Gotta Stop This Mole From Destroying My Lawn!!!

[@TurfMechanic]

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[@SheppyZed]

I have mole tunnels/activity all over my yard front and back. I've tried the tomcat worms and managed to kill 2 of them. Grubex every year and it hasn't done much. I just purchased 2 scissor traps off Amazon and I'm going to try them this week to see if I can catch them and get rid of them. Problem is the neighbors surrounding me would have to do the same and they aren't into their yards like I am.

[@thurstonr9929]

I have the same problem. My neighbors can care less. One of my neighbors have mounds right now.

[@mikewarmbold3820]

Had a landscaper tell me once best case for moles is just to push them into your neighbors yard 🤣

[@SheppyZed]

That sounds good but, the moles don't obey property lines. They'll be back. I tried the solar powered vibration spikes as well and it seems it did drive them out for a while. Then I saw more activity. Not as much as before though.

[@mikewarmbold3820]

@@SheppyZed there is research that I have seen before about those probes. I think it referenced their migration patterns and how you think they leave but would have anyways without the probe. There is an incredibly detailed paper from the university of Arkansas about moles. I'm currently trying those $35 massive traps, but no luck after about a month now

[@joe_ferreira]

I have been trying for 3 years to get rid of mine. I have tried everything.

[@jeepguy417]

Hate to burst your bubble, but you probably didn't kill the mole with water. They can quickly dig their way out of danger. Moles won't eat your garden plants, but their tunneling can sever roots.. They eat large amounts of small invertebrates such as worms, slugs, insects and grubs, but primarily worms. A mole will eat its body weight in food each day. The first thing you want to do is find the main tunnels. They are typically the straightest. That is where I'd recommend placing Victor Out O’Sight Mole Traps. I've tried other mole traps, but the simple Out O'Sight trap has been by far the best. You just have to know how to use it correctly. The tunnels that zig zag around and dead end are usually just exploratory tunnels. You'll have the least chance of killing them there, unless you see happen to see one actively digging. I've had some good success patiently and quietly observing for movement with a shovel in hand. Once determining which way the mole is digging, swiftly insert the shovel behind the mole and flip the soil over. You likely find a momentarily stunned mole. Before it comes to its senses and tunnels its way out of danger, give it a decisive killing blow. I know this sounds mean, but as a Mandalorian would say, "This is the way." Last year, I eliminated six in my quarter acre property. Mind you, moles are territorial and an acre will support only 2-3 at at time. Of the six I had, three were killed in the Out "Sight Traps and the other three I killed with my ninja quick reflexes and a shovel. :) As for this season, word must have gotten out amongst the mole community. Not a single mole has dared entered my yard since last fall. If any do come back, this lawn care nut is ready to defend all that is precious and green. All my best to you!

[@TurfMechanic]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write that up. I will read it again a time or two over the next day or three and keep a close eye on tye lawn as I always do looking for indication that he's still there somewhere. So far, 7-8 days later I see no sign of him.

[@JIMMYJREVIEWS_thaiM-A-F-I-A]

I did this before and I put the hose inside the first hole and looked around and found 2 other holes ! So I watch the other 2 holes and sure enough it came out of the hole because it not gonna come out of the hole you put water in ! It’s gonna double back to the others ... so ya , watch the other holes 👍

[@spottedowl8518]

