Many summer residents, encountering moles for the first time, initially ignore the problem that has arisen before them. It would seem that a small number of quite cute animals on the site is a temporary phenomenon and not particularly dangerous. However, people with experience immediately correctly assess the threat: they do not even need to wait until they begin to multiply in flower beds, beds and lawns. They immediately begin to think about how to get rid of moles on the site and what is the most effective method? Perhaps you even prepared ahead of time to get rid of moles? Then this article will be interesting to them.
We will not describe in detail the inconvenience caused by moles, but will move on to the main most effective ways to get rid of moles on the site. Here the structure of the article will be built on the principle of increasing efficiency: it is in accordance with this gradation that we will move from amateur methods of exterminating moles to professional ones.
Note that those animals that have already appeared at the dacha must be destroyed. To prevent the appearance of moles on the site, it is necessary to install repellents around the entire perimeter or build special fences that moles cannot overcome.
Traps, or first methods
The first thing that almost every summer resident can think of doing is creating special devices for catching moles. Let's analyze the two most common and effective (in the context of comparison with “analogs”) options. Note that we are not talking about how to completely get rid of moles on the site, but only about how to reduce their number. Methods:
Pit
- "Pit". If you dig up a wormhole, you will find a certain “hole” in it, where you need to place a pre-prepared pan, glass jar, bucket or even a five-liter plastic bottle. It is important that the edges of this “trap” are located just below the level of the passage and are masked with rollers of earth. Also, the entire excavated area will need to be covered with light-proof material (you can use thick fabric or a regular board: there are endless options here). Accordingly, during the next “check” of the move, the mole will find itself in a trap, from which it will subsequently not be able to get out on its own.
Pipe trap
- Pipe trap . You can create a more intricate design. Take a two-liter plastic bottle, cut off the bottom and neck and replace them with valves that are made from the necks of other bottles; they should be directed towards the center of the main one. The necks must be cut lengthwise into petals about a centimeter in size; subsequently they will easily bend under the weight of the animal and let it inside, after which they will immediately return to their original position. Accordingly, the animal will no longer be able to get out. Such traps can be made not only from plastic bottles, but also from steel pipes; then the valve will need to be made analogous to a “door” that opens only in one direction. You will need to set the trap on the mole's turn; It is also important to cover it with a light-resistant material.
It is necessary to check the set trap regularly: at least once a day (preferably more often). Having discovered a mole in it, you can take it out of the way and release the animal “to the wild.” However, you need to take it out carefully: it is advisable to use special construction gloves.
An interesting point: sometimes even experienced summer residents who do not want to think about how to get rid of moles on their property and look for the most effective method use an ordinary shovel. However, we do not recommend such a technique, which involves a long “wait” for the animal to appear, due to its labor intensity and low efficiency.
On the hook
It is worth noting another simple alternative solution, which for some has a “fatal” flaw: it is quite brutal. We are talking about catching animals with fishing hooks. To do this, you will need to lay out a fishing line with several hooks (or use a fishing tee), bringing its end to the surface and attaching it to a pin or stick stuck in the ground (they must be stable). To enhance the effect, you can put a worm on the hook, and use bells as an “alarm”, hanging the latter on a pin. Accordingly, the moving mole, having caught on the hook, is literally “torn to pieces.”
pit trap
Methods of catching a mole
To catch a mole in a jar or other deep container, you need to carefully dig its underground passage and dig a hole in it at least 30-40 cm deep. Place a glass jar with a wide neck or an ordinary bucket in the resulting hole. Then the mole hole should be covered with a piece of cardboard or plywood and sprinkled with earth.
On a note!
The container for catching a mole rat must have smooth walls so that the animal cannot get out of it with the help of its powerful limbs.
When the mole follows its usual route, it will definitely fall into the hole. This method of catching a mole with a bucket is also safe for the animal.
Popular amateur methods of repelling moles
Let us immediately note that the effectiveness of using any “folk” means of fighting moles - and especially repellent ones - is in great doubt. Often, such methods, which serve as an answer to the question regarding how to get rid of moles on a site , do not lead to the desired result: even if it is possible to scare off most of the animals, a certain number of them remain as regular visitors to the summer cottage. However, trying to cover the topic as broadly as possible, we will describe the most common and rational ways to scare moles away from a site without the use of professional means; Let's do it in the form of a list:
- "Turntables." The most classic way involves creating the so-called. “pinwheels” - special “devices” that can be made from ordinary bottles or cans. All you need to do is bend the blades and install the homemade windmill on the stuck metal pin. Accordingly, at the slightest wind, the structure begins to spin and make sounds that can scare away not very brave moles. Naturally, the number of “turntables” should be quite significant, moreover, they can cause acoustic discomfort not only to animals, but also to people.
