Get a Hav-a-hart trap, bait and wait. Put it near their feeding areas and disguise it. When you catch one, you will have to kill it or it will come right back.

In our state, it is illegal to move critters off your own property to set them loose where they will be a problem to others or transmit pests and/or diseases.

Have a heart and then kill it, lol. Great oxymoron!

I looked online today and found an article that said my main choices are chopping the mole in half, choking it to death, or impaling it like a mole-kabob. Seems like choking would create the least amount of mess. Geez Louise!

I have them too. They make their tunnels throughout my gardens. I believe they eat worms and grubs not roots/plants. I was really worried when I first noticed them because they tunnel right up next to my roses and perennials' root zones. Since they haven't harmed my plants I decided to just let them be. I wouldn't have the heart to kill them anyway. I've also heard some say they are actually good for the soil.

In the past I had the same attitude. They usually moved on after a while, but this year is different. If they were digging in the lawn it wouldn't be a big deal, but they're in my garden and flower beds. I don't care if they eat grubs, but I don't want them eating my earthworms.

My yard looks like a war zone with all the mole runs and piles of dirt.....then I mow and have black paths where the runs are! I hate 'em! I don't try to control them. It would involve killing all grubs and who knows what else the poison would kill. They will harm flowers by tunneling under and leaving an underground cavity where the roots can't touch soil and often will wilt and die unless
you stomp the ground down around them and water well.

I have finally learned to accept Mother Nature....except I did put out traps for the Japanese Beetles. Maybe the moles will eat the grub stage of them! Integrated Pest Management at Work!

hi,

i'm an organic grower and would suggest trying nemotodes. the moles are after food, if you erradicate the source of food, it stands to reason the moles would leave too.

i only wish it was a easy to deter voles -- my arch nemesis -- grrrrrrrr :(

You problem is most likely Voles and not Moles. Voles are vegetarians and are the cause of destructive root damage of many plants. Moles are carnivorous, and eat grubs and worms. They will never eat enough earthworms in you garden to cause a problem. Both of these rodents tunnel.

When I was growing commercially and had to overwinter thousands of perennials, baiting for rodent (Vole) control was a must. There is some controversy to baiting. Some are concerned that a Fox, Owl, or Bird of Prey will catch the poisoned rodent and get sick or die. My observations has been that once a rodent enters a covered bed, they donÂt leave. They are protected from the elements, and have all the food they could ever want. One year, I forgot to bait my last ground bed. When I uncovered in the spring, 1,300 plants from my stock were gone.

I make my traps out of 1 ft long, 1½" PVC pipe. I put an elbow on each end. You will need to remove this elbow to put in your bait, so donÂt permanently seal it. Use the block bait only. Pellets can fall out too easily. Once the vole takes the bait they will go down into their hole to die.

Many people would come to me with concerns about the damage being done to their gardens. They all thought it was moles. I would send them home with a trap and bait and tell them to hide it under some black plastic, and if the trap was empty in a couple of days then that was a sign that the problem was voles.

Here is a link that might be useful: Article about Voles

Herblady - good article! I too have voles. My first Spring, my lawns were thick with the little holes and piles of earth!! Yikes! Fortunately, my cats are hunters, and have thinned their numbers. I probably would not want to poison, I'd be too worried the cats would get one, and I'm far too squeamish to kill one myself.

Nancy.

well, i've found that protecting my plant's roots (with chicken wire or hardware cloth) works the best. i do try to eleminate voles, but i also protect my plants.

what ever pest you have natal, i hope you're able to garden in harmony with it.

joyce