How to catch a mole in the garden and plot: the most effective way

If moles appear on a personal plot, then over time this turns into a rather serious problem. And if a couple of individuals do not cause significant harm, then as their offspring grow up, both garden crops and the lawn will begin to suffer.

Specimens with a fragile root system such as cucumbers are primarily at risk. Animal settlements are especially common in dachas with fertile and loose soil. In such a substrate there are quite a lot of insects, snails, and worms, which are actively consumed by small animals.

Harm of moles to plants

In general, moles are useful animals; they destroy pests, their larvae and field mice.
But, while digging their tunnels, they often damage the root system of plants. If there are a lot of moles, they can easily destroy half the crop. In addition, their favorite delicacy is earthworms, which loosen the soil and make it more fertile. Moles avoid wetlands; they live in places with dry, loose soil rich in worms, caterpillars, and insect larvae. That's why they usually settle in gardens and summer cottages. The first sign that moles have chosen your garden is the appearance of fresh earthen mounds on the surface of the beds.

Many gardeners believe that these animals gnaw the root system of trees and plants, which leads to their death. But this opinion is wrong; the animals are not rodents and do not feed on crop roots. They simply create a complex system of holes and passages, and the roots that fall into it become exposed and dry out. The more moles there are on a site, the faster they can spoil the green plantings growing on it.

The land in the long-term habitat of these animals becomes infertile after some time. This is due to the destruction of earthworms and the movement of the lower layer of soil depleted in nutrients to the top. In addition, moles are considered carriers of some pathogenic bacteria and parasites. And also their presence on the site negatively affects its landscape design.

We scare away beautifully...

Not many people know that there is a beautiful method to scare away the pest from your territory. There are decorative plants that are not tolerated by moles and they leave. This:

classic narcissus, marigold

Siberian scilla (one of the types of tulips). It spreads itself across the ground, its location can be adjusted

flowering decorative onions and imperial hazel grouse belong to the lily family, safe for people, but not tolerated by moles. Their bulbs smell like fox

marigolds have a pungent odor that is not palatable to the digger, so they repel all pests in summer cottages

Castor bean has the same property, grows as a bush and becomes a living fence. Caper spurge produces a pungent odor that repels moles. Such plants and their berries are poisonous, so you should be careful if there are children on the site

legumes are a radical solution, but acceptable and easily accessible if you sow the entire perimeter of the site with them. They are an excellent natural barrier.

Such methods are humane, environmentally friendly, and the animals will be alive and avoid these areas.

Sometimes gardeners use castor oil; diggers really don’t like its smell. It is necessary to mix two hundred grams of the specified drug and four tablespoons of detergent. For the solution to work, take thirty milliliters and four liters of water. After rain, it is advisable to pour it over an already defined wet area, which will be quickly and deeply absorbed.

To lure moles out of their moves, it is worth trying the flood option, which gives the desired effect. After filling the large tunnel system with water from the water supply, they will be forced to come to the surface and look for a dry place for themselves. But there are contraindications here too:

The whole garden will be flooded

Some plants will spoil

The soaked soil will have to be compacted, and the animal may return, because flooding will not be maintained constantly

A large number of worms will appear, and they are known to be very attractive to moles

During flooding, an air pocket may form in the passages, and the animal has a high speed of digging tunnels, so until the water is absorbed, it can quickly escape.

If possible, a summer resident can combine the above methods - sow repellent plants, put products with a pungent odor in the holes, train a cat or dog.

If the above methods do not help, and there is no more strength left, they resort to the help of specialized services. Professional people will inform you how to deal with moles in the future and save you from such pests right now by placing appropriate devices on the site. There is also a drawback here - the services are not cheap and not every gardener can afford such a luxury.

Rescue from moles is carried out carefully, especially if it is in the singular. It turns out that they can even bring benefits by destroying: root pests

root pests

insects that eat and damage potatoes with holes right through them

May beetle larvae gnawing on flower and vegetable roots

mole crickets destroying seedlings cherished for several months.

All of them often cause more significant damage than the mole rat. By loosening the soil, it makes it fertile, improves drainage, aeration, and saturates the soil with nitrogen compounds. According to agronomists, the soil thrown to the surface has a special quality and can be used for sowing crops for seedlings.

For your information! In Europe, moles are not killed; they are animals listed in the Red Book.

Habits of moles in nature

A novice hunter should know all the behavioral features of moles in natural habitats, which can be used in hunting this animal. For example, a mole prefers to settle in rich soil, which is rich in insect larvae and earthworms, but at the same time tries to stay away from the lairs of large animals.

As practice shows, in our area moles are most often found in alder forests. If you decide to hunt in the fields, then you need to look for prey along the boundaries, but if in the forest, then near streams, as well as near paths and roads. The most important thing is to be able to distinguish the mole's feeding galleries from the deep-lying permanent entrances leading to the nests. You will definitely find several animals in the nesting chambers.

Where do moles live?

In our country you can find 4 species of moles, but they hunt exclusively for the common mole. It is found throughout almost the entire territory of Russia - from the Don steppes to Arkhangelsk and from Transbaikalia to the western borders.

A mole can settle almost anywhere, but it prefers copses and forests. Small concentrations of this animal can be found in deciduous forests, but it has nothing to do in swampy areas. Moles are also often found in gardens and summer cottages. This pest loves to eat the young roots of bushes and garden crops, so people try to get rid of it in every possible way.

Stern passages

Based on practice, we can say that most feeding passages are located in the surface layer of soil, at a depth not exceeding 5 centimeters. Such passages have poorly insulated walls, since it would be foolish to spend a large amount of resources on insulating passages that would then not be used. They are often found in forests and appear as furrows of slightly raised earth. It is noteworthy that moles rarely use these moves a second time.

