Juicy Fruit and other types of gum can be used to remove moles from your yard or garden.

Here is the scoop: you take a stick of gum (preferably Juicy Fruit, or something similar),make a small hole in the side of the more recent, active mole run/tunnel (you know how to check for active tunnels?  If not, stomp on the top of one of the tunnels; if the mole repairs it within a day, it is an active tunnel), slide in a rolled-up stick of gum (make sure to wear a glove when handling the gum, as moles hate the smell of humans), then replace the dirt.

So how does this work?  The mole eats the gum, it clogs up the mole’s digestive system, and it is curtains for the mole.  It is probably not the most pleasant way to die, but it should thin out your mole population,  And, don’t look for this “mole fix” to be printed on a Juicy Fruit label any time soon.  But, there have been enough reports out there to testify to this method.  Since the costs are minimal, this is definitely worth a shot.

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Moles can be considered pests, especially in gardens and lawns.

Moles are considered to be agricultural pests in some countries, while in others, they are a protected species but may be killed if a permit is received.   Moles burrow into lawns and create mole hills , for which they are sometimes considered pests. They can undermine plant roots, indirectly causing damage or death. However, contrary to popular belief, moles do not eat plant roots, but feed on worms and grubs.

Interesting mole factoids:

• Moles have sift, blue-black to gray fur, a slender, skinny snout, needle like teeth, flattened feet, large front claws and small eyes and ears which are concealed by fur.
• They can grow from 6″ to 12″ long depending on species.
• Moles may be distinguished from shrews by their naked, pointed nose that extends well in front of the mouth.
• Their front clans are wider than they are long.
• A mole’s presence can be determined by the appearance of mounded soil and long, tunneled runways.
• All moles can be damaging but the Eastern mole is by far the most widespread. It is better described as the common or gray mole.  This mole is the strongest of the group and is most often associated with tunnels and or mole mounds by residential homeowners.
• Moles are not rodents, but belong to a group of mammals called insectivores.
• Moles have a very high metabolic rate and, therefore, have to consume large amounts of food.  A mole’s diet is restricted to ground invertebrates such as grubs, worms, millipedes, ants and the like.  However, the mole’s primary food source is earthworm, so trying to control white grub and lawn insects is no protection from mole activity.
• Mating season for moles takes place from  February to March, with a single litter of three to five young born later in the spring following a 6 week gestation period. Newborn female moles will mate the following spring, thus continuing the cycle.

• Since moles don’t hibernate (they store neither food nor fat) final dispersal can result in severe lawn damage until the lawn surface freezes in winter.

Moles can be  controlled with traps, smoke bombs, and poisons.   Other common defensive measures include cat litter and blood meal, to repel the mole, or flooding or smoking its burrow. There are also devices sold to trap the mole in its burrow, when one sees the “mole hill” moving and therefore knows where the animal is, and then stabbing it. Humane traps which capture the mole alive so that it may be transported elsewhere are also options.

However, in many gardens, the damage caused by moles to lawns is mostly visual, and it is also possible to simply remove the earth of the molehills as they appear, leaving their permanent galleries for the moles to continue their existence underground.

• 1 tablespoon castor oil
• 2 tablespoons of liquid detergent
• 6 tablespoons water

Pour the castor oil and liquid detergent in a blender and whip until the mixture is like shaving cream. Then add the water and whip again. Please remember: you need to keep this mixture out of the reach of children, as well as pets.

Add 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture and stir into a large garden sprinkler can, or other device that you can use to pour the concoction from . Sprinkle immediately over areas with the greatest mole traffic (the largest number of fresh tunnels).

To get the best results, apply the concotion after a large rain.  Alternatively, you can heavily water the area beforehand.   You might even be able to thin out the grub population with this concotion, further reducing the possibility of moles moving in.

Please share your stories with your mole concotion!

Dogs like to dig up moles in the yard.

