Lawn Care Services, Lawn Treatment Solutions Blog
How Can I Get Rid of Moles in My Lawn?
What are Signs of Moles in the Lawn?
Moles can cause damage to a landscape, including grass, small annual plants, and paver patios or walkways. They tunnel unseen through the top few inches of soil in search of prey and leave a trail of damage behind them. In a lawn, the tunnels appear as narrow ridges that may have a small hole here or there where the mole popped its head out. In a lawn with a lot of mole activity, the surface may feel spongy as it is walked upon. These are clear signs of a mole problem.
This photo shows an example of what you may see if you have moles in your yard.
Eradicating the Moles
A popular method for trying to deal with moles is to apply a grub control solution. The rationale is that killing a food source will send the moles elsewhere. However, grubs are just one thing that moles eat. They also enjoy earthworms, slugs, snails, centipedes, millipedes, and various other juicy insects in your soil that are beneficial for your grass and other landscape plants.
Crownover Green does not recommend killing bugs to get rid of moles. It is a temporary solution at best, and repeatedly applying insecticides kills all of the life in the soil, which is a setback for your grass. Insecticides also may be acutely toxic for pets and may become groundwater contaminants.
There are various other types of products available at garden centers including traps, poisons, and repellents. We do not recommend poisons because of the obvious danger to children, pets, or birds. There are also some amusing home remedies you can read about on blogs and around the web. We have not experimented with these and are not aware of studies that have tested them.
Using Repellents
If you really don’t want to kill the moles and are not expecting total and permanent eradication, then repellents may be a safe and effective choice. Options include sonic spikes and castor oil repellents. Repellents will need to be reapplied regularly. Both of these types of products get mixed reviews so using both types of repellents together may boost effectiveness.
Our Recommendation
Trap the moles. Deterrents or repellents may be effective, but they only drive the moles onto your neighbor’s property, usually temporarily. With a trap, you will have verifiable proof when you have eliminated a mole.
Whatever option you might choose, you will need to follow the label instructions closely and stay persistent to get results. Moles tend to be active year-round but usually burrow deeper into the soil during the coldest period of winter in our climate zone. Anytime you are seeing mole activity on the surface of your lawn is a good time to address the problem.
If you need help eradicating moles, contact a professional critter control service that has the expertise and equipment to trap the moles.