- Reed. You can stick reeds and stems into molehills, since it is believed that such a sound scares away the animals; however, the effectiveness of this technique is minimal, but it is easy to implement.
- Bottles. Another extremely simple folk method is to use ordinary glass bottles. The latter are dug into the ground at an angle of forty-five degrees - so that their necks stick out at a height of 7-8 centimeters. The wind blowing into the bottle will be “transmitted” to the ground. However, this method “works” in reality quite rarely.
Simple fishing methods
First of all, you should learn how to catch a mole in the garden with a hook. To do this, you need to dig out the discovered wormhole and put two ordinary fishing hooks, preferably three-pointed ones, into it on both sides. The hooks must be tied with wire so that the mole does not drag them underground. The animal, crawling through the hole, clings to these hooks.
A sudden blockage of the tunnel forces the mole to come out
If there are no hooks, you can use a shovel. This method appeared a long time ago, and it was used in the Gatchina menagerie. These pests always live in nurseries and flower beds, and workers have to decide how to catch moles. This method is suitable in cases where there are few individuals, but it takes time, since you will have to watch for the animals in places where they form molehills. At the moment when the mole begins to throw out the earth, it is necessary to quickly insert the shovel into the ground across the path. This blow throws the animal out.
The mole cannot navigate outside, so it will immediately try to bury itself in the ground
Using a shovel, you can catch a mole in a slightly different way. To do this, you will also have to find a fresh passage and crush the earth in it. When the mole reveals its location by the fact that the soil begins to rise again, you need to stick shovels in front and behind it, blocking the animal’s path. Using a third shovel, dig up the ground directly where the mole itself is located. There is no need to be afraid that he will run away - once on the surface, the mole ceases to navigate in space and becomes helpless.
Get rid of moles using scents
- You can put rotten fish or meat and rags doused with gasoline or kerosene in the tunnels. The most common option is to put in rotten fish heads. However, there are two disadvantages to consider. Firstly, an unpleasant odor can spread throughout the area itself and cause trouble not only for moles, but also for people. Secondly, often the “reaction” of moles to such means of struggle is not migration, but, on the contrary, the creation of even more passages.
- You can use a small container of ammonia. The latter is placed in a “hole”, after which it explodes using an ordinary firecracker. Accordingly, due to the pressure caused by the explosion, the smell spreads quite far. Of course, such a technique can hardly be called particularly “humane” (if this word can be applied to moles), since the spreading gas can negatively affect the health of animals. Another disadvantage of the method is that ammonia, being a volatile compound, disappears quite quickly.
- You can place tops of legumes or hemp in the mole tunnels, but experience suggests that this method extremely rarely leads to the results of interest.
- The most “cunning” method involves inserting carbide into the passages, which, when interacting with a liquid, is capable of releasing acetylene with a certain amount of phosphine. The last method of scaring off moles, however, can be harmful not only to animals, but also to people: extreme caution must be used here.
Signs of moles in the garden
If hills of soil are found on the site and part of the crop is eaten, do not rush to blame the mole for these problems. Before removing moles from the garden, it’s a good idea to refer to the list of animals that can create a similar picture:
• Moles only dig tunnels; plants or their roots will not be touched. If traces of eating are visible, mole holes are used by rodents.
• Note the nature of the mound near the entrance to the burrow. The mole will leave a mound in the form of a hill, similar to the crater of a volcano
The gopher will leave a mound shaped like a horseshoe. If mice are attracted to the garden, there will be no mounds or slides of soil at all, but you will find visible passages near the surface.
What does a mole eat in the garden?
The mole is the most common predator that loves to feast on insects. He will quite successfully cope with a medium-sized snake or frog or mouse if they end up in his hole. Therefore, there is no need to attribute eaten plant roots or tubers to the animal, although it is often confused with rodents. And before you fight moles in the garden, you should assess the real harm.
But if the animal has chosen your area, then it will feed there. The answer to the question of what moles eat in the garden will be the same insects. Wasps, mole crickets, flies, ants and larvae are all mole food. The problem is that earthworms are also among our favorite delicacies. And he can eat them even in winter: the temperature in the hole is higher, a musky aroma is heard, and this attracts the worm.