Description of the mole, habitat, nutrition and reproduction

A black, black-brown or dark gray fur-bearing animal with a rounded body, short hair, no ears, a tail three centimeters long, small barely noticeable eyes, an elongated nose, inverted, shovel-like front paws with sharp claws - this is there is a mole. The length of its body can reach 23 centimeters.

Loose, moist soil, saturated with worms and insect larvae, is a favorable environment for its habitat and reproduction. Moles are predators; they belong to the family of insectivorous mammals. They eat a large amount of food per day. The daily portion is equal to their body weight. The animal is constantly in the process of work, so it must replenish the energy spent.

The mole's "house" is a system of underground tunnels, similar to a labyrinth. Tunnels connect the so-called chambers in which it stores its nutritional reserves. Mice, frogs, mole crickets, lizards, ants, and small snakes can get caught in the traps that the mole creates underground. It comes across earthworms especially actively in winter; in cold times they penetrate deeper layers of the soil in search of warmth, ending up in its passages. The cunning animal just moves through its tunnels and collects food; thanks to its excellent sense of smell, it can eat well.

If a mole has chosen a certain piece of land, this means that its hole occupies several meters in width and depth. Moles live in whole families. Mice can live next to them. It is often possible to identify burrows of moles and shrews in one area.

This animal does not feed on plants or root crops, as many farmers mistakenly believe. Its lifespan is five years. A female mole gives birth to one litter per year.

Choosing a location for the trap

During the hot season, it is best to catch moles along ditches and streams, as well as on trails used by people and livestock for travel. In such places the soil is not so hot, so moles will be found here most often. During the rainy season, it is best to place mole traps directly on the surface, where the prey will crawl out of the water-filled holes.

Permanent and feeding passages are quite often located in close proximity to each other, forming a complex interweaving between them. In order to determine the type of burrows, do not hesitate to dig up the ground and examine them from the inside. If you find a feeding ground, then be sure that there will be a permanent passage nearby. Remember that setting traps in feeding holes is a waste of time.

Constant moves

Permanent passages most often run a little deeper - at a depth of 14 to 20 centimeters. They can be detected quite simply by molehills - heaps of earth that are thrown to the surface. The passages are distinguished by compacted smooth walls, since moles often move along them. It is the permanent passages that are the most convenient place to install mole traps. Therefore, when going hunting in the forest, look for them first.

Features of mole hunting

Only a madman or someone who has no idea what this activity is like would go after this animal with a gun. It may seem to a novice hunter that hunting moles is a pointless and boring undertaking, but this is far from the case. If you taste all the delights of mole hunting just once, you will be captivated by this activity forever and will recommend it to all your friends and acquaintances. Perhaps if every skeptic tried this “strange” activity at least once, his opinion about mole catchers would change significantly.

Material dividends are not all that hunting animals can bring. From an emotional point of view, this type of hunting will allow a new look at nature even for those individuals who “see” it quite rarely. As a rule, moles begin to be hunted when the fields bloom with different colors, the smell of black currants is fragrant in the air, and young mushrooms begin to attract with their recognizable caps. This is the time when the aroma of freshly cut hay and meadowsweet is in the air.

However, despite all the above-mentioned romance, catching moles will not be easy. Like any other craft, this activity requires great dexterity and certain skills. It is worth knowing a lot about the biology of the animal, especially where exactly it lives.

Krotolovka

Have you thought about how to get rid of moles in your garden? A standard mole trap is perfect for this purpose. Just a few decades ago they were quite primitive, but with the development of technology these devices have improved significantly, becoming even more effective. You can buy such a thing at most hardware stores that sell mousetraps. By the way, these two designs are quite similar in appearance and functionality, however, the mole trap is slightly larger in size.

Looking for a way to get rid of moles? Self-made traps can help you with this. To do this, you don’t have to resort to various tricks, and the material you can use is ordinary wire, which just needs to be twisted correctly. An analogue is a plastic trap, which is made from an ordinary bottle:

• First, we make the “body” of the pipe by cutting off the bottom and top of the bottle.
• The other two containers will require the tops to be cut off.
• The neck itself must also be cut off.
• In the remaining part we cut ribbons that are tightly driven into the pipe.

Such a mole trap is installed in holes through which animals move. Crawling through such a trap, the animal will easily push the ribbons apart, but will not be able to get back out.

Wearing a mole trap

It is recommended to wear mole traps in a bent ring made of thin wire. This is much more convenient than using some kind of bag where they will constantly cling to each other. In addition, you will have your hands free if you hang the wire, for example, from a belt. In this way, you can set traps and at the same time remove prey from old mole traps.

Additional equipment

To install mole traps, a regular hunting knife is best suited. It should have a long and wide blade, as well as a wooden handle and a rounded end. Such equipment is perfect not only for cutting out excess vegetation, but also for digging the ground. A wooden handle will serve you well for pressing installed mole traps into the soil.

Best time to hunt

You can start hunting moles as early as June 20, when the young animals have grown a little and begin to go hunting. The season ends in late autumn, when the first night frosts strike and the animal goes into hibernation. You can resume hunting immediately after snow falls, but most moles appear in the summer.

During the entire hunting season, you will need to place a large number of traps over a fairly large area, which must be divided into small areas. After the moles stop falling into traps, you can safely move to another place.

What are the benefits and harms

The attitude towards animals is twofold. There are ardent defenders of the animal, but there are no fewer opponents. In nature, it is a useful animal that improves the structure of the soil. Thanks to the large number of moves made by the animal, the soil breathes and moisture penetrates into the deep layers. The special smell that moles have attracts numerous worms and other underground insects. The mole eats them in huge quantities, in addition, destroys harmful insects and their larvae, and fertilizes the soil with excrement.

