Getting rid of a mole. - Ask Extension
Hello. We seem to have a mole in our yard. Is there a non lethal remedy you could recommend?
Thank you
Knowledgebase
Getting rid of a mole. #870812
Asked May 30, 2024, 4:10 PM EDT
Hello. We seem to have a mole in our yard. Is there a non lethal remedy you could recommend?
Thank you
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
If you have determined that this is a mole for certain (their mounds are often confused with those of pocket gophers), then the non-lethal solution is to just tolerate the mounds until the mole's prey (e.g., worms, grubs, other invertebrates) move deeper into the soil. When that happens, then the burrowing will go deeper, and thus fewer (or no) mounds will break the surface.
Hello Dr Sanchez,
The mole is destroying my garden beds with its mounds so tolerating it isn’t an option. Is there another way to get rid of it?
Thank you,
Irene Susan
On Jun 4, 2024, at 2:07 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
You had asked for a non-lethal remedy. So tolerance is one, the other will be exclusion. That could be difficult if your plants are already growing for this season. In the off-season, you can line the bottom (if framed) or essentially envelope (if unframed) your beds with welded wire hardware cloth. I would recommend 1/2" grid.
You haven't confirmed whether you're definite that this is a mole (vs. gopher). Live-trap and translocation is neither legal nor humane, so if you need to remove the animal, lethal body-gripping traps are what you'll use. There are different designs specific to moles and gophers however, and trap placement differs between those species in terms of whether you need to block light around the excavation you make to place the trap in the active run.
You haven't confirmed whether you're definite that this is a mole (vs. gopher). Live-trap and translocation is neither legal nor humane, so if you need to remove the animal, lethal body-gripping traps are what you'll use. There are different designs specific to moles and gophers however, and trap placement differs between those species in terms of whether you need to block light around the excavation you make to place the trap in the active run.
Thank you!
