Mole Management
Moles are classified as insectivores, as the largest part of their diet is usually composed of insects. A favorite food of the mole is the white grub, which are the larvae of the Japanese beetle. They also eat earthworms, centipedes, and spiders. Moles create tunnels or “molehills” that can make your lawn unsightly, but usually do not cause permanent damage. If you are planning to use a direct method to eradicate your moles, you should first consider removing their food source. To do this consider using Grub-X in the first few weeks of June. This product has a season long residual period, so you should only need one application. If summer has passed and you still have a grub problem, use granular Dylox. This product is usually effective within 24 hours of watering in. For a long-term solution, consider using Milky-Spore. This is actually a powdered live bacterium that inoculates the soil in 1-2 years. This grub control has up to a 10-year residual period.
Treatment Strategies: Sonic Molechaser: This is a safe and effective way to rid your lawn of moles. The device takes batteries and is dug into your soil, flush with the ground. It produces a penetrating underground sonic pulse that eradicates moles. Your pets are not affected, but rodents find the noise irritating and move to quieter surroundings. The batteries last about 6 months and the device covers 9000 square feet, unobstructed. Mole Traps: This practical method can be used at any time of the year, but seems to be most effective in Spring or Fall when tunnels are easy to spot. To set a trap properly, select a place in your yard where there is evidence of recent activity. If the trap fails to catch a mole after two days, move it to a new location. Since these traps are the impaling type, they may not be for the faint of heart.
Poison Pellets: Prior to treatment of this method, you must determine the active holes or tunnels of the mole. Tamp down the soil around suspected areas with your foot and wait 24 hours. The following day see which areas look repaired by the mole. These are the active areas to concentrate on. Carefully insert recommended dose into tunnels without disturbing them. Reapply as needed. Moletox Baited Gel: This product is unique in that the gel mimics the white grub. A syringe injects this substance into active tunnels of moles. It is ingested by the rodent and poisons them. One treatment usually covers 10,000 square feet. Bonide Molemax: This repellent can be safely used around children and pets. The active ingredient is castor oil, which irritates the skin of moles, skunks, gophers, and even rabbits. This granular product is applied by hand or with a spreader. It should be watered in after treatment for fastest results. When planting flower bulbs, use Molemax to protect against rodents digging in the area. This product is also available in a hose-end treatment that is ready to apply. Simply hook onto the end of a hose and spray the affected area, up to 10,000 square feet. Water lightly with a sprinkler after application.
In large infested areas, treatments can be used in conjunction with one another until desired results are achieved. This list was compiled by Best Feeds Garden Center and includes proven favorites by our customers and staff. We welcome any feedback you may have about these products and their use.
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