MOLES, VOLES & GOPHERS: Traps? Poisons? or Repellents? Explained by Biologist, Charles J. Malki

[@seanpcurran2011]

Dude, been trying for 20 years to get this **** grass to grow, finally got it this year. Then it was like... WTH??? Mole or gophers like a plague from the 10 Commandments. I'm pulling my hair out was getting ready to call in for A10 support, danger close. This is great stuff, thanks.

[@prettypothos4me290]

Found a comment last night somewhere that a guy found many dead voles in his partially filled plastic pond. We just started our koi pond today and found four in the skimmer which was filled with water. I remembered reading that voles like easy access to water, so I plan to sink a tub by my veggie garden where there are voles and not quite fill it to see if I can catch some more. Keep in mind that they carry fleas and ticks, so the softies who are opposed to killing them need to know that.

[@bohnnco]

There is a product called permatill that works for small plants and shrubs. It’s used mostly for amending heavy clay soil but it can also function as a mole deterrent if used as a barrier. Moles don’t like digging through sharpe gravel. Also if you don’t have a big area you can drench the soil immediately around plants like hosta with a castor oil and dish soap mixture. Finally I am trying to surround my hostas with hellebores to see if they act as a deterrent as well. Hellebores are extremely toxic of course. Will see how that works in NC zone 7b

[@robrjohnson]

One trap I found that's particularly effective is a Gopher Synch Trap. I don't use any bait. They don't like their hole being open so they come back and try to fill it in. If it gets filled in with the trap untripped, you probably have a bend in the tunnel that's allowing it to fill from the side. The little ones in your video work as well for tunnels (one in each directions). I've had gophers pull them into the ground though, so I attach them to a bucket with a long piece of wire. I also use a long phillips screw driver to probe the ground and find the direction of the tunnels. If you feel it give, there's probably a tunnel under there.

[@laughingc0w]

Great video. Very informative and comprehensive. Thank you!!

[@funnyfarm5555]

I have had excellent results trapping Gophers since we moved here in 1992 (Oregon) using cinch traps. Over 150 and counting on our property and the neighbors . Haven't seen one this year so far. There is some learning curve to consistently catching gophers: New activity, probe the tunnel, dig if needed, set trap. I wash my hands in baking soda before I go out to trap and use unscented baby wipes to clean trap after a kill, probe, cleanout tools are painted so one knows which end to touch and which end not to touch. Gophers don't see that well but they got a good nose. To help them out I put a dirt clod behind the trigger with tongs so they think they don't need much dirt to plug up the hole so they get further into the trap. If tunnel system is in a line, set a trap upwind (build berm around hole to help direct air), then go set one downwind end of tunnel. They hate air moving through their tunnel and will almost always go to the upwind end (Snap). Tunnel bigger than trap set it to (your) left side of tunnel so if they try to go around on the right/their left they get speared by the jaws. Our gophers are larger here.

[@annakolesnikova7463]

Thanks for the tip. Got the Cinch traps over the weekend, and today caught my first gopher...after a year of no success.

[@harmoneecatcher2281]

Thanks for the link Mike! These crazy vermin are drivin me nuts!

[@carolbrown8757]

Thank you I have them all over my yard.

[@loribagli4580]

Thanks for such an informative video. I don't believe you discussed the ultrasonic repellent. That was the one I was waiting to hear about as I have been considering purchasing those.

[@IVOrganic]

Hello Lori. There was so much in front of me-- I just overlooked it! As you stated, the sonic spikes are a repellent method. This Sweeney Sonic Spikes (2-pack) claim to treat a 15,000 square foot area. The negative is that it requires several D-size batteries that need to be replaced every 4-6 months and susceptible to water damage. Between the castor oil based repellents and the sonic spikes, I recommend the sonic spikes because it has a lesser impact on the soil biology. Many oils, including castor oil, have been used to smothering insects and their eggs-- and I'm sure your living soil will be negatively impacted by being coated with castor oil. Other granular based products to look for are those based with pepper and/ or blood meal, which will have a lesser effect on the soil biology. In fact, blood meal is an excellent source of nitrogen for plants! Let me know if you have any other questions! Charles :-)

[@loribagli4580]

Thank you Charles! It was an excellent video and you had a ton of things in front of you! I went looking to see if there was some video reviews of the ultrasonic spikes on KZbin and came across yours which was very helpful. I have two 20lb dachshunds and chemicals and traps scare me because 1) dachshunds try to eat anything and everything they encounter, and 2) dachshunds are badger hunters (and diggers) by nature and I would fear that they would snap a trap on their adorable and curious little snouts! The pellet deterrents have been the direction I was heading but every time I read the directions about working an "evacuation plan" with a strategic grid of our yards, I pause because it starts sounding more involved and complicated than I am prepared to delve into. I was skeptical of the sonic and they range in price from $9 per unit to $30 per unit. However, the reviews, (if legit) seem for the most part, to be very favorable. I am going to try the $9 unit from HarborFreight.com and see what happens. Thanks again!

