For many Homeowners, “How To Get Rid of Moles in Yard” is an all too common question. After all, you can spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars on lawn treatment and Lawn Equipment – only to have it ruined in one day by Hungry moles.
This Guide includes the best way to remove moles in your yard or garden.
Some methods are humane but less effective, while others are specifically designed to kill moles in lawns and quickly solve the problem.
Today, we describe both methods for how to remove moles from your lawn.
First, consider “What Moles Eat” and how to eliminate their food sources (See FAQ Section Below)
Next, determine whether you have moles and not some other type of varmint in your lawn. If they are moles, learn how to find and mark active mole tunnels.
Video: How to Identify “Active” Mole Tunnels in Your Yard:
Once you confirm active moles in your yard, it’s time to take steps to remove them.
Knowing How to remove moles in your lawn can be tricky, requiring determination and patience.
As you follow the guide below, which includes the five best options for removing moles, we’re sure one of these methods will be the right option for you and your lawn.
Best Way To Get Rid of Moles in Yard (No-Kill)
These are the two best “No-Kill” methods for Getting Rid of Moles for those who prefer to remove moles from their lawn without harming them.
Both methods involve locating live mole tunnels and capturing them alive. The captured moles are then released to a remote location away from your home.
Option #1 – Catch and Relocate Moles (No-Kill)
Perhaps the most humane (and challenging) Way to get rid of moles is to Trap them “Live” and relocate them to a field or somewhere far away from your yard.
Step 1 – Gently flatten the raised tunnels you see in your yard with the back of a shovel.
Step 2—Sit quietly and downwind for moles to return to their tunnels. Moles are extremely sensitive to sound and movement above ground, so if you or your kids stomp around your yard, you’re unlikely to see any movement from moles.
Step 3 – Quietly move to the raised tunnels with two shovels to a raised tunnel and plunge the shovels into both sides. Dig between the shovels, and remove and relocate moles from your yard.
This process will require handing moles with gloves or a small bucket. Repeat until they’re gone.
Option #2: Use “Live” Mole Traps (No Kill)
Another more humane Way to get rid of moles is to capture them using “Live Traps.
This is another safe way to remove moles without killing them. Live Mole (Mouse) Traps are placed in an active tunnel without disturbing more dirt than neccessary.
Bait the trap with worms, grubs, or crickets. The moles enter but cannot exit the trap. Remove and relocate captured moles.
One of the best options we’ve found is from CaptSure (pictured above), which is sold with two traps for mice, moles, chipmunks, or moles.
Best Way to Kill Moles in Your Yard
The following mole removal methods involve poisoning or killing moles with spring-loaded traps.
For those who prefer to catch and release moles instead, we recommend skipping the following two options, but check out Option #5 below.
Option #3: Kill Moles with Killer Worm Bait
Using Mole Worm Bait – such as Tomcat Killer Worms is our first choice as the most cost-effective and expedient way to eliminate moles.
I have used Tomcat worms on several occasions with great success. While it may take a few more days to completely rid your lawn of moles, it Works.
- To use mole killer worms, seek an active tunnel (look for fresh raised dirt).
- Using a long stick, poke holes in the tunnel’s center about 4 feet apart.
- Use rubber gloves (never bare hands) and place approximately 1/4 of a killer worm in each hole.
- Sit back and wait for any New mole activity, then repeat until the activity is gone.
- The moles will eat the worms and then die in a tunnel, composting in place.
Caution: Keep this product OUT of the Reach of Children. They resemble gummy worms – And are poisonous.
Option #4: Kill Moles with Spring-Loaded Traps
Another very effective but less humane way to “remove” moles is using spring-loaded metal traps.
The most effective trap we’ve discovered is the Wire Tek—Easy Set mole trap (sold in a two-pack).
We like this contraption the best for three reasons: 1) It is by far the easiest mole trap to set up and use; 2) If you are going to kill moles, we think this is the quickest and most humane way of killing moles, and 3) It Works!
