How to get rid of moles in the garden

Moles are small mammals that spend almost their entire lives underground in self-built tunnels that can reach up to 40 feet in depth. These creatures are generally thought of as garden helpers rather than pests and this is thanks to their diet. While moles do mainly consume earthworms – which are very helpful in the garden – they do also get rid of a lot of caterpillar larvae, moth larvae and wireworms (the larvae of click beetles). Moles capture prey within their tunnels which can reach up to 200 metres in length overall. The tunnels themselves can also be beneficial in the garden as they help with soil aeration and drainage.

However, moles do have the annoying habit of piling up the soil from their tunnels into little mounds of earth – and they also seem to prefer to do so in grassy areas like lawns. But the most irritating thing that moles do is to disturb seedlings and freshly planted crops in the vegetable patch as they will simply cut through any roots that come in their path.

If you have moles that are fairly discreet, simply rake down the mole hills – after all, there's no guarantee that you'll win the battle against them anyway! Otherwise, you'll have to set about attempting to deter them or eliminate them from the garden.

Mole deterrents, whether you go for a home-made solution or a shop-bought product, don't work 100% of the time. Some seem to do a decent job in some situations while others appear to be completely ineffective. Everyone will have a different experience.

Natural mole repellents

Repelling moles – even if they just end up in your neighbour's garden instead – is the best option for anyone keen to protect animals and the environment. The most common way to deter moles is by using plants known for their repellent effect including alliums like garlic and onion, and flowering bulbs like hyacinth, fritallaries and daffodils. The smell emitted by the bulb in the soil is highly unpleasant to moles. Another example of a repellent plant is caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) which is sometimes referred to as mole plant.

However, even if these plants do work, the effect would only protect the area immediately surrounding the plant. Alternatively, you can insert mole-repelling materials directly into mole tunnels – but this tends to have mixed results. Some examples include:

• elderberry tea;

• Dippel's oil (or bone oil);

• human hair collected from the local hairdresser.

Smoke bombs and other mole repellents

• Smoke bombs can be quite effective but you do need to use a fair mount of product to see results. It's also worth noting that the smoke can also be harmful for the soil and the environment in general.

• Cloths or cotton can be soaked in ammonia and inserted into mole tunnels.

• Moth balls can be placed on several mole hills.

Ultrasonic and vibrating mole repellers

There are plenty of vibrating or ultrasonic mole repellers on the market with each varying in terms of cost and efficacy. These devices work by sending out vibrations or ultrasonic waves in the soil to deter moles. They can cover areas of several hundred square metres (depending on soil type) and can be powered by rechargeable batteries or solar power.

Based around the same concept, some gardeners plant metal stakes in the ground and attach glass or plastic bottles to the stakes. The idea is that the bottle will knock against the stake in the wind and create vibrations in the soil.

Flooding a mole tunnel will achieve absolutely nothing beyond wasting water and time.

Similarly, placing broken glass or thorny branches in a mole tunnel is pointless. The idea is that the broken glass or thorns will injure the mole and make them bleed to death. This method, in addition to being inhumane, is based on the entirely false misconception that moles are haemophiliac.

Lethal mole traps

There are several different types of mole traps on the market including claw or scissor-style traps and tunnel traps. These traps are easy to set up and effective. They feature a basic mechanism and have been used for centuries to keep moles at bay.

A reliable and inexpensive option,these traps feature a strong spring which holds open a pair of setting levers. When the mole comes across the trap, the levers are triggered and will close on the mole.

1. Locate a freshly buried molehill and level it down to the ground.

2. Use a shovel to dig out a square-shaped hole of about 40 cm around the molehill.

3. Remove the soil clump and you should uncover a tunnel with holes on each side.

4. Separate the levers of the trap using pliers and set the metal catch in place to keep the levers open.

5. Place the trap with the opening facing downwards in the tunnel.

6. Repeat the process for the other side of the tunnel.

7. Put the soil back in place but don't pack it down – the air current produced will attract the mole back to the spot to fill in the hole.

Safety precautions

• Wear gloves to stop the trap and soil from smelling like you as moles have a highly developed sense of smell.

• Use a rusted trap if possible as the setting lever on new traps tends to slide out of place. In addition, the smell of the new metal can make moles wary.

• You should always set up two traps, one on each side of the tunnel, as you never know which side of the tunnel the mole will use.

A recent addition to the market, these traps exploit the natural instinct moles have to tenaciously fill in any empty holes that they detect. Moles locate these holes through the air that rushes through the openings (which they cannot bear to leave unfilled). The mole will step on the trigger setting off a firecracker, the impact of which will kill the animal instantly.

A firecracker trap is effective but dangerous. Accidents do happen and these traps can cause serious hand injuries.

The most environmentally friendly and humane way to get rid of moles is to capture the moles in a live trap and release them in an area where they won't interfere with any human activities.

These traps feature a cylinder-shaped compartment where the moles are captured. However, they aren't always effective. It's also worth bearing in mind that other animals can die in these traps.

However, taking on moles is an endless task. Even if you manage to get rid of moles for a time, they usually won't be gone for long. And bear in mind that more moles are never far off – one mole can produce an average of six young per year...!