Ground Mole Eradication

Some people try to figure out how to achieve ground mole eradication when their problem isn't moles at all.

Other burrowing creatures can damage gardens, too. It's important to first identify which particular critter is your enemy.

Ground moles have gray or bluish black fur with a velvety texture.

Ground moles have slender snouts. They have sharp teeth, like needles. Their feet are flattened, like paddles, which is superb for digging. Moles have tiny, almost invisible ears, and eyes covered with a thin layer of skin. Adult ground moles range from 6 to 12 inches in length.

If you can glimpse the critter that's causing your problems, look at its nose. Moles are distinguished from gophers, voles, and shrews by a naked, pointy nose that sticks out in front of their mouths.

Mole hills are, of course, a good indicator of the presence of moles. Ground moles create mounded soil as the byproduct of their busy burrowing. Few other creatures create anything like these hills.

There are several approaches to achieve ground mole eradication. Some work better than others.

Gound moles eat - a lot! They mainly eat earthworms. They also eat grubs and miscellaneous insects that they can find, but earthworms are their favorite meal.

All that digging activity uses a lot of energy. Ground moles can eat their entire body weight in a single day. Their appetite is truly voracious!

Some people attempt ground mole eradication by spreading poison aimed at eliminating grubs from their yards. The idea is to starve the moles of their food. But as noted, moles don't really need those grubs. They'll happily go on digging tunnels in your yard while feasting on earthworms and insects.

I mentioned that ground moles love earthworms (to eat, that is). Because moles must eat so constantly to replenish their energy, they have an interesting little trick. They will put some worms into "storage" instead of eating them right away, to make sure they have some for the scarce times.

The moles bite into the worms in such a way that the wrigglers are immobilized. The worms are still alive, but cannot move to escape. Ground moles may store hundreds of worms in this condition!

Moles are clever creatures! That's why effective ground mole eradication takes smart thinking on our part.

Reliable ground mole eradication requires two things: the right kind of mole trap and the knowledge to use it correctly.

It's not enough to buy a trap and set it out and wait to see what happens. Some traps work better than others, but none is effective if you don't use it right.

(See the link below if you want more information on this topic.)

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

Get Rid of Moles