If a mole appears at the dacha, you can forget about the previous merits of the land reclamation worker, since its natural need to search for food leads to the destruction of part of the crop or damage to the lawn. Not everyone can withstand such a neighborhood, so many ways have been invented to get rid of moles in a summer cottage.

Mole at the dacha

Another dangerous thing about moles that appear on a personal plot is that they are carriers of tularemia, suffer from piroplasmosis, and are affected by ticks and other parasites. Therefore, you should not pick up the animal.

Press traps

All means of catching moles can be divided into two types:

1. Live traps that allow you to catch an animal without harming it;
2. Lethal traps (traps, snares of various types, fishhooks, etc.), either immediately killing the animal upon capture, or injuring it so severely that the likelihood of its subsequent survival is minimal.

The results of using these types of traps show that the effectiveness of live traps is the same as the effectiveness of means that lead to the death of moles. The question of using one or another type of device ultimately comes down to whether the owner of the property will be too lazy to constantly take the caught animals outside the garden and release them into the wild.

Based on humane considerations, traps and snares are significantly inferior to live traps, and if you can rid the garden of moles without killing the animals, then it is better to choose the gentle option. The use of devices that kill moles is hardly justified killing.

Below, the word “traps” will primarily mean live traps, into which the mole is caught alive and unharmed. However, we will also look at various traps - in order to show with what sadistic methods today some summer residents are trying to fight nature on their plots.

Also, sometimes standard mouse traps and crushers are used against moles. If the mouse pulls the bait on the guardhouse to release the mechanism, the mole simply crawls onto the guardhouse and lowers it with its body.

In the case of a competent approach, traps are practically no different from live traps in terms of efficiency and ease of use, however, the use of such lethal means to exterminate moles can be considered to a certain extent senseless cruelty.

Additional tips and tricks

Combinatoriality is important in catching moles. A combination of different types of traps will give maximum results.

8 of the best DIY mole repellents

If you want to catch an animal alive and unharmed, it is extremely important to use hard gloves when working. They bite hard. It's painful and unsafe. It is better for the catcher to take his trophy away from home, at a distance of at least two km. In this case, he will not find his old moves.

Fact! Moles have 44 teeth, plus fangs. This is a predator. Not only worms and insects are eaten. Small mice and even sick relatives will be eaten for breakfast. The mole is a cruel animal, stocking up for the winter and may well harm small rodents, but not kill them. Leaving them to breathe. And when he is hungry, he will eat them.

If there are a lot of moles in the region, then it makes sense to spend time and money, but solve the problem radically:

• Dig a lawn net throughout the area. To do this, remove about 15 cm of soil around the entire perimeter, lay a mesh and then return the soil.
• A similar preventative method, but the mesh is dug in around the perimeter to a depth of up to a meter deep and about 30 cm of mesh should remain on top of the ground.
• As an option, trenches are dug around the perimeter, which are concreted or filled with coarse gravel, parts of bricks, and crushed stone.

In any bad news there can be good moments. Experts say that moles are picky and will not settle on infertile land. So, if “guests” appear at the dacha, it means that the earth is full of vitamins and minerals. All that remains is to send out the uninvited comrades and start planting seeds for the future harvest.

All the ways to catch a mole

Generally speaking, today the following popular methods of catching moles in the garden and dacha are most widely used:

1. The so-called mole trap is a pipe into which the mole crawls, but can already get out;
2. A pit trap into which the animal simply falls, moving along its underground passage, and then cannot get out of it;
3. Traps that kill animals immediately or slowly (this also includes a wire mole trap);
4. Tackle made of fishing line and fishing hooks: the mole clings to the hook either with its skin (skin), running into itself while moving through the tunnel, or with its mouth, collecting earthworms strung on fishing hooks (and this is just one example of the flayer approach to catching moles);
5. Perhaps it is also worth mentioning an ordinary shovel - with the proper dexterity and experience, with its help it is possible to dig an animal out of the ground alive, and then, for example, place it in a bucket.

It is noteworthy that the effectiveness and ease of use of all these options is approximately the same (with the exception of fishing with a shovel - this method is the least effective and requires a lot of time). Any trap is simply installed in the garden, catches the mole in one way or another, and the gardener can only check from time to time for the presence of a “catch”.

Accordingly, the question arises: if a live trap catches a mole as simply and quickly as a mechanism that pierces the animal with a knitting needle or breaks its back, then why use lethal traps at all? Unfortunately, in many cases, the answer lies in the gardener’s banal laziness - he’s just too lazy to carry the caught moles a kilometer away from the plot every time, because it’s much easier when the trap “delives” a ready-made corpse, which is easy to dispose of, for example, by burying it in the far corner of the garden.

On a note

Some gardeners justify their actions to destroy moles in the following interesting way: they say, in wildlife it is customary to protect your plot from the encroachments of strangers. Well, they say, I also protect the results of my work (beds, crops) from pest attacks, I protect my territory.

Well, that's right - that's how it is in the animal world. The question is why compare yourself to an animal...

Effective ways and methods of control

It is very difficult to remove moles from the garden. There are many methods of struggle, but most of them cannot radically solve the problem. And if some method helps some gardeners, it may not be effective for others.

The following methods of fighting moles can be distinguished:

• scaring;
• traps, bait;
• catching by hand, hunting;
• mole beaters.

Moles usually attack an area in families. And in a short time they can quickly dig up many tunnels and cause great damage to the crop. Therefore, the fight needs to start as early as possible.

Repellent

Moles do not like different sounds and noises. They leave the noisy area tens of meters away. As repellers, you can take a variety of homemade or purchased noisemakers and rattles. You can take tin cans and thread them onto a rope. Place around the perimeter of the garden or near holes. They will begin to make noise from the vibrations of the wind. You can use plastic bottles.

It is very difficult to cover a large area with all the homemade scarecrow noisemakers. And if the garden is large, then these control methods will be ineffective. In addition, the neighbors may not like the constant noise.

