Why DIY Mole Removal Doesn’t Work

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The internet has many how-to articles for DIY solutions to common problems. You can find thousands of tips, tricks, and strategies that promise quick solutions without involving the experts. Some of this advice is useful, but a lot is just noise. DIY mole removal strategies fall into the latter category.

Eastern ground moles are small, annoying pests that live mainly in the Eastern United States. They spend most of their lives underground, and once they have made a home in your yard or garden, they can cause serious damage. Many homeowners will turn to the internet for ideas on how to get rid of moles in their yards. However, these DIY mole removal strategies are usually ineffective. Many methods are untested by experts, and the results found online are based on anecdotal evidence, rather than scientific fact.

In this blog, we’ll cover the top DIY mole removal strategies, and why they don’t work. Read on so you don’t waste time and money trying ineffective mole removal methods. Then, we’ll cover what you should do instead if you have a ground mole problem.

Sound Repellents

Garden centers carry many types of sonic ground mole repellents. These battery-powered devices are stuck into your lawn, and supposedly emit a high-pitched frequency or vibration that frightens moles away from your property. The advertising on these products claims that the noise will be so annoying to the moles that they will leave your yard and find somewhere quieter to dig their tunnels.

However, the evidence to support these products is anecdotal, at best. Experts have not tested sound repellents as a mole removal strategy. What may often occur is a simple coincidence, where a homeowner places a sound repellent in their yard and the mole simply moves to a different part of their territory. Moles will travel throughout their designated territory as food becomes available, so it may be that they were not necessarily “repelled” by the sound, but simply wandered off looking for more food.

Castor or Peppermint Oil

A common DIY mole removal strategy is to soak cotton balls in castor or peppermint oil and place them at the entrances to mole tunnels. Supposedly, the oils are toxic to moles and can hurt them, but the evidence supporting this claim is shoddy at best.

While these oils can make moles sick if ingested, the moles are more likely to simply ignore the cotton balls. Soil can block scents from traveling, and as the moles dig deeper underground, they won’t necessarily notice that you’ve added something to their tunnels. If they do get close, they can simply avoid the smell and dig elsewhere.

Blocking Tunnels

Moles spend almost the entirety of their lives digging tunnels to find food. A common DIY mole removal method is to block the entrances of their tunnels with dirt or pieces of wood to make them leave your property. The conventional wisdom goes that moles will get sick of having to dig more tunnels than necessary and dig elsewhere to establish a territory that is less work for them.

However, blocking tunnels is more likely to just make the moles dig more tunnels around the obstruction, which ruins your yard faster and can cause more problems. This DIY mole removal strategy may inadvertently make your mole problem worse.

Reducing Food Sources

The Eastern Ground Mole’s primary food sources are grubs and earthworms. Some DIY mole removal strategies include using beneficial nematodes or other natural methods of grub control to reduce their food sources. The ideology behind this method is that if there isn’t enough food for a mole to eat in their chosen territory, they will move somewhere else where there is enough food.

However, while moles do prefer grubs, they will eat just about any insect they can find. Unless you’re able to drastically reduce the insect, grub, and worm populations in your yard without killing your plants, you probably won’t make enough of a dent in the mole’s food source to encourage it to find somewhere else to hunt.

Baits

Mole bait is a poison that is shaped like a grub or an earthworm, the mole’s favorite food source. Mole baits are effective at killing moles, however, getting them to eat them is the biggest problem with this DIY mole removal strategy. Unless the bait is placed directly in the path of the mole, they may not find it with as much as they tunnel, even if you place it at the entrance of the tunnel.

Another reason why this method may be ineffective is its risk factor. These baits are also toxic to dogs, cats, and other animals, and may cause a problem if ingested by the wrong animal. It’s best to avoid using bait at all costs, as the risks can outweigh the benefits.

Noxious Flowers

Finally, a common DIY mole repellent strategy involves the use of plants or flowers that moles find repulsive. Marigolds and other flowers supposedly are noxious to moles and planting a border of them around your garden may discourage moles from digging into your yard in the first place. However, evidence of the effectiveness of these flowers in repelling existing moles is inconclusive.

What Can I Do to Remove Moles?