[@MadMetalShop]

Don't waste your money they don't work. Its a gimmick.

[@A10TOES]

Right, I bought two couple years ago...wasted my $$$

[@lynnwuytowicz2737]

They don't work!!

[@tessiepillai8169]

Thanks for all the different options that you explained but how about the one item that is left---Sonic Spikes which is sitting in front of you. i need your opinion on this product.

[@cjboac9864]

tessie pillai I tried them, NO GOOD & a waste of money!

[@varnecamoore8859]

You talked about everything except the spikes you had in front of you. I wanted to hear about the spikes and how it worked.

[@christiensgarden3325]

I was waiting to hear about the sound thing

[@alohavacationvillas8159]

same here! ugh!

[@Bayan1905]

This is the worst year where I am for voles in the nearly ten years I have lived here. I occasionally trap one in the house, maybe one a year, two is a lot. This year, I can't kill them fast enough. I have trapped five this week alone, all in the same place because voles are like ants and run a scent trail. A quick and dirty way to trap voles, take an ordinary mouse trap. Drill a hole through the side opposite the pan that sets it off, so a 10 penny nail fits in. Take two traps back to back in between holes on a trail, and cover it up with a pringles or tennis ball can cut in half lengthwise, making a tunnel. I run these outside, also accounts for shrews. I am trying to find a way to repel voles because now that they are coming in my house, they're coming in, of course the same place every time because like ants they follow a scent trail. My house is like a big booby trap for them, complete with choke points for my traps so they have to nail them. No bait, only time I ever used bait is when one was stealing dog food, took four attempts because he was sneaky enough to steal the bait without setting off the trap. I have used peanut butter on traps for voles, they ignore it, but they do like pieces of hard dog food. I only use peanut butter to use to hold the dog food on the trap pan. I know this winter I will be trapping them as fast as I can, but keeping up with them ain't easy. I do have a weasel nearby, I wish he would start stepping up his game.

[@OregonCoastVideo]

FYI they are attracted to New Soils enriched with fraternizer etc.

[@tootieq6527]

I had a terrible mole and gopher infestation in my yard and I tried everything to get rid of them. Poison pellets, gopher gas, repellent granules, and solar repellents. Finally I put out my cats used kitty litter, and they were gone within a week.

[@Zed6788h]

Tootie Q used kitty litter? Could you explain?

[@tootieq6527]

Every day after scooping the litter, tiny bits of wet litter still filter through the scoop and get left behind in the litter box. Every month I completely clean the box, and put in all new litter, but instead of tossing the old litter, I spread it over and around the gopher and mole mounds. They seem to hate it.

[@debazoid]

Is this working for anyone else? I've got plenty of ld kitty litter

[@jimshashaty4086]

Cayenne pepper works very well. One or two tbsps in each hole. They’ll go live elsewhere!

[@spiceysgarden]

We probably have at least 100 holes on our 1/2 acre. That's a lot of cayenne.

[@veronicafletcher7757]

thank you for your insight....what do you do if it is a gopher hole? i filled it in but it is opened up again. i'm scared to go into my yard or go down my steps where animal burrowed under my fence & lattice which is on both sides of my back yard steps.

[@estherfan4021]

thanks a lot, is using castor oil to treat the vole problem, is it safe in vegetable garden? The gopher and vole are eating up my melons and cucumbers, I bought castor oil and have concerns using them in vege garden and fruit trees. Thank you for your advice.

[@jaxstax2406]

Never poison animals. You will not only kill them but any other animal that eats it.

[@riverlife5803]

thank you for the video! very informative! re there any natural ways to detract from these critters? thanks!

[@ja-uh9gz]

I don't like poisons. The rodents eat the poison bait, then a predator like a hawk or eagle..any wildlife that consumes these pests...end up dying. You have to think of the other creatures in the food chain.