To prevent sounds and noise from disturbing people, you can purchase ultrasonic repellers. But, as practice shows, they can also turn out to be wasted money. Moles are very smart and careful. They adapt over time to different sounds and do not allow themselves to be deceived. Using the same repelling methods, over time they learn to avoid the danger.

It must be remembered that moles do not hibernate in winter. Therefore, repellers will have to be used all year round. From time to time it is worth changing the sound content so that the animal does not have time to get used to it.

Plants against pests

This is an alternative method of mole control that is not as reliable as other methods. But it can be used as an additional measure. Some plants can repel moles and other pests with their pungent aroma; it is recommended to plant them in the garden next to vegetable crops.

Plants that repel moles:

• Imperial hazel grouse;
• Narcissus;
• Decorative flowering onion (Allium);
• Marigold;
• Euphorbia caper;
• Castor bean.

Important! The fruits of castor beans and euphorbia contain toxic substances and should not be planted where there are children.

Poisons and poison

Since this animal is a predator, various baits with poisons simply may not have an effect on it. Therefore, in order for the fight against moles in this way to be successful, you need to place the bait correctly. First you need to establish the main path of movement of the animal. A metal rod is used for this. Make a hole by turning the dipstick. Dip 1 teaspoon of poison into it so that it falls to the bottom of the passage. Cover the hole with soil. Do this in 4 different places.

Before using any toxic substance, you must carefully study the instructions. Some poisons can have a detrimental effect on plantings. Therefore, it is better to use safer methods in the garden and garden.

Traps and traps

You can try to catch the mole in a trap. There are several models of such traps of the same type. A very effective Solomon's trap. This is a metal pipe about 40 cm long. The diameter should correspond to the diameter of the hole. There are hanging doors on both sides. They can only open inwards. The trap is placed in a tunnel and covered with soil.

Traps are considered an inhumane way to eliminate moles. The result can be achieved if you purchase a trap of the correct design. It is placed in the mole shaft and covered with earth. Theoretically, the mole should touch the valve or spring and the trap will work. But this animal is very smart, it can sense danger and simply avoid it. In addition, the valve may work when the soil collapses or may not work at all.

Mole beaters

These are special electrical devices, of which there are many options. They kill the mole in the hole when it passes a certain area.

Catching with a shovel

Excavate the mound to the hole in the mine and wait for the animal to begin to restore order there. The location of a mole can be determined by its movement in the soil. You need to dig it up with a shovel and throw it in a bucket.

Flooding the hole

This is the most inhumane way to fight. They throw carbide into the hole, run a hose there and turn on the water. Animals suffocate and drown.

Types of ready-made traps

There are quite a few ready-made mole traps, for example: scissor traps, tunnel traps, plunger traps, pipe mole traps (also called humane traps) or live traps, ultrasonic repellers. Let's look at each trap in detail.

Scissor trap

There are many options for such devices, which are most often found in gardening stores, etc.

The photo shows a simple example of a scissor trap

Advantages:

• Easy to install (just press the handles into the ground and cock the mechanism).
• You can observe the operation from a distance.
• It is easy to adjust the sensitivity of the device.
• Simple but reliable design.

Flaws:

• Although easy to use, the trap is difficult to install in a tunnel opening, especially at great depths. It must be located and hidden so that the moving parts are not obstructed in the form of stones, pieces of peat, or clods of earth. Due to the tight handles, it is difficult to completely hide the device without light entering the passage, ensuring reliable operation.
• If there are low temperatures in the ground, the handles freeze and the trap does not work.
• Heavy rain can wash away the soil, making the trap undetectable.
• Difficult to install in very shallow and very deep tunnels.

Tunnel trap

The most suitable design for a mole trap is one that includes a semi-tunnel. Such a trap is easy to hide; working parts for the most part do not jam from foreign objects.

Advantages:

• Easy to install in a mole passage. It is enough to pour a little earth on top to block the access of light.
• Quickly and effectively kills pests.
• It is easy to adjust the sensitivity of the mechanism.
• Working parts practically do not jam due to the ingress of stones, peat, etc.
• If you cover the trap with peat or a board, frost and rain will not affect its operation.
• It is used with equal success in deep and shallow tunnels.
• Can neutralize two moles at the same time.

Flaws:

• Complex installation, requires advance instructions. If used incorrectly, you can easily get hurt.
• The operation of the device cannot be seen from afar.
• Invisible above the ground, so if the pointer is lost, the trap will be difficult to find.

Plunger trap

If you prefer to use a scissor trap, then this effective device is worth a try.

This is what a plunger trap looks like Another version of a plunger trap

Advantages:

• The trigger mechanism is triggered in a different way from the previous two types. The trap is activated not by the movement of the mole with its nose or paws, but by pushing through the earth to restore the previously dug tunnel. Thus, the trap is very useful in the presence of moles that bypass the traps.
• A very powerful trap that requires a little practice to use.
• No need to adjust before use.
• Relatively easy to install, but requires a little time, especially when working on rocky soil.

Flaws:

• If there are stones in the ground, it can become stuck, as is the case with a scissor trap.
• If you do not have the skills to install it correctly, the device may not work, and moles will freely pass through it.

Humane mole trap-tube and ultrasonic device

Quite ineffective devices. The first is a hollow tube with movable doors on both sides, the second also has the shape of a tube that is installed in the soil. According to reviews from gardeners, it is almost impossible to get rid of moles using such traps, because moles bypass some of them, while they get used to others or ignore them altogether. However, there are also cases where ultrasound turned out to be effective, as long as it did not become addictive, like any surface noise produced by a person.

Example of an ultrasonic trap Humane tube (not very effective) Ultrasonic mole repeller device

Pit trap and rules for its use

The principle of operation of a pit trap is that a mole, moving along its underground passage, falls into a “pit” specially prepared for it, into which a glass jar, bucket or pan is placed.