First off, love your channel. Secondly, if I had to bet, I'd say your mole retreated to one of your raised garden beds. They love those. I had to put plastic netting on the bottom of mine to keep them out because they always got in there before. I've caught more than a dozen moles on my property every year for the last 10-12 years, and last year it was actually my highest -- 33. My property is a little over 15k sqft, but it backs up to woods and touches 4 other properties, some of which don't really take care of their lawns and don't care about the moles as much. Thus I'm constantly patrolling the property line for moles. As long as I keep a close watch, I can generally catch them before they make it more than 10-15 feet into the yard. I've caught them mostly with traps, I own about 50 traps of various types, but I've plucked then out of the ground alive maybe 10 times also. I'm in St Louis, which is supposed to be the mole capital of the country, supposedly. So I'll share some tips that can hopefully help some people out. I'm going to go into a lot of details but if you want the short answer, know this: Only trapping works. Period. The baits don't work and are extremely toxic. Moles can tell the difference between living and artificial. They won't eat it. The ultrasonic and vibration deterrents are a total joke. You also can't drown them because of how they build their tunnels and how fast they can move/dig, aside from the likelihood that the water would just seep into the soil anyway. The number one thing you'll probably always hear is that you have grubs and you need a grub killer. That's a big myth. Not only are grub killers bad for the environment, your problem isn't going to be grubs anyway, because according to all the studies I've read, something like 70-80% of a mole's diet is earthworms. Yes, moles do eat grubs, but again they want worms. Yes, it's possible that you have a huge grub infestation and that the moles are there to eat them, but if you have at least a semi decent lawn then it's highly unlikely that is your problem. Grub killers get a good rep when it comes to moles, but that's because what people don't know is that many of those products kill earthworms too. Check the research on their ingredients. So if you eliminate their primary source of food (which again is earthworms), of course they are going to leave. But the worms are good for the soil! Here's your problem: You've got a good lawn. Moles target mostly good lawns. They want irrigated lawns with good soils because it's easier to dig and there are naturally going to be more worms and bugs to eat. And if you're like me and use a lot of organic products and no chemicals, then you've got a lot of organic matter and likely a lot of worms. Heavy rains will bring moles into bad lawns, too, but they eventually always leave in search of a better one. They can actually hear the worms moving around from far away when it's wet, believe it or not, and it's the worm movement and smell that attracts them. Some moles are pretty smart; they can feel predators moving around so if you expect to catch them alive like I have done several times, you'll have to move very very softly and slowly. Ideally remaining super still for a long time nearby their tunnel. I've noticed that even a sound from my phone is enough to scare them off. Contrary to some things you might read, I've found that moles DO share tunnels and DO coexist on the same property at the same time. I've caught 2-3 moles in the same tunnel many times, in the same week and often on the same day. Every time I catch a mole I will reset the trap in the same spot because of how often I'll catch another, especially in the spring and fall. Lately, I've had some 3 baggers. So sometimes when you think you only have one mole, you might have several. Last year I caught 6-7 moles by my compost piles in the same week, using the same tunnels. As I said I have a lot of traps, mostly because of how quickly they can do damage so when I spot a tunnel I will pepper the area with traps to make sure I catch them. Plus they tend to come in waves, hitting 2-3 areas at once. For my heavy clay soil, the plunger traps don't work as well as they might for those with softer soils. I've got traps that sir inside or under the tunnel and those that don't. For me, the scissor/jaw traps work the best, but there are many brands and some are better than others. Happy to help if anyone has questions. Good luck!

[@dillonpadgett4469]

Hi. I have a small yard but it is destroyed by moles. My neighbors as well. We are desperate for help! I've tried caster oil and other scents/spices but they haven't worked so far. I know you said traps work best. Can you share the one that works best for you? Also, does filling their hole up with sand do anything? I've seen this suggestion. I live in Michigan so the ground gets cold and hard during the winter but that doesn't stop them. They even dug through my sidewalk yesterday! Thanks for the help.

[@raymondmcdonald7085]

Welcome to the "Caddyshack" club. I have been in an all out war between moles, voles, gophers and ground squirrels! If you do not keep them at bay they will overrun any beautification attempts you have made. I have tried the water method. Sometimes it works and sometimes no. The little boogers come out in an area away from the hole but they are sneaky. They will just pop their nose out in a grassy area where you are not expecting. You stop the water, they return to digging. If, when I sometimes catch them using extended trash picker tongs I put them in a bucket and relocate them out to the woods WAY away. I have tried the baits but don't like the idea of other critters getting them and being poisoned. I have tried the traps and found them a little too gruesome for my liking. Long story short the best method so far is a hose attached to my truck tailpipe. The gas exhaust will find and fill every void in their underworld labyrinth to send them to permanent nappytime! No mess, no disposal and no poison. Gotta love it! It's about a 90% success rate. For ground squirrels, (aka grey diggers) it's the "squirrelinator" live trap. A little chicken scratch in the cage and viola! Grey digger hotel. Disposal your choice. Again I relocate. Good luck, hopefully it's an isolated incident. Moles, voles, and gophers are pretty solitary critters if controlled.

