Mole Damage – What to Do?

Throughout Maine Extension Offices have been fielding calls about something digging up the lawn and leaving unsightly mounds.  There are two common species of moles found in Maine the Star-nosed and Hairy-tailed types.  Moles are often confused with meadow mice (voles) which also form tunnels under the snow. 

Moles are not rodents, but are members of the order Insectivora. Moles dig runways to search for food, provide protection from predators and create space for resting and breeding.  Their diets consist mainly of earthworms, grubs, beetles and insect larvae that they find in the soil. Spending half their time searching for something to eat, moles can cover a substantial distance each day.   One day they may be in your yard, tomorrow they may be in your neighbors yard.

As a result, when large populations of moles invade a lawn, all control measures are short-term and partial. Trapping is the most effective and practical method of controlling moles. Gassing is normally ineffective due to the numerous burrows and escape openings.  Because moles feed on a variety of other invertebrates, not just grubs, applying insecticides to kill grubs in a lawn in the hopes of depriving the moles of their food supply is not generally effective. 

Baits seldom work as moles normally do not eat grain-based food. Electronic, magnetic and vibration devices do not have research to support their effectiveness. Other measures (including home-made remedies such as placing broken bottles, razor blades, bleach or other foreign objects in the tunnel will not work and may harm the environment or family pets.  There’s no evidence that electronic or ultrasonic devices or planting borders of marigolds or the so-called “mole plant” will keep moles from your lawn.

Peaceful coexistence may be the best strategy for dealing with moles.  Mole activity should subside later in the spring once the ground dries out.  In the mean time, continue to press down the ridges and mounds by stepping on them and tramping down firmly.

Source: Roberts, J. and V. Hast, 2001, Moles in Home Lawns, University of New Hampshire, Family, Home & Garden Education Center, http://extension.unh.edu/Pubs/HGPubs/molelawn.pdf accessed May 12, 2008.

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