Making such a trap with your own hands is much easier than making a pipe mole trap. By and large, any container of suitable volume with a sufficiently wide neck is already a ready-made basis for a trap. Many gardeners successfully use even two-liter plastic bottles for this purpose, but it is advisable to take a larger container - for example, the same bottle, but five-liter, or a bucket.

So, to install such a trap along the path of the mole passage, a hole is dug of the appropriate diameter and such a depth that the bottom of the passage is flush, or just above the upper edge of the container lowered into the hole. In this case, it is advisable to damage the walls of the underground passage as little as possible, since significant damage can scare away the mole.

Then a suitable container is lowered into the hole, a roller of earth is pressed over its upper edge, and the entire excavated passage is covered on top with opaque material. When the mole next checks its feeding passage, it will most likely fall into the trap and will not be able to get out of it.

Catching moles using fish hooks

Live traps should be checked every 3-4 hours. Since moles are very sensitive to hunger strikes, they need to be removed from traps as soon as possible - a mole cannot live for more than 24 hours without food due to its accelerated metabolism. At the same time, you shouldn’t look into the mole trap every fifteen minutes either, since such fuss will only scare away the animal.

Immediately after catching the mole, you must remove it from the trap: this must be done with thick gloves so that it does not bite through the skin. Then the animal must be taken outside the site to a distance of about 1-1.5 km - then the mole will no longer be able to return to its territory.

It is advisable to release the mole in dense bushes or thick grass, where predators will not be able to immediately catch it and where it will have sufficient chances to burrow into the ground.

And another barbaric method of catching moles, which is not, in fact, a trap, but allows you to catch and mutilate the animal: a fishing line with fishing hooks (usually triple ones) is used, the end of which is brought out and tied to a pin stuck in the ground or simply to a lying one on the ground with a stick. The mole, moving along, runs into hooks that cling to its body and pierce the skin, and begins to jerk the line, trying to free itself. These jerks can be seen by the movement of the fishing line and the pin, and if you hang a bell on the pin itself, it will also ring at the same time.

When an animal is caught, it is simply pulled out of the hole by the fishing line (who cares if the hooks go deeper into the body or even tear the skin and muscles).

It is clear that the hook can only be removed from the mole’s body by tearing the muscle fibers, or even with a piece of meat. However, people who prefer to catch animals in this way do not really think about how to deal more carefully with the animal, and at best they will not mock it before killing it...

As a result, we can conclude that for successful, efficient and fairly quick catching of moles, it is quite enough to use mole traps in the form of a pipe or pit. Their effectiveness is approximately the same as that of traps (and sometimes even higher), and with their help you can get rid of pests without having to kill, in general, innocent animals.

It is also important to keep in mind that removing moles from a site once does not mean forgetting about them forever. If they once entered the garden, they will be able to do so in the future. To eliminate the possibility of moles reappearing, the area should ideally be fenced around the entire perimeter with a net or other barrier dug into the ground. This will help prevent a conflict of interests between the gardener and the mole in the future.

Crossbows

There is also a very complex and dangerous method of destroying moles with crossbows. Let's consider it as an example of the lengths people go to when trying by any means to destroy the underground inhabitants on their site.

So, how does a crossbow work: when the animal moves, a pipe is installed, sealed on one side, into which gunpowder is poured and shot is loaded. A nichrome wire is connected to the gunpowder through a thin hole, and a motion sensor is connected to it, installed 20-30 cm along the hole. When a mole passes under the sensor, it turns on the battery, it heats up the wire and after a split second the crossbow fires.

It is clear that the mole dies after this. It is also quite obvious that the design of such a crossbow is many times more complex than the use of any other homemade traps. Perhaps, the use of crossbows today is more the lot of flayer enthusiasts who are willing to spend their time and effort on inventing more and more sophisticated ways of killing animals.

We use scented products

Repelling moles with smells is not much more difficult than with noises - just bury the odorous agent in the animals' passages or near them.

Perhaps the simplest and at the same time popular way to get rid of moles using such means is to place rotten fish in the passages of the animals. In this case, you usually proceed as follows:

1. Any fish can be used, including the most inexpensive ones (in particular, herring and sprat are the most popular);
2. The fish is cut into small pieces (and the same sprat may not be cut at all);
3. Then the pieces of fish are left outside for several days, out of reach of pets;
4. When the fish gives off a characteristic odor, a piece of it will need to be placed in holes dug in the ground in all detected near-surface mole passages.

People who have been helped by this method to get rid of moles in their dachas note that the pests go away within 3-5 days after placing the fish.

In addition, instead of spoiled fish, the following options are sometimes successfully used to get rid of moles in a summer cottage:

1. Calcium carbide (technical carbide always contains impurities of calcium phosphide and arsenide, and when interacting with water, it releases not only acetylene gas, but also specific-smelling phosphine and arsine as impurities);
2. Technical fluids - kerosene, gasoline, turpentine, solvents (646, etc.);
3. Acetic acid;
4. Ammonia;
5. Alphos anti-mole tablets (their active ingredient is aluminum phosphide, which releases a strong-smelling and very poisonous phosphine gas upon contact with moisture);
6. Feces of domestic animals, as well as human;
7. Exhaust gas from a car - a hose is put on the exhaust pipe, the end of which is inserted into the mole's hole, after which the car is started and just waited for about 1 hour;
8. Smoke bombs (sulfur, insecticidal-repellent and even just signal).

More pleasant to use and sometimes show good effectiveness are Detia mole balls with the scent of lavender (a product made in Germany). If you use them according to the instructions, burying them in the ground at a depth of 20-30 cm and at a distance of a meter from each other, then sometimes you can get rid of moles quickly enough and for the entire season (though not in all cases either).

