"Moles! " Topic

Whiler performing the first round of yard work over the weekend, I – literally – stumbled across mole tunnels in the yard between my home and the neighbors hom (runs right up to the foundation of their house).

A quick survey shows a growing network of tunnels extending into my back yard. Its starting to feel like Starship Troopers with tunnels extending through the yard.

So…what's the best method to terminate these pests. And what level of cost are we looking at?

Dynamite works wonders.

I know as I saw Bill Murray do it and I know he wouldn't lie to me.

Get a lawn chair, two spades and a six pack of beer. Stomp all the runs down. Sit in lawn chair and sip, swill or drink beer, whatever you prefer to do. When you see one of the runs start to raise up, that is where the mole is. Take your two spades and move quickly and stealth fully. Take one spade and cut off any hope of retreat i.e. put the spade in the run so the mole won't get away. Take you other spade and dispatch the mole. However, this is not the method endorsed by PETA. You can get all kinds of traps, poisons and gizmos to get rid of moles, this is the only sure way.

Some people will tell you to put an insecticide on your lawn. This eliminates the mole's food source, I am not keen on putting many chemicals on the lawn my children and pets play on.

Mike

Skunk lilly bulbs are reported to drive away some moles. Also used kitty litter in the tunnel (assumes you have access to a cat).

If you know anyone with a labrador retriever borrow the dog for a few hours and the mole problem will be gone for good. Of course your lawn will be all dug up but them dogs love to play with those poor moles.

"But Paddy, if I kill all the golfers they'll lock me up and throw away the key."

Napalm works wonders on gophers. I suspect it'll do the same for moles, voles and other burrowing rodents.

You're not trying to immolate the critter, just burn up the oxygen supply. Mind you, this worked in the 1980's when environmental, safety and sanity standards were considerably lower – that and all the holes were on our side of the fence.

Ironically, we had golden retrievers on hand, but the gophers just drove them nuts – they didn't try to dig after them.

The statute of limitations on that episode ran out over a decade ago

Wyatt

It is called a Giant Destroyer and can be purchased at bugspray,com.

link to bugspray: bugspray.com

link to the giant destroyer: link

There is a very cool video embedded with the giant destroyer link. These worked like a charm for me.

buy a ferret. point him at the hole. Bob's your uncle.

i did see one for gophers that may work, it was a giant vacum cleaner thing that had a cage to catch the furry devils, maybe worth a try in yellow pages. or failing that a large CO2 cylinder and fill the tunnels with it.

"a giant vacum cleaner thing that had a cage to catch the furry devils"

If they guy who shows up to run it is a goofy Englishman whose accompanying dog is smarter than he is, you may want to have a grass and sod contractor on speed dial.

GROMIT HELP ITS THJE WRONG TROUSERS….. or evan worse could happen

You can not get rid of moles, unless you get rid of the grubs they eat. Golf courses use strychnine

My neighbor used traps, bombs and insecticides, and a service. One day I came home to smoke rising over the tunnels on his lawn. Rick spent over 2 k in 1 year on a 3 acre plot.

On another day I hear what sounds like a slipping fan belt in Rick's driveway. The sound goes on for several minutes, so I walk outside to take a look.

Man in overalls waves me over. He is standing next to a truck marked "Critter Ridders" (this is the source of the noise)

He says to me "M'am, will you please tell Mr. Rick, that in all good conscience I can't keep taking his money. I can't get rid of the moles."

Then he says directly to me, "you know this job has been like my own personal IRA, but I just can't keep taking his money. It ain't right."

At that point I ask about the noise. "Oh that ain't my truck M'am, it is a "coon", I am relocating to the park."

Raccoons can be gotten rid of Moles can not
Best advice is to raise the blades on your mower

Earthworms are apparently a tasty treat for moles as well.

Thanks for all the advice. I treat my yard for grubs every year. I've got a nice, thick green lawn. My neighbors do not treat for grubs and now have a dead yard. The result appears to be hungry moles invading my homeland looking for tasty worms to feast on. They better stay out of the garden!