[@wilmamaxime]

Thank you with your teaching I get it I have all 3 marmots in my yard n garden. Thanks about how fix the watering issue .

[@hummd47]

We will meet up at one of my other kids to the party tomorrow so I’ll

[@hummd47]

Hi there are I at work or not at your moms or I can

[@hummd47]

We will call her in about two or half

[@hummd47]

Hi there

[@sunshinesnow2514]

Thank you. Lots of good information. Can I use the castor oil repellent in veggie garden? What about the predator urine?

[@johnorsomeone4609]

He mentions 3 options but there is a fourth option, which involves befriending the voles slowly, over time, until finally you gain their trust. Eventually they will accept you and teach you their ways.

[@rexflexall30044]

Then strike

[@advancedrescue4083]

Aww P22, I believe he was hit by a car last year while crossing the freeway 💔 Thank You for the video! Are the castor oil pellets at all toxic to animals? I just got a new puppy that loves to eat everything, and while I do monitor her as much as I can, she does get a hold of some things before I can grab it. Also can I put it in my raised bed? Will it do anything to my vegetables? I know Neem oil it’s great for pests and bugs but I’m not familiar with the pellets.

[@scrappytako]

dont give it to dogs

[@nonaking3661]

Thank you for your video! After all the vids and internet searches, I STILL am unsure what varmint is creating all the holes in my yard. The holes are usually good-sized and in most cases there aren't any mounds. They started out deep in the back of my lot and have now approached the periphery of my house and now I'm really freaking out. I recently built a new home on a very wooded lot which was cleared, of course, and clearly I've invaded THEIR space. I've tried the "apple test" (mole vs vole and inconclusive), I've poured gallons of a homemade repellent (garlic, cayenne pepper, castor oil, etc) down all holes and, around the house, the smoke bombs followed by a hair dryer on "high" and it hasn't seemed to do anything. I don't see any burrowing with raised soil and the only vegetation is grass. The soil is North Carolina clay--hard as a rock without rain. SO. I want to use poison...but will voles eat the poison that is labeled for moles and gophers?? I want to cover all the possibilities with minimal variety of products! Trapping is NOT an option because I just won't do it!! Thank you in advance for your reply, Charles!

[@jefftaylor7780]

If you won't use traps then perhaps move to Alaska where they are mole free.

[@reneenewfrock5743]

A lot of my garden is containers. That is the only way I can absolutely protect it against rodents. I do have raised beds but plant shallow root plants and have hardware cloth, weed barrier and cardboard to keep the rodents out. Ghost pepper spray gets a 👍.

[@markhalek]

I've read moles eat more than their body weight each day, mostly consuming incects like grubs and their larva. Once these distrutive insects are gone, moles move on to another location. Many master gardeners don't recommend killing moles. Good News: The moles are natural aerators, as their tunneling loosens soil and mixes the topside humus with the lower soil and subsoil. Bad News: The moles’ tunnels result in lines of raised ridges in your lawn and unsightly mounds of dirt. Good News: The moles eat white grubs and the larvae of pest insects, which can destroy grass roots. Bad News: The moles also eat beneficial earthworms. Volves and gophers on the other hand eat plants.

[@Tallisman1000]

That dead end cad be set vertically and the gopher will try and block the little hole 🕳 or enlarge to see out

[@warpedspacetime8210]

Has anyone tried garlic plants? Heard that will repel them the best?

[@Bayan1905]

We have a drought here where I am, and as long as I have lived here we have never had voles like this year, not to mention chipmunks, shrews, and red squirrels, which they were getting into the cars. So far I have killed two red squirrels, one chipmunk, one shrew, and seven voles, and the voles have all been inside. The only place we don't have holes where the voles or any critters are coming in, our garden, and we have a huge patch of wild onions, and they have not gotten in there, so yes, I think it makes a great repellent. I know peppermint oil also works, take 10-15 drops of that, mix it in one cup of water and shake it up in a spray bottle, and spray that around, works fairly well.

[@prettypothos4me290]

Ran across those who say voles eat garlic.

[@danmo43]

Since theoretically, a mole could not eat ALL the worms, is it conceivable that a mole could be benefitial for a short time eating grubs and loosening the soil? I have one and am about to get him. Just wondering "out loud".

[@edithritchison9963]

Concerning castor oil; Can I pour caster oil into the hole or tunnel to kill the moles? I have 1/2 acre and it is overrun with more than 100 mole hills. I also have very little money to spend.