What is useful to keep in mind if you suddenly decide to “go crazy” at the dacha:

• Improper handling of calcium carbide can result in ignition and even a dangerous explosion of the acetylene air mixture. Therefore, it is not recommended to fill mole holes with acetylene and then try to set it on fire;
• Similarly, filling mole holes with kerosene, gasoline and other flammable liquids can pose a fire hazard;
• Ammonia (ammonia dissolved in water), which is sometimes used to scare off moles from an area, is very volatile and quickly disappears from the ground, so its effect will be very short-lived;
• Also, bleach, being a very active substance, decomposes very quickly in the ground, completely losing its repellent activity after just a couple of days;
• When using smoke bombs, it is useful to keep in mind that sulfur bombs burn only with good air access, so they will not burn underground and are unlikely to help get rid of moles. But insecticidal smoke bombs (Quiet Evening, City, etc.), as well as signal bombs, may well smolder even underground, however, when using them, you need to be aware that the mole will not crawl out of the ground to the surface to “get some fresh air,” and with a certain probability he will simply die right in his own moves. That is, this option for getting rid of moles in a summer cottage can hardly be considered humane (just like using car exhaust gases).

If you use several different methods of repelling moles at the same time, you can significantly increase your chances of a positive result. Sometimes it is the combination of different options that allows you to get rid of moles that were not repelled by the same means, but used separately.

But suppose you used a combination of repellents, two weeks passed, and you still couldn’t get rid of the moles in the garden or dacha. In this case, we move on to the next stage - catching moles in the area...

Homemade mole traps

Lovers of all things homemade can build mole traps with their own hands. You won't need a lot of money for this.

Shovel

Catching an animal with a shovel is the easiest and cheapest way to catch, but it requires certain skills and patience.

At the moment the animal moves, and this can be seen from the mounds of earth that appear, you need to stick a bayonet shovel behind the movement and throw the mole out along with the earth.

Two disadvantages of this method:

• It is likely that you will have to wait a long time.
• You may simply not be able to keep up with the mole, as they move underground at a decent speed.

Data:

• The speed of moles moving through their earth tunnels reaches 25 meters per second.
• In one day they can dig up to 30 meters of soil.
• The length of each hole reaches 200 meters.

Hooks

Considering that moles love worms, just like fish. Then you can try the fishing method - with a hook. Thread a thicker worm and run the line into the molehill. All you have to do is wait and react. The method is cheap, but tedious. It will be just right for those who like to meditate while fishing.

Alternatively, the fishing line is dug in and a bell is tied to the other end. If a mole rat is hooked, there will be a signal.

This is interesting! Moles, unlike small rodents, are very reluctant to lead a “mating” life. Scientists are still unsure whether they have a so-called “mating season.” Finding a female and leaving offspring is very difficult for them.

Plastic bottle

The notorious plastic bottle can serve faithfully. This is a humane way to rein in rampant moles. And given the cheapness of the “building materials”, several of them can be built, thereby increasing the catch several times.

ActionsExplanations

This miracle of technology is placed in a wormhole. An animal, once inside due to the movable “plastic petals,” cannot get back out.

Habitat specifics of moles

A mole is an insectivorous, mammal that lives underground, a harmless animal. It is found in loose soil, which is constantly dug up and moistened. Does not like clay and crushed stone. It moves forward and backward, helping itself with strong shovel-shaped forelimbs. Due to small ears and blind eyes, it orients itself in space using the sense of touch and smell, thanks to which it avoids set traps.

He constantly moves in search of a good area with a large population of worms and insects. His lair is located in the center of a system of complex passages. Their mole digs very quickly, and pushes the undermined soil to the surface. During this process, the shrew unintentionally damages the roots of plants and crops planted in the garden or lawn. He makes his personal space soft, comfortable and lives not alone, but always with his family. The animal's diet consists of mice, frogs, woodlice, earthworms, insect larvae and other pests living in the soil. He is not interested in plants, neither the roots nor the above-ground parts.

The mole is intelligent, cautious, an excellent swimmer, and, sensing danger, can get around it in advance. To drink, he has to dig a hole vertically. In winter, the animal does not hibernate, but goes deep into the ground. If it senses danger, it defends itself with bites and scratches.

The underground “worker” checks his progress hourly, and immediately repairs the damage with an additional tunnel from below. The speed of movement is up to six kilometers per hour, it almost never appears outside. He also has enemies, a raccoon dog and a fox.

Moles are not the only inhabitants of our land; similar mounds can be dug by field mice or gophers. You can determine who is infested on the site by the shape of the dug up earth. Hills that look like volcanoes are left by moles, voles leave slightly visible piles of earth with many small traces and remains of grass stems. The mounds of gophers look like a horseshoe.

Making a bottle trap

To create a mole trap, you do not need special tools or special skills. The whole process will take no more than 20 minutes, even if you are making the device for the first time.

We will need:

• Sharp scissors that are convenient for cutting plastic;
• 2 one and a half liter bottles;
• Awl;
• Strong thread or thin wire.

Step 1. Prepare the container

To create a trap we will need a 1.5 liter bottle. Its dimensions are perfect for placing a mole trap in the path of an animal.

Now we cut off the neck of the bottle at the place where it begins to narrow. We leave both parts, they will be useful to us in the future.

Step 2. Making a “door” into the trap

Now we need to make a “door” that will let the animal through only in one direction. To do this, take the previously cut neck and cut off the dense part with the lid. This can be done with scissors, or with a hot knife. The plastic in this place is quite thick and difficult to cut.

Do moles return to their areas and how to prevent their reappearance?

The mole is an active animal, but it cannot move long distances. Young animals, leaving the maternal area in search of unoccupied land, can move 1.5-2 km away from the place of birth, but adult moles, who have already settled somewhere, are constantly in their territory of about a hectare.