How to get rid of moles: semi-professional methods
Naturally, semi-professional methods of fighting will be much more effective when compared with folk methods. As a “minimum” here we can designate special means and traps that are purchased in the appropriate stores. But it is worth noting that professional extermination of moles is much more effective and has a longer-term effect.
WE RECOMMEND: To guarantee the destruction of moles on your site, we advise you to contact our professional service. We will get rid of moles with a guarantee.
Checkers
One of the classic options is the use of smoke bombs, which can destroy moles. It is quite obvious that such a method of control can hardly be called “humane”: as a result of the use of special fumigants, animals die. Special destructive agents made from calcined cyanide and aluminum phosphide are quite effective; especially if you use them in sufficient quantities.
Ultrasound
If we talk about pure repelling, we can highlight special repellents and ultrasonic generators. The latter, having a negative impact on the hearing of moles, force them to go as far as possible. This technique is especially effective if you want to anticipate a problem; for example, when moles appear on one of the neighboring plots.
The most radical method involves the destruction of the moles' main food: if you treat the area with substances that will cause snails, beetles, larvae, worms and spiders to disappear, the moles will simply lose interest in this place. However, we note that such a struggle refers to the so-called. “last resort”, since it requires serious financial expenses.
Catching moles with a shovel
This method of catching moles is as simple in principle as it is complex in implementation: a gardener with a bayonet shovel waits near the mole’s passages when the animal passes through one of the galleries close to the surface of the earth. At this moment, the ground above him rises slightly, and the movement of the animal is clearly visible. The catcher’s task is to stick the bayonet of the shovel behind the mole and quickly throw the soil with the animal itself to the surface of the earth.
It is also useful to read: Pros and cons of mole trap Cat Fedr
The main difficulties of this method:
- Usually you have to spend a lot of time before you can notice the movement of the mole along its course. As a rule, moles inspect tunnels once every few hours, but they may not visit individual branches for days at a time. So there is no guarantee that a person on duty in a certain part of the garden will wait for the animal to appear;
- In addition, the mole needs to be dug up very quickly - the animal moves underground quite quickly, and can avoid the fate of being caught if the gardener is slow.
Nevertheless, the experience of a considerable number of gardeners shows that this method is generally quite effective and widespread: many people catch moles with a shovel.
Is it worth spending your money, strength and nerves?
Getting rid of moles on your property or in a park area on your own is a difficult, unpleasant and painstaking task. The use of all kinds of baits, independently placed mole traps, and traps often turn out to be ineffective. Time is wasted, and the harm caused by these animals multiplies. A more effective way to combat moles that have appeared on the site would be to contact specialists.
If in the spring, when the first signs of the vital activity of these mammals are detected, measures are not taken to get rid of them, then in a fairly short period of time, significant damage can be caused to the design and ecology of the site. Getting rid of moles on your property in a timely manner is an important task, as these animals are rapidly increasing their population size. The number of dug molehills with characteristic mounds of fresh earth will increase progressively.
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:
- Any fish can be used, including the most inexpensive ones (in particular, herring and sprat are the most popular);
- The fish is cut into small pieces (and the same sprat may not be cut at all);
- Then the pieces of fish are left outside for several days, out of reach of pets;
- 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:
- 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);
- Technical fluids - kerosene, gasoline, turpentine, solvents (646, etc.);
- Acetic acid;
- Ammonia;
- Alphos anti-mole tablets (their active ingredient is aluminum phosphide, which releases a strong-smelling and very poisonous phosphine gas upon contact with moisture);
- Feces of domestic animals, as well as human;
- 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;
- 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...
The most effective method
Fumigants
Considering that these rodents lead an underground lifestyle, independent destruction of moles is an ineffective and complex process, which often turns into a headache for the owner of the land. In this regard, to solve the problem of unwanted underground guests, as a rule, they resort to the help of professional experts.
Pest control experts carefully examine the land plot and install special mechanical traps in different places, which are usually checked every three days until the parasites are completely removed from the cultivated land.
Repellent devices
Since it is not always possible to catch a mole, you can use various devices that will help drive it out of the territory. There are many repellent devices. They help fight shrews and moles. The simplest repellent device is a pinwheel made from a plastic bottle. In order to make this device, you will need a piece of water pipe. You also need to prepare a plastic bottle. Pieces of pipes must be driven into the ground. In this case, you need to make sure that the lower end is below the mole's passages. A pin is inserted into the top of the pipe. Its optimal diameter is 8-10 mm. The pin is fixed in the center of the pipe. To do this, use a wooden plug. A hole is burned at the bottom of the bottle. This is done using a metal pin. It is necessary to make slits on the bottle. They should be located along a continuous line. The plastic bends along the contour. There should be exactly four folds. The bottle will rotate with any blow of wind. In this case, resonance of the hollow pipe is noted, which creates noise. It has been established that moles are very afraid of him. For an area of up to 30 acres, about 10 such devices are enough.
