Learning How To Catch A Mole

By Deborah Morris


There's nothing worse than going outside and observing the once beautiful lawn that existed, has now become an underground amusement park to a homeowner's most destructive pest. This little critter, known as a mole, can tear up the most fertile of lawns. Even though it is tiny, it sure can do a lot of damage. Many homeowners want to know how to catch a mole and get rid of it for good.

Moles can be very quick when it comes to building tunnels. They can be caught by either trapping it and killing it, or by nicer methods. This is usually done by using traps or certain repellents. One should be on the look out for activity in the early morning hours because they are usually very active at that time.

One must know how to recognize the tunnels. Look for mounds of earth that are on top of the grass or flower bed areas. Pat the soil down by stepping on it, making sure it becomes level with the ground soil. By the next day, if this same soil is raised instead of flattened, it means that the varmint is still active and on the run.

Now, if one decides to use the trap method, make sure to dig a whole that is a little bit wider than that of the trap diameter in a specific section. Choosing a spot that is at least 18 inches away from one of the dirt mounds is best. Look to see if the tunnel is about 8 inches below the surface. Try locating a deeper tunnel by taking a stick and pushing it into the ground. If the soil collapses, there may be a deeper tunnel present.

Simply set the trap by making a mound of dirt in the center of a hole and place the trap on it. The mole will assume that the tunnel is blocked and start digging. This immediately sets the trap off. One must make sure that the pan trigger is set to press against the mound of soil in order to set correctly.

To prevent light from penetrating the tunnel, sprinkle some soil on top of the trap whereas not to alert the mole that something is wrong. Perform daily checks to see if the pest was caught. If so, it would be good to wear something with long sleeves as well as gloves to protect oneself. If tunnels keep reappearing however, it just may be good to move the trap elsewhere.

Another method would to just simply create a repellent. This can be done by combining Castor oil, liquid dish detergent, and mixing them with a gallon of water. Once mixed, fill a spray bottle with the mixture.

Spray major tunnels and areas where the pests generally like to hang out. This may be a better solution for those who are concerned about having dangerous chemicals around their children or pets. The whole situation can be frustrating, but the problem can be rectified in a matter of days.




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