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Moles are interesting looking creatures who are virtually blind and very good at digging. In fact, some people even keep them as pets! Of course, when you go into your yard in the morning and find that they’ve been through the yard and left a dozen or more mud piles, you may not think they are quite so cute. Believe it or not, moles can actually carry the rabies virus, which is not safe for your family or pets that you might have in the yard. A greater concern is the damage they do to your lawn, the tunnels they create just under soil level damage the root structure of the grass and other plants. You may see a dozen molehills but you’ll see more damage days later as your grass starts to die so that’s why it’s a good idea to find out more about your local pest control and get the mole issue stopped quickly. While professional help is the most effective and generally fastest solution, there are a few home remedies to get rid of moles in your yard that you can try yourself!
Mole Traps
This is the best way of capturing and killing the mole and will ensure they don’t return to your yard. You can pick up a mole trap at your local store, there’s a choice between above ground and below ground traps, both are effective. It’s best to follow the instructions given by the manufacturer when setting up the trap and to position the trap close to a recent place of activity. After that, you’ll need patience and to check the traps regularly. It’s worth noting that a mole is a similar size to a mouse, you can use mouse traps baited with worms to catch and kill them.
Planting
Moles are not very keen on plants like marigolds, daffodils, and fritillarias. Planting these around the perimeter of your garden can help to keep moles from entering in the first place. You can also plant castor bean plants but the beans are poisonous to humans and pets as well as moles.
Gas
In general, this is something that is best done by a professional. If doing it yourself you should only ever use dry ice. You’ll need to find an active mole tunnel. This means covering the molehills and seeing which one is uncovered the next day. Drop your rodent smoke bomb into the hole and cover the top again. The rodent gas bomb will fill the tunnel and kill the moles, you may even see signs of it coming out at a different, but connected molehill. You can repeat this until all the moles are gone.
Castor Oil
Mix 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap with 6 ounces of castor oil and a gallon of water. Stir it vigorously and then put it into a spray bottle. You can cover the entire lawn every few days or simply target the areas where you know the moles are active. It will kill them. Trying to eliminate the issue yourself is a good starting point but it’s always worth contacting the professionals to finish the job.
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