Get Rid of Ground Moles

"Ground moles" is a generic term for any number of species of moles occurring all around the world. In the United States, there are six mole species, but only three are likely ever to be found in a typical yard.

The most common mole by far (in the U.S.) is the Eastern mole. It is approximately the same size as a chipmunk. Female Eastern moles give birth to as many as six babies, usually in mid- to late spring.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take many moles to ruin a lawn. That's why it's vital to learn the proven effective ways to get rid of ground moles.

You can hear all kinds of advice about how best to get rid of ground moles. Much of this advice is, sadly, flat-out wrong -- or barely effective at best.

You might try various chemicals as well as supposed mole control formulas that you whip up in the kitchen sink. But remember that whatever is strong enough to kill a mole could harm a pet or child. And, some poisons are actually illegal.

Two proven solutions to controlling or eliminating ground moles and the visible signs of mole damage are 1) reducing the square footage of your yard that is given over to turfgrass, and 2) trapping the little beasts.

I mentioned supposed home remedies to get rid of ground moles. You would be amazed at what people have tried.

Many home-grown attempts to control moles involve scattering something in or near the animals' burrows in order to send them packing. Just to name a few, they include red pepper, jagged or sharp things (such as razor blades and shards of glass), pickle juice, moth balls, and wads of human, cat or dog hair.

Bottom line: These don't work to get rid of ground moles. Sorry.

This is one way to get rid of ground moles -- or at least the visible signs of mole damage -- that really does work, at least in the long run. Relatively few homeowners, especially those with large yards or extensive lawns, may be willing to try it, though.

Basically, you can control mole damage by reducing the amount of turfgrass on your property. For instance, you can convert lawn areas to paths, hedges and other types of natural habitat.

This landscaping solution could send your ground moles scurrying to greener pastures (so to speak). But even if it doesn't, the visible signs of mole damage -- notably, unsightly mounds all over a flat green lawn -- will be greatly reduced or eliminated.

Without question, traps provide the most effective method of mole control. You can even purchase humane mole traps for catching the critters unharmed and transporting them far, far away.

The optimum mole trapping "season" is either spring or fall. If you set out your traps immediately following a rain shower, you'll find that the moles are easier to trap because they will have moved up closer to the ground's surface.

Three types of mole traps are usually recommended to get rid of ground moles: the harpoon, scissor-jaw, and choker loop types. Be sure to follow the trap instructions to the letter!

All of my lens material on getting rid of moles, in downloadable e-book format.

Get Rid of Moles