This means that if a caught mole is released a kilometer from the place of capture, then it will not return to its original area. If you release it right behind the fence, and the fence itself does not have a foundation, then with a high probability the same mole will have to be caught again.

In general, it is useful to keep in mind that preventing moles from entering an area is easier than fighting these animals later. Even if the animals are already in the garden and causing harm, they can and should be caught and taken away, but in parallel, measures should be taken to reliably protect the area: fence it off with an impenetrable foundation, even if not a powerful one, or simply dig in around the perimeter to a depth of 70-80 cm durable fine-mesh plastic mesh (with a cell size of no more than 1 cm).

Such measures will guarantee that after catching and removing all moles from the area, other animals will not enter it again. Otherwise, you will have to constantly catch moles.

As for various mole repellers, they also sometimes give good results, although they do not provide absolute protection of the area. By the way, you can also make them yourself from plastic bottles...

Prevention measures

To prevent moles from infesting your garden, you need to listen to the advice of experienced gardeners and protect the area on your own.

It is important to take a responsible approach to preventive measures if work is planned ahead to improve soil fertility:

• construction of a compost heap;
• preparing a manure pit;
• mulching with cut grass.

Such organic fertilizers are loved by earthworms, which moles love to eat.

It needs to be dug into the ground to a depth of 50-60 cm, and the fence should protrude above the surface of the ground by about 40-50 cm (since in exceptional cases moles can go to the ground to overcome a deep obstacle). As a fence, you can use slate sheets, thick linoleum or other materials, the main thing is that they are durable and can withstand the powerful claws of moles.

If such protection has been thought out on a land plot, but moles still appear, you should immediately begin to scare them away to minimize the damage from their activities. For better results, it is recommended to use several types of repellers at once, for example, ultrasonic and aromatic. You can also attract a cat - moles can sense a domestic predator and leave the garden.

Repellers made from plastic bottles: do they help?

There are two ways to scare off moles with plastic bottles:

1. Make pinwheels out of bottles that spin in the wind, make noise and scare the animals (moles hear well);
2. Or you can simply lay out large quantities of closed plastic bottles throughout the area. With constant changes in temperature in the morning, afternoon, evening and night, they make cracking noises, which presumably also scare away animals.

Many gardeners and gardeners note that such homemade repellers are really effective and help get rid of moles on the site. However, at the same time, many reviews indicate the lack of effect from the use of these funds.

Apparently, the truth is somewhere in the middle: moles can actually be frightened by the noise created by these devices and leave the area in search of more comfortable territory. But repellers can also be ignored, especially if there is a problem of survival due to lack of food. Therefore, the use of such repellers is a kind of lottery: it may help, or it may not give any visible result.

Benefit or harm?

Moles can not only harm the gardener, but also be beneficial. For example, they actively eat mole crickets - the fierce enemies of gardeners. They can significantly reduce the population of various beetles, wireworms, caterpillars of cabbage butterflies and other pests on your site, which can cause great damage to the crop. These mammals also destroy baby rats and mice. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, they quickly find rodent nests and are able to destroy a brood in one go. Another benefit is soil aeration when digging underground passages: loosened soil is well saturated with moisture and has excellent air permeability, which is beneficial for the root system of all plant crops.

However, entire colonies of moles in the garden are dangerous for plants. The harm from moles on a personal plot is much greater than the benefit. 1-2 individuals will not cause serious damage to the crop, but these predators do not remain alone for long. Where there is a female and a male, a litter of moles will soon appear. Finding moles with babies is very difficult, it is almost impossible in large areas. Some gardeners fill the passages with water, but such measures are useless, since in case of danger the family will quickly find a safe dead end.

Here are a few consequences of moles infesting a garden.

1. In search of food, a female with a male and a grown brood can turn over up to 5 acres of land on a site in a day. As a result, a well-groomed area loses its aesthetics due to the appearance of numerous passages and piles of soil.
2. One adult mole is capable of digging tunnels with a total length of 15-20 m or even more in a day. While making passages, the animals damage various obstacles that they encounter along the way: rhizomes of trees and shrubs, wires, sewer systems, plastic water pipes. Damaged roots of plants planted in the garden quickly dry out and they stop feeding the plantings. As a result, plant crops may become sick (with minor injury to the root system) or even die.
3. Moles are capable of destroying almost all earthworms on the site. This can cause damage to the gardener: the fact is that the worms eat nematodes - microscopic worms that infect the rhizomes of plantings on the site. Due to the lack of “raincoats”, the nematode will actively develop, the soil will become poor, and the plants may soon die.
4. In the process of digging tunnels, predators mix the infertile lower soil layer with the surface nutrient layer. Because of this, the soil becomes poor, and plants may not receive a lot of different fertilizers.

Where can I buy a mole trap and how much does it cost?

Today you can easily buy a pipe mole trap in online stores. Many particularly enterprising citizens have mastered making them with their own hands on a semi-industrial scale, and today there are both imported high-quality traps on sale for 400-500 rubles apiece, dismountable and very convenient, as well as handicraft products, somewhat clumsy and not so pleasant to handle, but they cost almost twice as much.

To cities far from Moscow, some online stores deliver such devices by mail or transport company.

For one plot of up to 10 acres, it is often enough to buy one mole trap-pipe. With the right approach, all the “local” moles are caught in it quite quickly, and in a few days you can catch all the pests on the site (while not forgetting that they may be replaced by new moles after some time).

Trap-scissors and its variants

When triggered, this trap squeezes the mole’s body from the sides, as if with tongs. The animal usually dies from injuries to internal organs and hemorrhages within a few minutes (less often, within several tens of minutes).

A scissor trap has no obvious advantages over a harpoon trap; it costs about 1,000 rubles. This type includes both domestic traps (for example, Skat 62) and imported mole traps (for example, made in the Czech Republic).