However, there are some important points to consider:

• Dogs can make a mess of things. Digging up tunnels can sometimes look much worse than the moles tunnels themselves. It might be best to tie your dog in an area of your yard with limited mole tunnels. Fido can start digging, and will usually bark if the mole is senses out of range. You and your dog can make a good mole-dispatching team, and the dog will enjoy the attention.
• Certain breeds of dogs can be better at mole killing. We have had good luck with beagles and husky mixes. Almost any dog can be taught to dig, as digging is a natural urge for most dogs (burying food, making beds, and so forth). The trick is to keep the dog from digging up too much. Once your dog has dug up a certain area, stomp the dirt back in place, or use a rake to replace most of the dirt. Put a large piece of plywood over the area to keep the dog from digging there again.
• Cats can also be destructive to other creatures in your yard: birds, rabbits, etc. Just keep this in mind when you release your cat to go mole hunting.

Work with your pets to remove any moles in your yard. After all, your pets need to earn their keep, and they enjoy the attention that they will get!

1. Find an active mole tunnel in your yard. To find out if a tunnel is active, step on a small portion of it. If the tunnel has been repaired by the next day, then you have found an active tunnel.
2. Let’s build the trap. Take an empty jar (large size works best). If you don’t have a jar, you can cut a 2 liter soda bottle in half (8 to 10 inches from the bottom works best). Fill the jar or bottle with about 7 inches of water. We need some bait: a stick of gum (for example, Juicy Fruit) will work. Thread the gum through a piece of string and then secure the string to the sides of the bottle or jar (you can tape the string to the sides, or punch 2 holes in the bottle, fish the string through, and then tape or knot to the sides).
3. Put on some garden gloves and dig a hole in the middle of the active tunnel. The hole needs to be big enough so that you can bury the jar or bottle. The top of the jar/bottle should be lined up with the hole. Be careful; we don’t want to disturb too much of the hole!
4. Before placing the bottle in the hole, scrub the sides with dirt. This will help to remove your scent. Once the bottle has been secured, put dirt back on the top of the hole. You will need to pack it in in order to keep it from falling in the bottle. Mix a bit of water with the dirt to make some mud; this will pack much better.
5. If everything goes as planned, the mole will go for the gum and then fall in the trap and drown. If you are squeamish about killing the mole, you can refrain from putting water in the container. If the container is deep enough, the mole will not be able to crawl out. Check the trap every couple of days. If you have a live one, you can release him in another location.

A couple of these inexpensive traps should reduce the number of tunnels in your yard. Feel free to experiment with the design. Another variation: rather than cutting a bottle in half, you can also try cutting 2 holes in each side. Line up the holes with the mole tunnel, and the mole might fall for your trap. With this variation, the top of the bottle will stick out of the tunnel, giving you a nice, visual marker as to where your trap is. Experiment with your traps, and please share any secrets that work for you!

Water

Putting water down the holes (usually with a garden hose) might work once, but it is usually a hit-or-miss solution. This approach might work if you can find a straight tunnel section. I have had success with this particular method only once out of countless times. After about 10 minutes of giving the mole a cool drink, he popped his head up through his tunnel and was quickly dispatched.

Poison

A measure of success can be obtained by adding poison to a fresh burrow. Take a stick, poke a small hole in the tunnel, then add a small amount of poison and/or deterrent. Make sure to close the hole back up. Wait a few days, then try stomping down some of the tunnel. If the mole does not repair it, there is a good chance that you fed him his last meal. However, poison is not the best option, as 1) the mole probably dies horribly and 2)it is never a good idea spreading poison throughout a yard.

Traps

Your best bet is to get a mole trap from a feed and seed store. You then follow the instructions to the letter and get the little critter. Traps can cost around $10. The traps are lethal, so they are not for the squeamish. However, you can trap the mole by inserting a small mason jar in the bottom of the mole’s tunnel (make sure to cover up the hole in the top). Check back in a day or so, and you might have a live mole in the jar (be sure to place a stick, flag, or other marker where you inserted the jar). You can now release the mole in another location (in an area away from your home, a pesky neighbor’s yard, and so forth).

Food Source

Moles eat soft-bodied grubs, worms, and insects . If you have crane flies in your yard, the moles really like their larvae. This can especially be a problem in the northwest of the country. Get rid of the source of food. There are poisons available that will kill off the grubs in your yard. However, you are using poison, so be careful.

Another big thing is that it is very important to get rid of the mole before winter. During winter is when they mate and produce babies.