How to Get a Mole to Leave
We've had an influx of mole activity in recent days. Perhaps the dry weather has something to do with it. I wouldn't mind if not for the mounds of dirt they make throughout the lawn.
Over the years, I've tried various means of "encouraging" them to go elsewhere — such as to my neighbors' yard. One such recommendation was to put a mothball in their run. They would be adverse to the odor and leave.
It sort of worked. They would definitely leave that run — only to dig a new one nearby. The "mothball" technique actually resulted in an increase of mole activity, not less.
As I was "planting" the mothballs, I pondered their effect on gophers (or are they chipmunks?). So I rolled a mothball into the opening to their burrow.
The next day, I noticed the mothball sitting on my lawn, about a foot from the opening. So, I rolled it back down — and watched. About 30 seconds later, the mothball erupted from the ground with a spray of dirt. Amused, I returned it — and the gopher promptly ejected it. I did this a couple more times and the last time it didn't reappear.
The next day, I noticed that they merely dug a new entrance. Now I had another hole in my yard.
So, moles, as well as gophers/chipmunks, don't like mothballs, but not enough to leave, only enough to do more digging.
Over the years, I've tried various means of "encouraging" them to go elsewhere — such as to my neighbors' yard. One such recommendation was to put a mothball in their run. They would be adverse to the odor and leave.
It sort of worked. They would definitely leave that run — only to dig a new one nearby. The "mothball" technique actually resulted in an increase of mole activity, not less.
As I was "planting" the mothballs, I pondered their effect on gophers (or are they chipmunks?). So I rolled a mothball into the opening to their burrow.
The next day, I noticed the mothball sitting on my lawn, about a foot from the opening. So, I rolled it back down — and watched. About 30 seconds later, the mothball erupted from the ground with a spray of dirt. Amused, I returned it — and the gopher promptly ejected it. I did this a couple more times and the last time it didn't reappear.
The next day, I noticed that they merely dug a new entrance. Now I had another hole in my yard.
So, moles, as well as gophers/chipmunks, don't like mothballs, but not enough to leave, only enough to do more digging.
Posted by Peter DeHaan at 7/28/2009 4:18 PM 
Categories: Lawn
Tags: lawncare moles Peter DeHaan blog author Peter DeHaan Peter DeHaan Musings Musings of Peter DeHaan
Categories: Lawn
Tags: lawncare moles Peter DeHaan blog author Peter DeHaan Peter DeHaan Musings Musings of Peter DeHaan
Cute! I also have had a lot of activity, but I don't always have a mound of dirt. I often have an hole a little larger than a silver dollar. It was suggested to me that those might be Vole holes. I don't know as I don't know much about voles. Some spots in my lawn feel like I am walking on an hugh sponge.
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