Use of magnesium and aluminum based fumigants
Fumigants are special chemical compounds that kill harmful animals with gas released. Professionals very often use fumigants to combat moles, since they are very effective in the fight against underground rodents. In the vast majority of cases, fumigants for controlling moles are special tablets that must be placed in holes according to the official instructions for the chemical preparation. The main fumigants against moles today are Magtoxin, Phostoxin, as well as some other, less popular ones. They belong to hazard class 1 pesticides!
ATTENTION!!! According to SanPiN 1.2.2584-10 “Hygienic requirements for the safety of processes of testing, storage, transportation, sale, application, neutralization and disposal of pesticides and agrochemicals.” POINT: 2.8. All work with pesticides of hazard classes 1 and 2 , as well as the use of restricted-use pesticides, is carried out only by persons with special professional training. Involvement in carrying out work using pesticides of persons who have not been trained in the safe handling of these products is not permitted.
Why fumigation is the best method
Let's look at the use of a fumigant using the example of the drug Phostoxin and Magtoxin for moles:
- Under the influence of moisture, poisonous phosphine tablets will begin to decompose, and after some time the active substance will begin to react with water. This will lead to the appearance of gas, which is extremely toxic for moles.
- By inhaling such a gas, the animal will receive severe poisoning, which leads to the instant death of the mole.
- When using a chemical, it is imperative to follow safety precautions, since if used incorrectly, this drug can pose a danger not only to moles, but also to people.
Fumigants based on aluminum and magnesium have excellent activity. They quickly and easily penetrate the soil. The active substance of such drugs effectively destroys adult moles and their offspring. The effectiveness of such drugs has been proven more than once. This is the best way to get rid of moles on the site.
It is worth noting that magnesium-based fumigants decompose much faster than products that contain aluminum phosphide. The maximum concentration of the isolated active substance in chemicals with magnesium is achieved after 24–36 hours. For comparison, over a similar time period and under the same conditions (temperature 20 ° C and humidity 60%), products based on aluminum phosphide release approximately 72% of hydrogen phosphide, while magnesium phosphide is released almost completely.
Contacting the professionals of our company has a number of advantages:
- specialists work any day of the week, they will come to your site upon request;
- For their work, they use environmentally friendly preparations, as well as proven methods of catching moles
- guarantee of high-quality work and the absence of moles in the near future;
- the highest degree of safety for trees and plants growing on the site, pets and people.
How to catch moles?
Catching moles is the most effective and safe way to control animals, both for humans and for the pest itself. Although gardeners more often resort to using deterrents, unlike catching a mammal, they do not guarantee that it will return soon.
In addition, in large areas, smart pests simply move to the most remote corners and continue to dig holes, or run away for a short time to neighbors. But by using special traps, you can catch many mole rats, which will either significantly reduce the population or even reduce their numbers to zero.
This method is considered more humane than baiting with poison, smoking with gas or pouring water into holes. After all, a caught blind animal can be released somewhere far from the dacha plots, saving its life and your conscience.
Let's celebrate! In addition, there are a lot of traps for diggers, and they are very easy to use, which gives additional positive features to the method of catching a mole.
Odorous liquids and substances
Such means are unlikely to help catch the animal; rather, they are used to scare it away. The effectiveness of this method lies in the fact that a blind animal has a highly developed sense of smell, so when it smells an intolerable smell, it is simply forced to flee from the area.
- To use such liquids and substances, holes are made in holes freshly dug by moles with a drill or a sharp stick, into which 50-60 grams of the prepared liquid are then poured.
- It is not necessary to buy a special preparation; you can use a simple emulsion based on kerosene and fuel oil in proportions 1:2.
- Often shag, tobacco, limestone chloride and naphthalene are poured into holes, as they have a pungent and persistent odor.
Mole traps
The classic pipe-trap for a digger does not have any tricks in its design: for its manufacture they use an ordinary plastic or metal pipe with a diameter of 10-12 cm, both ends of the pipe are equipped with doors on the top hinges.
Such doors allow the animal to get inside, but they cannot be opened from there, so the animal is left without a way out. Such mole traps are called Solomon's traps.
