MOLES ...argh!

[Carol Dee]

O.K. so we have lived here 30+ years. This is the 1st MOLE invasion. HELP... what do we do. I am getting some milky spore but that will not shooo them a.s.a.p.
I was upset when I saw the tunnels in front year, but they have dared to go under sidewalk to my flower bed. I have so many new lilies, etc. I want to keep them away from.

1st tunnels and hills

Along front walk

Lower edge front center, a hill I stepped on.

Did moles do this?

 

[thistlebloom]

In the meantime while you wait for the milky spore to start to be effective you can spray with the castor oil mixture made for mole repellent.
I don't have personal experience with them, but my mom battled them for a couple of decades. I don't think she ever applied the milky spore, but the castor oil mixture worked. The drawback she found to that was the expense.
Maybe if she had used the milky spore she would have nipped it in the bud?

But she was also the only person in the neighborhood who took care of her yard, so the moles had plenty of breeding grounds.

 

[Carol Dee]

Thanks @thistlebloom I am willing to try anything.

 

[Lavender2]

I had good luck with the castor oil years ago also, but it got expensive for such a large area. They would move to a different area if I didn't cover enough.

Moles don't usually eat roots, but they may uproot new plantings, or voles and mice that use the moles tunnels will eat roots and some bulbs.

For several years, my favorite weapon is the Tomcat mole trap. http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-Tomcat-Mole-Trap/dp/B00D8P28JU
Fleet Farm, Home Depot and some Walmarts have them for about the same price.

My experience - if you set it in an active tunnel, you will have a mole within 24 hours.
I get a few moles every year lately and clean them up pretty quick.

 

[Carol Dee]

Going shopping later: Mole trap(s), milky spore and castor oil.

 

[Lavender2]

If you have never hunted mole before - Go out today and look for the longish straight tunnels. Push down a spot in the tunnels with your heel and mark the 'dent' with something (stick, plastic fork, etc.) If the tunnel is pushed back up in those spots tomorrow, it's an active tunnel.

If your ground is hard, the trap may be a bit difficult to set. You can loosen the spot a little with a pitch fork or shovel, then be sure to push a deep enough 'dent' so the trap spring thingy will go down. My record trap time is 15 minutes.

 

[seedcorn]

They sell poison worms that take them out. Have u seen the mole? Voles do the same thing.

I surrender on my gravel to them. Best is mole beans as they hate them. Use to plant some on edges of garden

 

[bobm]

I have tried all of the above remedies for over 2 years will NO luck whatsoever . Never caught a single one in a trap. I never saw a ferral cat or neighbors' cats catch a single mole. I used to get lawn clippings from 6 neighbors to encourage worms to reproduce as was advised as the best and most natural and organic way to enrich one' soil..... and the worms reproduced with a vengence. the moles moved in and they reproduced with a vengence. I stopped getting the lawn clipings last fall. Come spring, moles were worm hunting all over. Then a flock of 20-30 robbins came to the rescue for about 3 weeks and had a contest as to who can eat the most worms in 5 minutes, then in an hour, then in a day. Some robbins moved on elsewhere to nesting and mating. Three pairs stayed to continue the orgy. The worm population got thinner and thinner , so the moles moved out . It has been 3 months now with no mole activity.

 

[Carol Dee]

I will try most anything. DH says we have a mole trap, someplace! I will let him set it. I tried a home remedy last night. Castor Oil and dish soap, 1 to 1. Add 3T to 1 gallon warm water and sprinkle the area. I did. Not sure if I see more tunnels today. Will sprinkle again and am getting milky spore and poison bait today. this is WAR.

 

[seedcorn]

Report back general!