If this list has you discouraged, you don’t need to worry. The best and most effective way to remove ground moles in your yard is to have them trapped and killed by expert pest removal services. Trap Your Moles has been trapping moles and other wildlife pests in the Cincinnati area for years. We are dedicated and thorough, so you don’t have to worry about the moles coming back once we’ve removed them.

If you’re struggling with moles in your yard, get in touch with us today and we’ll come to your property to do an inspection. We can then work with you to determine the best strategy to trap and kill the moles, so you don’t have to struggle with ineffective DIY mole removal solutions that waste your time and money.

Signs of Chipmunk Damage

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If you live anywhere in the Eastern half of the United States, you’ve seen chipmunks around. The tiny, striped critters belong to the squirrel family, and although they may be cute, they can be a nuisance. They can also cause serious damage to your property if they’re left unchecked. But how do you recognize signs of chipmunk damage?

Chipmunks multiply quickly, and they spend most of their time burrowing underground and foraging for food. One or two chipmunks might seem like cute visitors in your yard, but once they start to breed, their numbers can quickly get out of control. Their destructive nature can cause damage to your yard, structures on your property, and your garden.

If you’ve seen chipmunks around your yard, and you think you might have a problem, keep reading for our top signs of chipmunk damage.

Holes

The biggest sign you have chipmunk damage is the presence of the holes they leave behind in your yard. Chipmunks spend most of their time on the ground or burrowing underground, and they can tunnel quite extensively. Chipmunk tunnels can stretch between 10 and 30 feet long, and can extend to 3 feet underground. The entrances to the tunnels may be difficult to spot unless you have a lot of them.

The entrances and exits to chipmunk burrows are small holes between 2-3 inches in diameter. You won’t see any piles of soil around the hole, just the hole itself. In addition to the holes, you may also see damage from their tunnel systems along the foundation of your home or other structures on your property. They like to burrow close to trees, shrubs, or other structures for protection from predators, and your home falls into that category.

Chipmunk tunnels can also disrupt sidewalks, patios, and retention walls. Anywhere that they have burrowed, they will weaken the ground underneath the structure. If it becomes too weak, the structure can cave in on itself or become damaged.

Piles of Food

Another sign you may have an infestation of chipmunks in your yard is the presence of food piles. Especially close to winter, chipmunks will stockpile seeds, nuts, and grains in hidden areas so they can access them easily.

Chipmunks don’t hibernate in the winter, although they do enter a deep sleep state for long periods of time. They will wake up periodically to eat from their food stores before going back to sleep. You might notice signs of these stockpiles in your flowerpots, flowerbeds, or other spots in your garden.

Uprooted Bulbs

While chipmunks mainly eat nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and berries, part of their diet also consists of plant bulbs. If you have a garden full of plants, they may be in trouble with a chipmunk infestation. One of the first signs you have unwanted visitors in your yard will be that you find the bulbs of your flowers and other plants uprooted and chewed on.

Ruined Plants/Garden

Chipmunks will also eat vegetables and fruit, so if you have a small garden, watch out! One of the other major signs of chipmunk damage is a chewed-up garden. An infestation of chipmunks will lead to a ruined garden quickly, especially if the chipmunks multiply out of control.

Tracks or Scat

Finally, if chipmunks have managed to evade your sight, you may notice other signs they have made a home in your yard. At the entrances to their tunnels or nearby their food sources, check the ground carefully. Chipmunk tracks are tiny, with 4 front toes and 5 hind toes. You may also see chipmunk scat around as well. Their droppings are small and resemble rat or mouse droppings, which appear like tiny, oblong pellets that taper on the ends. The droppings are no bigger than a centimeter in length, so they can be easily missed if you’re not looking carefully.

How Do I Get Rid of Chipmunks?

Once you’ve determined that you have a chipmunk problem, they aren’t likely to go away on their own. If chipmunks have decided that your yard is safe and has enough food for them, it’s difficult to get them to move on. We always recommend calling expert wildlife trappers, such as Trap Your Moles, to trap and remove chipmunks from your property. However, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent the chipmunks from causing as much damage to your yard until you can get rid of them with the help of professionals.

Protect Your Foundation

The biggest threat that chipmunks provide to homeowners is the chance of a ruined foundation due to chipmunk burrows. You can purchase L-shaped guards to put around the edges of your foundation. These guards are designed to prevent dogs from digging up fences, but they can also work to deter chipmunks from tunneling underneath your foundation.