Check out the WireTek “Easy step” video below:
Spring-loaded metal traps such as the Victor “Out-of-sight” mole trap (video below) are sold individually and are designed to grab and pinch moles in place until they are dead.
The Victor trap is effective but less humane and requires considerable time (and digging) to set up.
To use spring-loaded traps, look for fresh mole tunnels and carefully flatten down a small section. Set the traps by activating and setting the spring fully cocked.
When a mole returns to dig the tunnel again, the trap is activated, propelling the device downward and into the tunnel, killing the mole.
Option #5: Kill The Moles “Food Source”
Moles have huge appetites, eating up to 70% of their body weight daily.
A mole’s favorite diet is earthworms, but moles also eat their share of centipedes, millipedes, grubs, snails, and crickets. Most of which can be controlled by pesticide lawn treatments.
Once you have killed the mole’s source of food, it won’t be able to eat and will move elsewhere – Like the Neighbors yard 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What Does a Mole Diet Consist of (What do Moles Eat?)
Moles are insectivores, meaning they eat insects and other invertebrates. Their diet mainly consists of earthworms, grubs, and other soil-dwelling creatures. They will also eat snails, slugs, and other small animals (such as mice).
Here is a list of some of the foods that moles eat:
- Earthworms
- Grubs
- Snails
- Slugs
- Insects
- Other small animals
What’s The Best Way to Remove Mole Food Sources?
The number one (and safest) way to eliminate moles is by eliminating their food sources.
Moles are attracted to areas with abundant food sources, so removing food sources from your yard or garden can help to deter them.
Start by removing overgrown vegetation and food scraps from your yard.
Next, because a mole’s most significant dietary choice consists of grubs and insects, consider using an insecticide-grub and insect control treatment to eliminate that food source.
What Other Ways Can You Get Rid of Moles?
Moles are experts at digging, using their claws and powerful muscles to create complex tunnel systems underground.
These tunnels allow moles to search for food and to create safe places to live.
For this reason, Moles can be a big nuisance in homeowners’ gardens and lawns, as their tunnels can damage plants and make the area unsightly.
If you have a mole problem, Here are a few things you can do to get rid of them:
- Traps: A variety of traps are available for catching moles. Traps can be effective but can also be cruel to the moles.
- Poison: Poison can kill moles, but it is essential to use it cautiously. It can also harm other animals, including pets and wildlife.
- Exclusion: You can also try to exclude moles from your property by sealing up any holes or gaps that may be used to enter your yard.
If you have a severe mole problem, you may want to contact a professional pest control company. They can assess the situation and recommend the best action to remove the moles.
Here are some additional tips for getting rid of moles:
- Identify the mole’s entry points: Moles often enter your property through small holes or gaps in your foundation, walls, or fence.
- Once you have identified the mole’s entry points, seal them with wire mesh or other materials the moles cannot dig through.
- Attract predators: Moles have natural predators, such as owls, hawks, and foxes. If these predators are present in your area, they may help to control the mole population.
- Be patient: It may take some time to remove moles altogether. Moles are persistent animals, and they may return even after you have taken steps to eliminate them.
Conclusion
As this short article covered, many options exist for eliminating moles in your yard.
For some homeowners, killing moles is out of the question; however, they still need to know how to relocate the little varmints safely.
For others who may be a little less “squeamish,” the answer to their mole problem may be to find a way to exterminate moles as quickly as possible.
We hope one of the five options we provided suits your approach and helps you discover how to get rid of moles in your yard quickly!
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References & Additional Resources
- Identifying and Removing Ants – University of Minnesota
- How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs – Besthomegear.com
- How to Avoid insecticide poisoning in Dogs and cats – Petcarerx.com
- What happens when a Queen ant dies? – Sciencing.com
- Blow Ant Piles Away a Cordless Leaf Blower – Besthomegear.com
- How To Get Rid of Gnats Indoors – Besthomegear.com
