Lawn Moles

[RSstuff]

Caught 3 of the furry buggers in traps last year, this year it seems they've wised up to traps. Tried Garlic, Coffee grounds and Pepper in their runs with no effect. So far Tangerines and Onions seem to deter them, but I'm not confident they've moved on. So what do Greenkeepers use I wonder?

[5 In a Row]

A professional mole catcher maybe?

I had a mole problem last year, got the details of one and paid the guy £65 to eradicate the problem.
I think he just used traps but presumably has more insight into how they operate.

[RSstuff]

I tried to find a Pro Mole catcher last year, but they were all too busy. The fact I caught 3 in traps last year made me think I was setting them right. I've even tried 2 traps in one hole this year, but the buggers just pile up earth around the traps.

[5 In a Row]

RSstuff said:

I tried to find a Pro Mole catcher last year, but they were all too busy.

They're probably on contract to the councils - a lot of the verges round my way are covered in molehills.

The guy I used doesn't advertise. Do you know any local farmers as they may have a contact?

[netherfield]

I've a chap £65 to come out, then he'll come back every day until he gets something, £10 for every one. didn't need him last year, as one of the dogs managed to catch one, probably fortunate it was making a mole hill at the time the dog was there, was still very warm when she brought it to show me how clever she is.

Having said that when I've had one in the lawn previous years the dogs can make more mess then than the mole does, catch a sniff and try to dig them out.

One of the penalties of having fields behind the property.

[LooneyTunes]

What type of traps?

If the runs are deep enough, genuine Talpex ones are apparently the ones to have. Nearer the surface, the tunnel traps. (as advised by a friend who is a mole catcher)

Both seem to work best if you can make it look like part of the run has collapsed so that the mole positively engages with the trap.

Don't forget to wear gloves when handling the traps (to keep scent off).

[archie456]

Rather than kill them, you can just deter them by using solar mole repellers which emit sound.

Place these along your boundaries and you'll be free from the little furry things.

I'm always disappointed when people kill creatures that are an inconvenience to them.

[AlexC1981]

archie456 said:

Rather than kill them, you can just deter them by using solar mole repellers which emit sound.

Place these along your boundaries and you'll be free from the little furry things.

I'm always disappointed when people kill creatures that are an inconvenience to them.

I don't get it either. Having a garden filled with moles, hedgehogs, frogs, newts, birds, bats, dragonflies etc. would be an absolute joy and a privilege. A lawn is so common.

[RSstuff]

AlexC1981 said:

I don't get it either. Having a garden filled with moles, hedgehogs, frogs, newts, birds, bats, dragonflies etc. would be an absolute joy and a privilege. A lawn is so common.

You forgot rats in your fantasy garden?

[theposhboy]

We've had a lot this year, our moles guys been out several times. One block of fields he caught 22 I think over 2 visits a week apart.

There's plenty if land we don't really care what nature gets up to but in pasture we need to keep holes and piles of soil down. Hopefully he's on top.of them for this year now

[gusko]

In Bulgaria we have 'blind dogs' as well as moles , my mate has 2 of these devices

https://grum.bg/en/

[Murph7355]

AlexC1981 said:

archie456 said:

Rather than kill them, you can just deter them by using solar mole repellers which emit sound.

Place these along your boundaries and you'll be free from the little furry things.

I'm always disappointed when people kill creatures that are an inconvenience to them.

I don't get it either. Having a garden filled with moles, hedgehogs, frogs, newts, birds, bats, dragonflies etc. would be an absolute joy and a privilege. A lawn is so common.

Sound emitters don't work in my experience.

And moles destroy the ground they tunnel under. Which is fine if you don't intend to do anything with it other than look at mole hills, but not so much if you have a use for it.

Yes, nature was there first etc... But take that to its ultimate extension and knock your house down and live in a tent if not inconveniencing nature is top priority.

My OH tried all humane methods for moving moles on. A professional now sorts it.

[5 In a Row]

Murph7355 said:

AlexC1981 said:

archie456 said:

Rather than kill them, you can just deter them by using solar mole repellers which emit sound.

Place these along your boundaries and you'll be free from the little furry things.

I'm always disappointed when people kill creatures that are an inconvenience to them.

I don't get it either. Having a garden filled with moles, hedgehogs, frogs, newts, birds, bats, dragonflies etc. would be an absolute joy and a privilege. A lawn is so common.

Sound emitters don't work in my experience.

And moles destroy the ground they tunnel under. Which is fine if you don't intend to do anything with it other than look at mole hills, but not so much if you have a use for it.

Yes, nature was there first etc... But take that to its ultimate extension and knock your house down and live in a tent if not inconveniencing nature is top priority.

My OH tried all humane methods for moving moles on. A professional now sorts it.

I tried the sound emitter things as well.
The bd mole built a hill right next to it!

The tunnels in my garden were close to the surface so as you walked across the grass the ground gave way a little underneath you.

[AlexC1981]

Murph7355 said:

Yes, nature was there first etc... But take that to its ultimate extension and knock your house down and live in a tent if not inconveniencing nature is top priority.

It's not priory, I just don't understand why people are precious over a patch of grass. Every house has a lawn, they are nothing special and you wouldn't stop to look twice at one. A lawn with a molehill at least has something interesting on it.

RSstuff said:

You forgot rats in your fantasy garden?

I don't care if rats live at the bottom of the garden. If they came near the house they would be exterminated. I'm not a moron

[Gone a bit AMG]

AlexC1981 said:

I don't care if rats live at the bottom of the garden. If they came near the house they would be exterminated. I'm not a moron

You’re a potential rat killer then. Nice. No lawn, nowhere for kids to play. That’s why a lot of folks have them.

Weird, but then I like lawns and space. The wilder the garden in urban areas the first inhabitants are rats and mice. In the countryside moles are dealt with for more reasons than a pretty lawn.

[Michael_B]

Over the past 10 years I’ve used three of these to keep our 5000m2 of lawn free of moles at our weekend place in Burgundy.

https://detaupeur.com/

The sonic deterrent things are completely useless; I have visions of bands of moles dancing to the tunes they produce

[530dTPhil]

Rather than catching them in traps, I recently tried a mole repellent powder and this seems to have worked with no molehills for the last week.

[RSstuff]

Michael_B said:

Over the past 10 years I ve used three of these to keep our 5000m2 of lawn free of moles at our weekend place in Burgundy.

https://detaupeur.com/

The sonic deterrent things are completely useless; I have visions of bands of moles dancing to the tunes they produce

Nice, with the fancy packaging how much does it cost though.

[Bighoose]

Murph7355 said:

Sound emitters don't work in my experience.

And moles destroy the ground they tunnel under. Which is fine if you don't intend to do anything with it other than look at mole hills, but not so much if you have a use for it.

Yes, nature was there first etc... But take that to its ultimate extension and knock your house down and live in a tent if not inconveniencing nature is top priority.

My OH tried all humane methods for moving moles on. A professional now sorts it.

I actually thought they'd be good for drainage if nothing else, how do they destroy the going they tunnel under? Genuine question?

[Michael_B]

RSstuff said:

Nice, with the fancy packaging how much does it cost though.

I got mine long ago for around €60 each, when they were available in DIY stores. For a while they are sold exclusively via specialist landscaper suppliers, and prices are higher. It’s now €50 for a refill pack of 20 bangers, which is about my annual consumption here.