Protect Your Plant Bulbs

If chipmunks are chomping on your flower bulbs, you can plant them underneath wire mesh covers to deter chipmunks from digging. Make sure the opening is large enough for the plant to sprout through but small enough that chipmunks won’t be able to dig them up.

Call the Expert Chipmunk Trappers at the First Signs of Chipmunk Damage

Preventive strategies will only go so far if you have a chipmunk problem. The best way to get rid of chipmunks for good is to call in the experts with Trap Your Moles. We trap pest wildlife like moles and chipmunks so you can get your yard back from their damage. Get in touch with us today to set up your pest removal.

All About the Eastern Ground Mole

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If you’ve ever walked outside and felt dread at the sight of dirt mounds and dead grass, then you’ve likely encountered the Eastern Ground Mole. Small, furry, and destructive, the Eastern Ground Mole is native to Cincinnati and the eastern half of the United States. It tunnels in yards everywhere, and no homeowner is safe from a potential mole infestation.

Luckily, professional mole trapping services like Trap Your Moles are experts in trapping these pesky critters. But what exactly are they? What are their habits? What do they like to eat? And why did they choose your yard instead of your neighbor’s?

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the Eastern Ground Mole, then this blog is your perfect opportunity. After all, knowing the enemy is the key to winning the war against moles. Read on to learn about the Eastern Ground Mole.

Physical Description

Eastern Ground Moles are small mammals with a body length of approximately 6.3 inches (16 centimeters). They have soft, gray-brown fur and an elongated, potato-shaped body. The mole’s defining characteristics are its large front feet with shovel-like claws for digging, its pointed snout, and its lack of visible eyes and ears.

Moles are mostly blind, but their fused eyes can sense light and dark. Their hearing is fairly sharp, however. They also have a short, thick tail that they use almost like a backup camera. The tail is covered in fur, and they use their sense of touch as they crawl backward through tunnels.

The Eastern Ground Mole may look like mice or rats, but it doesn’t belong to the rodent family. Moles are more closely related to bats and belong to a classification of mammals called insectivores.

Diet

Being insectivores, Eastern Ground Moles primarily eat insects, although their favorite food is earthworms. Worms, grubs, and larvae of other insects are typically all on the menu for Eastern Ground Moles. They’re voracious eaters, consuming between 25-50% of their body weight in food per day!

Contrary to popular belief, moles typically don’t eat much vegetation. Their tunnels can uproot gardens and other plant life, but they’re not the critters usually found snacking on your vegetables or flowers.

Habitat

Eastern Ground Moles spend most of their lives underground, and they can be found all throughout the eastern United States, Canada, and Mexico. They have the largest habitat distribution of any mole subspecies. They tend to favor soft, loamy soils in moist areas, which makes their digging easier.

They dig both shallow and deep tunnels, which are used for different purposes. Shallow tunnels are for foraging for food, while the deeper tunnels are living spaces.

Breeding

Eastern Ground Moles are typically solitary creatures, but they come together to breed in late winter or early spring, with litters of between two to five young being born between April and June. The gestation period is around 45 days, and the baby moles mature and leave their mother after about a month.

Behavior

Eastern Ground Moles spend the majority of their time digging tunnels to find food. They’re active all day long and all year round, but usually are the most active in the mornings and evenings and are more noticeable in the warmer months. Moles do not hibernate during the winter, however. Instead, they burrow deeper underground, where the soil is less likely to be stiff or frozen from the cold.

Digging deeper down, however, means less oxygen. Eastern Ground Moles have specialized red blood cells that are able to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide, so they can survive with lower oxygen levels than other species.

Mole tunnels tend to follow manmade structures, like fences or the foundation of a house. As they dig, Eastern Ground Moles push dirt up to the surface in mounds called molehills. Their shallow tunnels disrupt the root systems of grasses and other plants, as well, as leaving dead patches of grass and plants in their wake.

These tunnels aren’t simply destructive. Moles are quite crafty with their tunnels, building specialized chambers in their tunnels for sleeping, breeding, and raising young. The tunnels can also be used as traps for their prey. Moles can dig new burrows at a rate of up to 18 feet per hour, which means your yard could be home to a network of mole tunnels within a few mere weeks.

