likely to "feel" the trap trigger before setting it off. I found it surprising when I was shown it, but, like you, was willing to try. It worked for me.
Thank you for all the advice, sadly though they are good friends, they are "animal friendly" & killing anything is out of the question.
A few years ago we went camping as part of a large group, & they did'nt know me that well, & when i produced my compund bow out of the back of my van, & said " right, who wants mutton for tea tonight ?" they nearly had a fit, but then so did the farmer, who was near by at the time....
Rob
A few years ago we went camping as part of a large group, & they did'nt know me that well, & when i produced my compund bow out of the back of my van, & said " right, who wants mutton for tea tonight ?" they nearly had a fit, but then so did the farmer, who was near by at the time....
Rob
The best advice for them then woof is "learn to like mole hills"
This may be illuminating - from the guild of British Molecatchers (who are somewhat well informed about the subject)
http://www.guildofbritishmolecatchers.co.uk/myths.html
This may be illuminating - from the guild of British Molecatchers (who are somewhat well informed about the subject)
[h=3]How many times have you heard "What you need to do is ..." ?[/h]There are many old wives tales and gems of advice on the only or best way to be rid of a mole. Here we consider a few of the most common of these and look at them from a mole's point of view. The point of view that most readily exposes these "words of wisdom" in their true light.
Vibrations!
Windmills vibrating in the soil, musical cards and electronics. A vast array of gadgets is available in retail outlets, all claiming to scare or chase the mole from its chosen spot and all eagerly purchased in the bid to regain a prize lawn or productive vegetable patch.
A mole senses its environment in a way that is very different to that of most other mammals, relying on different senses to feel its way, find food and when the time is right, to find a mate. The mole feels its environment through an acute nervous system stimulated by the the hairs on its body. Vibrations tell the mole of movement in and around its network of tunnels and on the ground above. The mole interprets these vibrations as either a food source (worms are the preferred food, as well as other bugs and grubs - all eagerly consumed) or a predator threat. (the natural predator of a mole is the weasel which is small enough to squeeze through the tunnels to hunt the mole).
Anything that makes or influences vibrations, when placed or poked into the mole's environment, is relying on the mole believing a predator has entered the area and will, therefore, flee for safety. This is true - for a short time anyway.
The mole is a wild animal running the risk of predation each and every day. Constant vibrations will soon be interpreted not as a threat (as no real threat has materialised) but food! You may have seen the results of this as the mole, encouraged by the constant vibrations, begins to create a area of damage around the source of the vibrations in search of food. Other soil dwelling animals are stimulated by vibrations - principally worms. Evidence of this can be seen when birds stamp upon the ground in nature's "river dance" as they entice the worms to the surface. So the device emitting the vibrations begins to draw the worms towards it thereby providing a "restaurant" where any mole will happily dine.
Are vibrations encouraging a mole to a garden near you?
Something sharp!
The mole is a haemophiliac and will bleed profusely if cut, bitten or punctured. This is the principle many have used to try to deter or be rid a mole. The mole lives in an environment of low oxygen levels and has a large amount of red blood cells to provide its body with the life giving oxygen required to survive.
Rose cuttings, holly even broken glass are often found (painfully) by the hands of an un-suspecting molecatcher - items left in the ground after someone else's effort to control a mole. Do sharp objects deployed in this manner work?
The mole's skin is covered by its famous velvet fur. Without any lay in this fur coat, the mole can twist and turn in the tight tunnels with no difficulty. Under the fur is a skin tough enough to make cloth, wipe hot lead pipe joints and protect the mole from sharp objects naturally found in the ground. In its everyday life the mole will dig in a variety of soils, passing over, between and around buried waste such as tile, brick and glass. It will squeeze through chipped and broken flint, and brush past rusty sheaves of steel.
Do sharp objects work? Definitely not!
Phew!!! that stinks
Many believe that an obnoxious smell will cause the mole to leave because the mole has an acute sense of smell. Moles do sense odours and may well try to avoid those that seem a little over-powering.
The number and types of substances that are pumped and poured into the ground to deter moles are an environmentalist's nightmare; diesel, fence preservative, mothballs, granny's bath water to name a few. But do any of them work?
First of all, let's consider the location these concoctions are to be used in, soil, an absorbent substrate that will do just that - absorb. Contaminating an area of soil, however large or small, with an obnoxious taint that the mole will (providing it is not strangely attracted by the contaminant) tunnel around, over or under simply presents no hazard to the mole.
Moles having created an area that they can use to sustain themselves are reluctant to be deterred by a short period of putting up with a smell, a smell that will diminish very quickly when acted on by moisture in the soil, wind and new rainfall. Contamination in the tunnels will result in more mole damage as the mole blocks tunnels to keep out the contaminant and creates fresh tunnels that both the mole and its food will delight in inhabiting.
http://www.guildofbritishmolecatchers.co.uk/myths.html
Not that well informed, moles are not hemophiliacs
The earth from mole hills makes excellent pot plant & seedling compost...& if you don't want to use it just shovel it up & put it on your borders, compost heap or in some other part of the garden or just rake it over.
Not that well informed, moles are not hemophiliacs
I think they were explaing that was a myth.
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Seeing as the main predator of the mole is the weasel, if I ever have this problem I think I'd try a couple of small jill ferrets - pretty much the same attributes as their cousins (Mustallidae), just born to enter tunnels and hunt down and kill whatever they find there - and find them they will!...............atb mac