[@MorsSmores]

I had a squirrel decide to dig up my yard and then put all the thatch in the hole to cover one old nut…. The war has begun

[@moneyb22]

This tactic has worked for me 4 or 5 times but it has to be done very soon after that mound was created and the mole is near by, not sure how fresh the hole was. Typically when I do this I jam the hose down inside and when it works I will see the ground start to move up down the line a little bit and I will take a small shovel and quickly dig up where I see the movement and then whack him. The most successful and surefire way to get them is the Victor Out-O-Sight traps. I use a soup can lid as well in the hole to increase the sensitivity of the trap. I catch 5-7 each year and it is pretty satisfying

[@cjvx7208]

Finally I've been waiting for a video like this especially to deal with shrews

[@jimshorts5970]

Had a bunch with tunnels all over the yard. Tried flooding them, poisoning them, tried the sonic wave thing, gum, sprayed the yard with castor oil, traps. Even went as far as duct taping a garden hose to my tailpipe and sticking it in a tunnel. Nothing seemed to work. The best way I found was to catch one in the act of digging, creep up on them with a shovel, and quickly pop up the ground under them. Then just stab em with the shovel:) You can recognize a fresh tunnel by seeing moist dirt on top. They’ll usually be at the end making the turf move. You want to stab the shovel into the ground behind them so they don’t run back down the tunnel. Wasn’t too big a deal in my Bermuda but scarred up my fescue horribly.

[@thurstonr9929]

Good morning, Your kids are adorable. I found this video interesting. I have never tried drowning them out with a hose but going to give it a shot. I do have moles in my islands and will see signs in the lawn. I heard coffee grounds deter them so I save my coffee grounds each morning and when I see signs of them, I pour some of the grounds in the hole. I do think it has helped. I haven’t seen them appear in that spot. I like your channel and do have some questions.

[@BranHoward12]

That was the most eventful 6 min I’ve had in awhile (lol). I was really hoping to see that lil critter come sputtering out and spooking the kids in the process.

[@chrisweidmaier3619]

I had a mole in my backyard. Left a number of holes. But with 4 dogs he didnt stay long!

[@kimwimberly82]

Unless he left the night before!

[@NextLevelLawnCare]

had one at my parents house, didnt have my camera with me but just camped out till i saw it moving underground. shovel down right ontop of him.

[@stevenrehana7015]

Haha I despise lawn diggers. I have had a HUGE pocket gopher issue where I live. Ive caught 12 this year using a gopher hawk. Think like the vermin and you will get the vermin

[@TurfMechanic]

Yeah, I was hopeful I got him but I didn't. As another commenter hypothesized the mole is living in our garden where the soil is much softer and there are tons of worms and such. Hard to catch him in there. :/ Annoying but the hills are easy to repair when caught the same day.

[@JIMMYJREVIEWS_thaiM-A-F-I-A]

You need to watch the other holes !

[@flipster1449]

The scissor type traps work the best. I would prefer not to kill them, but I think the trap is more environmentally responsible than dumping poison all over the yard.

[@stepheneckert4006]

My backyard backs up to a golfcourse and it’s nearly IMPOSSIBLE to completely stop the army of moles from entering my yard. I finally have a decent method for preventing them from coming into my property after a 2 yr long battle. I kill their main food source (grubs) with GrubEx twice a year and have my perimeter surrounded by the buzzing mole deterrent spikes and with both preventatives combined, that seems to pretty much keep them on the edge of the property line. If they come into my yard now, they tend to turn around to the neighbors yards who don’t treat at all. Funny thing is when I first moved in, I constantly complained to my neighbors about it and they both always said they never had a mole problem. Once I started treating for moles both started complaining about them ha!

[@Tony-dx3eo]

I think you drowned the mole as well--nice work!

[@GW._.]

It drowned for sure good job

[@TurfMechanic]

I sure hope so!