Do I need Eastern Ground Mole Trapping Services?

So now you know a little bit more about Eastern Ground Moles. But how do you know if you have a mole problem that needs a professional?

Mole damage can be subtle at first, but it will become more obvious over time as the moles continue digging. We rounded up all the top signs that you need mole trapping services here, but here’s a brief overview:

  • Small piles of dirt strewn throughout your lawn, otherwise known as molehills.
  • Dead patches of yellow or brown grass, usually in a line following the path of a tunnel.
  • Raised lines of dirt just under your lawn, following the path of a tunnel.
  • Uprooted plants, especially in gardens or up close to the foundation of your house.
  • Visible tunnel entrances in the ground.
  • In severe cases, uneven sidewalks or driveways, as moles tunnel underneath the concrete. The ground below can become unstable and make your pathways unsafe to walk on.
  • You see moles! This is more likely if you have outdoor pets that hunt, but you still may be able to see the small, furry bodies digging at the entrance of their tunnels.

If you notice any of these signs, time is of the essence. The Eastern Ground Mole can be dealt with, but the most effective method of removing them from your yard and your life is to trap them. Trap Your Moles has been serving Cincinnati and the Tri-State area for years. Our mole-trapping experts are always ready to help you take back your yard. Get in touch with us today to set up your first consultation appointment.

Top Signs of Mole Damage in Your Yard

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The eastern ground mole lurks underground in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, looking for its new home. Once it finds a hospitable yard full of its favorite foods, it’s likely to stick around. In fact, once moles have made their home in your yard, they aren’t likely to leave on their own. Instead, you’ll need to have them removed before the mole damage problem gets worse.

Mole damage can be widespread and severe, including collapsed above-ground pools, broken driveways, and more. As the moles reproduce, their damage increases, costing you more money in repairs and making your yard an eyesore.

The best way to get rid of moles is to know the early signs of mole damage, so you can act fast. Read our handy guide below for the most common signs of mole damage, so you know what to look for.

Dead or Dying Patches of Grass

Did your lawn suddenly change from lush and green to dry, damaged, and patchy? If so, this could be a sign of mole damage.

Moles dig tunnels underneath your grass, disrupting the root systems and topsoil underneath your lawn. With the roots disrupted, the lawn on top of the surface dies, leading to uneven brown patches along the tunnel’s path.

Look carefully at your lawn if you notice dead patches. A small, concentrated area may not be a sign of moles. But if you have dead patches of grass in multiple areas or in what appears to be a direct tunnel path, you may be dealing with a mole infestation.

Visible Tunnels on the Surface

Along with dead patches of grass, you may notice raised tunnels as a sign of mole damage. Moles uproot plants and grass as they dig just below the surface. Your lawn may appear raised or bumpy along these paths.

You can also use visible tunnels to determine the severity of a potential mole damage problem. Moles tend to dig more tunnels rather than using the same ones. So, you’ll notice an increase in the raised tunnels and dead grass as the moles multiply and expand their territory. More tunnels mean more moles, so you’d want to act quickly to eliminate them before the problem gets any worse.

Molehills or Mounds of Dirt

Molehills and mounds of dirt may not be as common as other signs of mole damage, but you still need to be on the lookout for them. Molehills occur when moles force dirt upwards as they dig under the ground’s surface. As they push the dirt behind them to dig deeper, the dirt becomes raised in small piles.

You won’t notice huge mounds of dirt, however. Molehills are volcano-shaped piles about six inches tall. They’re also usually connected to the entrances of mole tunnel systems, which will be visible on the surface of your lawn.

An Increase in Weeds

Have you noticed more weeds sprouting in your lawn or garden? You may not connect this phenomenon to mole damage, but weeds can actually be an indication of moles in your yard.

As moles dig, they uproot grass and plants with their tunnels. This disruption of their root systems can allow weeds a chance to sprout. As more plants and grass are uprooted, more weeds may pop up in their place. If you don’t catch the mole problem in its early stages, your yard could quickly be overtaken by weeds and mole damage.