Installing such a pipe-trap is quite simple; it is simply placed in one of the mole’s freshly dug tunnels. A blind animal, while moving through molehills, easily passes through the door, but can no longer get out, since it falls down under its own weight and blocks the exit. The pest following behind will again easily enter the trap and be forced to keep company with the first prisoner.
The cost of such a trap is very reasonable, because 200 rubles is not such a big price to pay for the humane capture of a digger.
Good to know! At the same time, you can assemble a mole trap of this type yourself, simply by selecting a suitable piece of pipe and making holes in it for the doors and stopper. The easiest way is to make the door itself higher than the pipe passage (in fact, oval-shaped), and hang it on a hinge inclined inward.
How to catch a mole in a hole?
Here you will need the simplest available materials and ingenuity.
The principle of such a trap is quite simple:
- In the tunnel dug by the mole, a hole of the required depth is dug, where an object is placed, into which the mole rat will fall and will not get out.
- For such purposes, old pots, buckets, glass jars or bulky plastic bottles are often used.
- A hole is dug along the lower level of the passage dug by the animal, and the place outside the tunnel is closed from light.
- The mole moves along familiar paths and falls into an installed container, where it can only wait until it is freed.
- Often bait is placed at the bottom of such a trap vessel so that the animal is willing to catch it. Worms are usually used, because they are considered a favorite treat for the mole.
How to catch a mole with a shovel?
This fishing method, although simple in principle, requires special skills to perform:
- The catcher, armed with a bayonet shovel, waits for the animal near its passages.
- When a mole moves along the track guides, the ground above it rises slightly, so it is quite easy to calculate it at the moment of movement.
- The gardener must stick the shovel behind the animal in time and throw it away with the tool along with the soil.
At first glance, the method is quite simple, but it has some nuances:
- Sometimes you have to wait quite a long time for the animal, so most people simply abandon the idea of catching it without waiting for the right moment to catch the mole rat.
- In addition, small mammals move quite quickly underground, so there is a chance of missing the animal’s movement or maneuvering too late, which will give the mole a chance to escape.
- However, summer residents often manage to catch a digger, so the method is one of the most effective among others.
Fishing gear against moles
This method of catching a mole is hardly humane, since the animal is damaged during capture.
The principle of using fishing gear to catch a pest is quite simple:
- Worms are hooked onto large fishing hooks and buried in the passages dug by the animal.
- The mole rat, sensing the smell of its favorite food, immediately heads towards it, but at the moment of swallowing the bait it gets caught on the sharp edge of the gear and can no longer escape.
- A fishing line is usually tied to the hook, the opposite edge of which leads to a bell or other signaling device, which gives the catcher a sign that the prey has been caught.
- The gardener digs up the caught mole and that’s it - the job is done.
Let's celebrate! At the moment of being caught on a fishing tackle, the sharp end of the hook tears the animal’s throat and it soon dies. Therefore, it is worth noting that this method of catching is in no way inferior to trapping in a pit, so it is better to abandon such killing.
Means that kill moles upon capture, mole traps
The most terrible type of catching a pest, since at the moment of capture the animal either dies immediately or suffers and dies from pain.
Lethal traps:
- Plunger trap - a device is dug over one of the animal’s passages, launching a special guard into the very opening of the tunnel. When an animal passes near the guardhouse, clamps on a powerful spring react, which, when instantly compressed, crush the mole. The animal dies for a long time and in agony.
- Harpoon trap - a structure is placed above the tunnel with a guard facing the passage, which, in response to a pest, turns on the mechanism for launching harpoons. When the knitting needles enter the mole's body, it dies slowly and painfully.
- Crushes are ordinary mousetraps or special devices on which bait is placed. When the mole approaches the food, the springs react and squeeze the mammals.
- Wire mole traps are traps similar in appearance to traps that bring painful death to mole rats when caught.
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.
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
1. Take a 1.5 liter plastic bottle. You shouldn’t take less, as a large mole will get stuck. More is also not recommended - on the contrary, there is too much room for maneuver. 2
The throat or bottom should be cut off. It doesn’t matter which side is cut; it is important that the other side forms a dead end. 3. You will need another plastic bottle of the same volume
She will be a “blockage” for the mole. The bottom and the hard part on which the lid is screwed are cut off. Important! The neck remains. 4. The former neck of the second bottle is cut into “petals”. To do this, 10 longitudinal cuts are made, 3–4 cm long, right up to the transition from the funnel to the flat part of the bottle. 5. Both bottles are connected using tape. The narrow part of the second plastic bottle is placed in the open passage of the first.
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.
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.