Sarah Metlova
How Do You Get Rid Of Moles And Gophers – Moles and squirrels can cause significant damage to your lawn. If you see mounds or tunnels in the ground, you need to identify which pest created them in order to address the problem.
This guide will show you how to get rid of moles and gophers in your yard before they do much damage.
How Do You Get Rid Of Moles And Gophers
Moles are solitary animals that feed on insects, live underground and rarely come to the surface, usually only to find a mate. They burrow a foot deep into the ground, using their front legs to dig a network of underground tunnels.
Moles Removal & Control In Va
How to identify a birthmark? They are around seven inches long with pointed snouts, tiny eyes, and hairless snouts. Their eyes and ear canals are hidden by fur, and they have no external ears. Its front feet are very large and broad with webbed toes, but its hind feet are narrow with slender claws.
In their natural environment or in large, open rural areas, moles do not cause significant damage. Only when they get into your lawn and garden do they become a problem. Moles naturally aerate the soil and eat the larvae of destructive insects. But in your garden, it will also destroy plant roots, bulbs, and grass. The telltale sign that you have a mole infestation is not seeing the mole itself, but the presence of small volcano-like mounds and raised mounds of dirt in your yard.
Moles are herbivorous rodents with four large incisors. They are bigger than mice, but smaller than rats. Although they are often confused with moles, they do not have the scoop-shaped front legs that moles do. They form crescent-shaped mounds and plug the holes they use to get in and out of the soil. Gophers destroy everything from hydrangeas to trees by eating the roots of plants. They also eat vegetables, especially carrots and potatoes. Unfortunately, by digging, they can damage water pipes and irrigation systems.
The only way to get rid of moles and gophers is to remove them from your lawn. Sometimes this may mean trapping and baiting moles and gophers, but it should be a last resort. Other humane home remedies can help you get rid of moles and bed bugs in your yard. However, the best way to get rid of these critters is to prevent them from taking up residence in your lawn in the first place.
Protecting Your Lawn From Moles
Moles feed on insects that live in the soil, especially larvae. You can eliminate this food source by using beneficial nematodes and milk spores to destroy the larvae in your soil. Milk spore applications may take several seasons to be effective.
You can also use a more aggressive herbicide, such as an insecticide. Without food, the moles will keep going. However, this method is only partially effective. Moles eat earthworms along with other types of worms and insects. They may choose to enjoy them instead of leaving their garden. Carefully follow the instructions on any product you use.
Using castor oil is another way to get rid of moles and gophers in your garden. Castor oil won’t kill them, but it will upset their digestive tract. It will also make your lawn less attractive. For a home remedy, mix three parts castor oil and one part dishwashing liquid. Add four tablespoons of the mixture to one gallon of water. Tunnels and entrances for sinks to remove moles and holes to remove hooks. Castor oil is one of the most effective home remedies to kill these bugs. Skip the mothballs, tea tree oil, and cayenne pepper for pest control; they are not effective.
You can also buy repellent granules or liquid repellent to get rid of gophers and moles. Most granules can be applied directly from the bag or from a sprayer. Read the product label and follow the instructions.
Safe Home Remedies To Remove Moles
To use liquid repellent, connect your garden hose to the bottle and spray it into the tunnels or holes as directed on the label. Liquid repellents usually contain castor oil and other ingredients that absorb into the soil. The tunnels and holes will become less attractive to the animals and make their food sources unpalatable, so they will leave. These repellents usually last several weeks. Most are safe to use around pets and on your lawn, but be sure to read the product label to confirm.
Certain types of plants in your yard can help repel moles. Moles don’t like the smell of plants like daffodils, marigolds, and anything else in the onion family. This type of plant barrier is usually safe around children and pets, and it also makes a wonderful colorful addition to your garden.
To deter gophers, plant them in raised beds. You can also make “golf baskets” out of mesh material and put bulbs or saplings in them. This will allow the bulbs and plants to grow without reaching them.
Pre-made gopher and mole barriers are also available in the form of baskets that can be placed around plants to protect them from eating.
How To Get Rid Of Moles And Other Pesky Summer Pests
Controlling gophers and squirrels where they dig is an important part of dealing with them. For moles, dig a trench about 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep. Then fill the trench with rock or cover it with wire mesh or cloth that has no holes larger than 3/4 inch. This will prevent moles from burrowing into your lawn or garden.
Deter gophers by digging a trench around your flower bed or vegetable garden and burying wire mesh or cloth in it. Recheck that the holes in the wire mesh or screen are larger than 3/4 inch.
Getting rid of moles and warts can be difficult. However, they do not want to live in areas where they are harassed. A sonic spike embedded in the soil uses electronic pulses to create irritating sounds to repel these pests. There are several options for ultrasonic pest control.
Some pets will scare gophers away if they see or hear them. Even the smell of cat or dog fur or urine can scare gophers away. However, gophers can carry disease-carrying fleas or ticks, so examine your pet carefully if you come across a gopher and remove or treat parasites as directed by your veterinarian.
Remedies For Getting Rid Of Moles
If you don’t have a pet, consider applying predator scents to your yard, such as coyote urine. This is another humane way to repel pests, possibly for months. Read and follow the instructions on the label before using the fragrance.
Catching and releasing moles is another way to control them on your lawn. First, check to see if the mole tunnel is active by grading the trail, marking it, and checking back in a day or two to see if the tunnel is active again. If so, place a mole trap nearby, preferably in the early spring or fall when the moles are most active or when you first notice the tunnels. Follow product instructions for safe operation of the trap. Some humane traps will catch moles but will not kill them. To use a humane trap, wear gloves and goggles and release moles in a rural area at least five miles from your home.
To use the insect trap, follow the instructions for safe handling and installation of the device. Treat it with fruits, plant roots or vegetables. Place the trap near the gopher’s entrance and place it inside. Cover the trap with some soil and check periodically to see if you’ve caught a gopher. Most squirrel traps will kill the animals.
If other methods fail, you can go for the more aggressive approach. The most effective way to control moles and gophers are traps or poisons that lead to the death of the creatures. If you use poisons or chemicals, carefully follow the product instructions and keep pets and children at a safe distance. Chemical repellents and poisons are dangerous to pets and children in and around the treated area.
Moles & Freckles
Moles and gophers can damage your lawn and garden. Control them humanely by removing their food source, spraying liquid repellants, spreading repellent granules, using barriers and/or digging trenches lined with wire mesh or chain link cloth. Other humane ways to get rid of moles and gophers include using buzzers and traps that allow you to catch and release the animals far from home. If used as a last resort, the poisons or chemicals will kill moles and gophers, although you should follow the product directions carefully and avoid using it around pets and children. Country Living editors select each featured product. If you purchase through a link, we may earn a commission. Why should you trust us?
Are parts of your yard sinking due to shallow tunnels? Have you noticed circular mounds of dirt sprouting up on your pristine lawn? You may have moles, so those mounds are moles. But before you start thinking about how to get rid of those nasty bugs digging in your garden, you might want to check if
Moles, voles and grubs are often mistaken for one
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