Moles in yard - Ask Extension
Suddenly we have moles burrowing through the yard. I’ve tried spiking the tunnels with the pitchfork to no avail. Help please!!
Knowledgebase
Moles in yard #880124
Asked August 04, 2024, 12:15 PM EDT
Suddenly we have moles burrowing through the yard. I’ve tried spiking the tunnels with the pitchfork to no avail. Help please!!
Deschutes County Oregon
Expert Response
Moles and gophers often get confused because they both produce dirt mounds on the surface as they excavate their burrows. Using a very fresh mound, check to see whether the little semi-sunken plug is right in the middle of the dirt mound (mole), or off to 1 side (gopher). In either case, body-gripping traps are the way to catch and kill individual animals in each run, but the type of trap and how you make your sets will depend on whether you're managing gophers (plant-eating herbivores; https://icwdm.org/species/rodents/pocket-gophers/pocket-gopher-damage-prevention-and-control-methods/) or moles (hunting for worms and insect larvae; https://icwdm.org/species/other-mammals/moles/mole-damage-prevention-and-control-methods/).
Sounds like a pain. I need a PhD in vermin!
We lived in the country in Santa Fe. Several neighbors had prairie dog issues and infused the burrows with CO2. Worked for about 3 yrs then appeared to need it again.
Wouldn’t work for moles?
Thanks
Susan
With any lethal gas in the vicinity of homes, you've got to be very careful of where unknown/collapsed tunnels lead. There have been tragic cases of unintentional poisonings in pursuit of rodent eradication. Soil moisture and temperature have alot to do with gas travel through soils, as well. With moles and gophers in a relatively small area, lethal trapping is likely more effective and safer.
We're talking about native species occupying the habitats in which they've evolved - Our land uses and expectations are very late on the scene, so once you remove individuals, unless you 1)exclude movement into your yard and/or 2)alter the yard such that it is no longer habitable habitat providing the species-specific resources (food, shelter, etc.), then you can expect dispersing animals (e.g., young of the year looking for their own spaces) to discover the vacant habitat.
In any and all of these cases (i.e., hiring a licensed wildlife control operator or managing your yard to reduce use by the animals), a correct species ID is needed. Again, trap type, trap strategies, and choice of toxic pesticides are all dependent on accurate species ID and targeting.
We're talking about native species occupying the habitats in which they've evolved - Our land uses and expectations are very late on the scene, so once you remove individuals, unless you 1)exclude movement into your yard and/or 2)alter the yard such that it is no longer habitable habitat providing the species-specific resources (food, shelter, etc.), then you can expect dispersing animals (e.g., young of the year looking for their own spaces) to discover the vacant habitat.
In any and all of these cases (i.e., hiring a licensed wildlife control operator or managing your yard to reduce use by the animals), a correct species ID is needed. Again, trap type, trap strategies, and choice of toxic pesticides are all dependent on accurate species ID and targeting.