These devices are installed similarly to harpoon traps. Before installing such a trap, its scissors need to be pulled apart and a spacer-guard inserted between them. In the excavated passage, the scissors are installed with their claws, and the entire trap is covered with a bucket on top. When a mole encounters a spacer, it either tries to remove it with its paws or climbs on top. The spacer falls, the claws compress and kill the animal.

These traps are now well represented in online stores, and can often be purchased in hardware stores in large cities.

Review:

“I would like to leave my review about the mole catcher from the Czech Republic. My husband and I bought it at a construction supermarket in St. Petersburg, the price was 820 rubles. The seller showed us how to use this product, how it works and how to correctly place it in the mole hole. Even then I had the idea that the mole would not die quickly in such a trap. A week later we were at the dacha, put it in one of the moves, did everything according to science. They covered the top with an old saucepan so that the mole would not be afraid of the light. We decided to check it in the morning. Well, the next morning I go out into the garden, lift the pan and see that the staples on top have come apart. That is, the trap worked. I take it out and... I begin to lose consciousness. These scissors literally crushed the mole, its head and front legs stick out in front, but the worst thing is that it is still moving, moving its nose, waving its paws. Nightmare! I threw this trap, ran after my husband, together we pulled out the mole, he, poor thing, cannot crawl, he tries to row with his paws, but it is clear that he is already dying. I couldn’t stand it and went home. I don’t know what my husband did then, but I definitely decided that I would no longer allow such carnivory on my property. Now I looked on the Internet, there are a lot of means to catch a mole alive, and no mole traps are needed ... "

Anna, Gatchina

It is also useful to read: Using a mole net and reviews about this method of protecting a site

Other mole traps, their advantages and disadvantages

No less often than pipe-shaped live traps, slightly less convenient methods of catching moles are used: in buckets, deep pans, glass jars or wide plastic bottles with a cut neck. They are buried in the gap in the mole's passage, the edges are covered with a roller of compacted earth, and the opened passage is covered on top with boards so that sunlight does not enter it.

Moving along the way, the mole simply falls into such a trap “pit” and cannot get out of it. When checking, the animal is taken out with a gloved hand and taken away from the site. This method is also quite effective, although it is more labor-intensive to implement than using a good pipe mole trap.

Unfortunately, moles are also often killed with special traps (crushes, crossbows, snares...) Their designs are varied, but their main disadvantage is the inhumane destruction of animals, which are only to blame for the fact that they turned out to be a person’s neighbors in the area.

But various methods of repelling moles are for the most part less effective than traps. Many of them do not always work (for example, noise, as well as rotten fish, perfume, ammonia, carbide), others are harmful to the soil and its inhabitants (pouring kerosene, gasoline into holes, pouring Alphos tablets, fumigating with insecticidal and sulfur bombs). But the effectiveness of other methods is initially questionable: sticking reeds into the ground, burying feces in underground passages, etc.

In some cases, special mole repellers (not all models on the market) provide a good repellent effect. However, read more about repellers in other articles on our website. And before that, do not forget to leave a review about your personal experience of using a mole trap-pipe, if you have such experience (to leave a review, just write it in the comment field at the bottom of this page).

Interesting video: a mole caught in a mole trap-pipe

Another clear example of the work of a mole trap made from a piece of pipe

A few words about homemade mole traps

You can also make a mole trap with your own hands. Moreover, the complexity of the manufacturing work is directly proportional to the complexity of the structure itself.

In most cases, wire traps and crushers are made at home. These works involve difficulties in manufacturing springs, and to obtain a truly working mole trap, it is necessary to harden the wire at high temperatures.

Sometimes such independent production is limited only to finishing a standard mousetrap (or rat trap) with an adaptation for fighting moles. In more rare cases, craftsmen even make harpoon traps and scissor-shaped traps with their own hands.

In any case, making a mole trap yourself in most cases is irrational. The cost of industrial options is low, and the time spent at home making a trap will be more expensive than the money spent on a high-quality purchased device. In addition, even the simplest commercial traps are very effective - the same wire trap for 50 rubles will work just as reliably as a product that would take a whole day, or even more, to make yourself.

What to do with a caught animal?

A mole caught in a mole trap must be taken out of the area, carried away to a distance of about 1 km and released.

When freeing a captive, you need to be careful: moles have very sharp, albeit small, teeth, with which they can bite quite painfully (after all, moles are, first of all, predators). The epidemiological danger of moles has been poorly studied, and it is never possible to guarantee for sure that when an animal bites it it will not give a person some kind of bacterial “joy”.

The smartest thing to do is to take the mole out of the area directly in the mole trap, and at the place of release, simply open it and carefully shake the animal onto the ground. It is better to release the mole among thick grass or in the forest, where it has a better chance of remaining unnoticed by predators.

The release operation itself should be carried out immediately after discovery of the capture. As noted above, an extra few hours of hunger can be fatal for a mole.

Sources

• https://klopkan.ru/kroty/kak-poymat-krota-prostye-nadezhnye-i-effektivnye-sposoby/
• https://truehunter.ru/415893a-ohota-na-krota-izgotovlenie-lovushek-vyibor-primanki-sovetyi-opyitnyih-ohotnikov
• https://peschanoepans.ru/samostrel-krota-chertezh/
• https://krot911.ru/kroty/kak-izbavitsya-ot-krotov/kak-pojmat-krota-v-ogorode.html
• https://pxim.ru/krotolovka-svoimi-rukami/
• https://krot911.ru/kroty/kak-izbavitsya-ot-krotov/krotolovka-iz-plastikovyx-butylok-svoimi-rukami.html
• https://krot911.ru/kroty/kak-izbavitsya-ot-krotov/krotolovka-truba.html

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