[@jefftaylor7780]

Edith Ritchison get some scissor traps my friend...they're the cheapest, easiest to use but most of all..they work.

[@MsTvincent]

Yea the sonic one was what I wanted to hear about. Great video but try not to overwhelm yourself with so much so that you won’t forget any items. Thanks

[@pdogakron1623]

Spent $80 on castor oil repellent and the varmits just laughed at me! Saw another video that Juicy Fruit will kill them (since they can't digest it), is that true?

[@Northwestern-n8c]

no

[@Allan-et5ig]

IV Organic - Is it a losing battle on my 1 acre in Washington state? I understand moles and gophers love water as it makes ground softer worm catching easier. I can't control the very heavy intervals of heavy rain in Washington. Thanks.

[@whya0154]

Sonic spikes don't work.

[@pervaiz853]

Eagles are best sniper for mole or gophers

[@isthatsonotsofast9604]

They hate peppermint plants also used coffee grounds put near their hole.

[@mikebiron7339]

actually

[@IVOrganic]

I know... I hope you see an improvement in more recent publications. Charles :-)

[@celestialdream49]

327 "uhaaas"

[@markpiersall9815]

Install a Barn Owl nest box.

[@jefftaylor7780]

Don't purchase poisons, vibrating poles etc.. the only way to get rid of moles is by using traps. I say this due to me purchasing these products which have been shown..cost me a small fortune. If you decide to use traps, purchase scissor traps they are cheap and easy to use.

[@jefftaylor7780]

@WELL forPETES sake If you use scissor traps and set them properly the moles do not push dirt in them because they can't ..

[@jefftaylor7780]

@WELL forPETES sake 👍

[@A10TOES]

I would rather NOT use poison because we have Hawks, Eagles. The last part where you back filled with compost, then water...I bet that's what happened to my fence post holding up a section of my fence, I have a rose bush nearby & I bet when I watered it, due to a "tunnel" under ground, the water ran to the fence post & rotted it. yes, still fighting that critter this year, tunneling all around my lovely rose bush.

[@pattylarrinaga7043]

where do they come from

[@IVOrganic]

Hello Patty, The short answer: GOD or Mother Nature :) I have been trying to answer this question every time I get one in my yard-- considering that I have walls on all sides of my garden!!! Moles, voles, gophers and rabbits are all in the rodent family, and all play an important part in the natural ecology that surrounds our community-- but as you may know, can quickly destroy your attempts to successfully grow fruits and vegetables in your home garden. Let me know if you have any other questions! Great to hear from you! :) Charles

[@MadMetalShop]

IV Organic that's not correct moles aren't rodents. Poket gophers and voles are but not moles. Moles belong to a group of mammals called insectavors.

[@stevepearson6316]

Long hose and your car exhaust and about 20 minutes

[@legion1630]

please educate..people always say..plus you mentioned that..we (humans) live in these animals habitat..so where is the habitat that God gave us in the Bible to take dominion over all living things..thanks

[@stacig919]

You are an idiot.

[@jimshashaty4086]

We’ll send ours to your home then!

[@naturalista1549]

No reason to use poisons

[@MikeAnn193]

Not just trolling here -- giving hopefully-constructive feedback. I actually found this video to actually be basically very distracting. Actually it's because of the number of times you actually say actually, and to a lesser extent, basically because of the number of times you actually say basically -- sometimes actually two or three times in a single sentence. It was actually *very* difficult to focus after just a couple minutes. In fact I noticed this in another of your videos, so when a search on a different topic brought me to you again, I thought, "Oh, the 'actually' guy." I'll continue to try to watch, because it's refreshing to see someone with *credentials* giving advice on KZbin. Thanks for actually reading. ;-)

[@IVOrganic]

Hello MikeAnn193, I am aware of that issue, and have taken this, and other similar comments from others to improve on our most recent publications. I hope you see the improvement, and we are always seeking ways to make the videos better. Thank you for the feedback and I hope you enjoy our more recent publications! Charles :-)

[@Romanwk1]

Was hoping that you would cover the sonic repellents since you had it on the table, but you didn't . sad face

[@JackJack-ld5eo]

I tried the sonic repellants in my yard. They don't work. After a week, i had a bunch of tunnels going TO the spikes. Very sad face.

[@LongueDuree]

What if you have more than seems possible? Its like a Biblical plague over here in Tennessee. Seriously these things are destroying everything including the foundation of the home. Sheesh