Visual Signs of Moles

Mole damage isn’t the only thing you need to look out for in your yard. If you suspect a mole problem, the largest sign will be when you spot the moles themselves. But what do you need to look for? How do you tell a mole apart from other yard pests?

The eastern ground mole is the most common mole species in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. They are small mammals with dark brown fur. They have potato-shaped bodies and are approximately seven inches long and weigh around four ounces. They have beady, black eyes that may be hard to spot due to how tiny they are. Moles also have pointed muzzles and wide, flipper-like feet used to dig tunnels.

Moles are most active during the spring and fall and during evenings or early mornings. You can also catch them more easily moving around after it rains or on a warm day. When the soil is moist and the ground is warmer, they’ll tend to make their way closer to the surface, instead of digging deeper underground.

If you spot moles in your yard, along with other visual signs of mole damage, you’re likely dealing with a mole infestation.

How Do I Prevent Mole Damage?

Getting rid of the moles once they move into your yard is the only surefire way to prevent future damage. However, there are some things you can do to prevent moles from finding your yard hospitable in the first place.

Moles like soft, damp soil. It’s easier to dig in and is home to their favorite foods—grubs and insect larvae that feed upon plant roots. You can take steps to make your soil dryer and less hospitable to insects by using mulch sparingly, and not over-watering. You can also introduce beneficial parasites like nematodes into your garden ecosystem to keep worm and grub populations under control. The less insects in your soil, the less likely moles are to make a home in your yard.

Get Rid of Mole Damage for Good

If you’ve noticed the above signs of mole damage, have tried all the preventatives, and you’re still dealing with a mole infestation, it’s time to call Trap Your Moles. We’ve been the Tri-State’s mole and pest removal experts for years. Get in touch with our trapping experts with our contact form, or give us a call. We can diagnose your mole problem and come up with a solution so you can say goodbye to mole damage permanently.

6 Signs You Need Squirrel Trapping Services

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Their bushy tails and tiny paws might be cute, but squirrels can be a nuisance for homeowners in Cincinnati. The Eastern Gray Squirrel is the most common squirrel species in Cincinnati, and while it’s mostly a harmless, outdoor critter, it can easily cause chaos in homes and gardens. They can especially cause trouble when they move into your home, requiring squirrel trapping services.

The most common issues that squirrels can cause include:

  • Damage to your home, including siding, shingles, insulation, and wiring.
  • Damage to your garden and plants.
  • Health problems due to bacteria from droppings or allergies.
  • Carrying diseases or parasites that are transmissible to humans.

While squirrels overall can be healthy to the Cincinnati ecosystem, these problems can quickly get out of control if squirrels are left unchecked. There are several signs you might have a squirrel problem that would require squirrel trapping services. Keep reading for our list of the top signs you need squirrel trapping services.

You See Squirrel Droppings

Seeing animal droppings in your basement or attic is always a cause for concern. But how do you know that the droppings you’ve found belong to a squirrel and not some other pest? Squirrel droppings can look like rat droppings, but there are a few key features that distinguish them from rat droppings:

  • They’re smaller than rat droppings, around 3/8 of an inch long and 1/8 of an inch in diameter.
  • They’re rounded on the edges and shaped like coffee beans.
  • They can be shiny when fresh, but they dry and change color to a paler hue.
  • They’re a different color than rat droppings; squirrel droppings are brown with tints of red, tan, or green, while rat droppings are dark brown or black.
  • Squirrels don’t defecate while walking, so they will leave piles instead of scattered pellets.
  • They tend to defecate in the same area over time.

If you notice droppings matching this description, it might be time to call for squirrel trapping services.

You Hear Strange Noises in Your Attic or Walls

Unless your home is very old, it’s likely pretty quiet. If you suddenly start to hear scurrying, scratching, or chewing noises in your ceiling or walls, there is a good chance squirrels have moved in. Stay quiet and listen when you hear new noises. If you suspect squirrels, get in touch with a wildlife trapping service like Trap Your Moles to do an inspection.

You Notice Damage to Your Home

Squirrels will chew and scratch at human structures to find an entry point inside. They can chew through your siding and shingles, chew on wires inside and out, and tear up insulation. You may also notice damage to bird feeders and patio furniture outside. They can rip open garbage bags looking for food and put teeth marks on drywall. Look closely at your home indoors and out to check for signs of damage. They could be attributed to other critters, like raccoons or mice, but squirrels are just as likely a culprit.

You Notice Damage to Your Garden or Other Plants

Squirrels are omnivores, so they’ll munch on just about anything they can get their paws on. Your garden is a great source of food for them. If you notice your petunias are getting chomped, you may need to invest in squirrel trapping services.

Look for damage to tree bark, flowers, shrubs, and grass. If you grow vegetables or fruit in your backyard, squirrels are huge fans of berries and leafy green vegetables. If your plants are being dug up or munched on and if you notice other signs of squirrels, it’s likely they’re the ones to blame.

You Notice a Foul Smell in Your Home

If squirrels have made a home in your attic, they tend to wander throughout the structure of your home. They can easily fall behind drywall and become trapped. If you’ve heard frantic scratching for a day or so, and then start to notice a foul odor, the stuck squirrel likely died inside your home and is starting to decay. The noxious odors, especially in the summer, can cause discomfort for the humans in your home, and potentially be a health hazard.

Another smelly sign of squirrels is urine damage to your ceiling, walls, or floor. A family of squirrels living in your attic will have to go some time, and what better place than inside your home? You may notice what looks like water damage on your ceiling, accompanied by an odor. Get in touch with a wildlife trapping service fast to remove the squirrel problem before you tackle cleaning up their mess.

You See More Squirrels Outdoors

The final and most obvious sign that you may have a squirrel issue in your home or yard is seeing more squirrels outside in the first place. If you’ve noticed any of the other signs above and are catching more glimpses of bushy tails in your grass or trees, the chances are good that you’re unwittingly playing host to a family of squirrels. Keep an eye on your roof or fences. If squirrels are suddenly hanging out in these places, they may have found a way inside. Check your home closely for damage or an entry point if you’ve seen an uptick in squirrels in your yard.

Call Trap Your Moles for Squirrel Trapping

Trap Your Moles offers many wildlife removal services in Cincinnati, not just mole trapping. If you have noticed any of the above signs of squirrel damage, get in touch with the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky wildlife removal experts for squirrel trapping services. You don’t have to watch your home and yard be taken over by squirrels. We’ve got the experienced trappers and the permits needed to get rid of your squirrel problem for good.

Use our contact form or give Trap Your Moles a call today. We can often diagnose a wildlife problem over the phone and set up your first visit as soon as possible.

DIY Mole Removal | Top Strategies for Ground Mole Prevention

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The Eastern Ground Mole is the most common mole that plagues Ohio yards. This tiny pest is a nuisance to homeowners everywhere, and it can cause serious damage. Lawns, gardens, and even sidewalks aren’t safe once a family of moles moves into your yard.

For most homeowners, the key to saving your yard from mole damage is to prevent them from appearing in the first place. There are many do-it-yourself methods and mole prevention tactics that homeowners can take to make their yards inhospitable to moles. Keep reading for our top list of mole prevention methods, as well as our suggestions for how to get rid of moles for good if you are dealing with an infestation.

Make Your Yard Unattractive to Moles

Most ground mole prevention methods involve making your yard unattractive to moles in the first place. If feeding, breeding, and digging are difficult in your yard, any moles that check out your property will be more likely to choose your neighbor’s yard instead. With those three things in mind, these are the top methods to making sure that ground moles don’t call your yard home.

Remove Their Food Sources

Moles feast on grubs, worms, and other small insects that live among the root systems of your plants and in your lawn. Eliminating insects from your yard is the first step to making sure that moles can’t call your property home. You can purchase earth-friendly beneficial nematodes and spread them throughout your yard to create an inhospitable ecosystem for grubs. Nematodes are microscopic predatory worms that hunt down pest insects, but they’re harmless to humans, plants, and pets.

You can also purchase a milky spore mix to spread through your garden. Milky spore disease is a naturally occurring pathogen that is harmless to plants but kills insect larvae. Milky spores do take several years to take effect, but they can be a worthwhile investment to prevent grubs and moles from taking refuge in your yard.

Apply a Mole Repellent

If you’re still working on eliminating mole food sources, you can also spread a homemade repellent throughout your lawn and garden to make sure moles stay away. Castor oil is an effective mole repellent, as it causes digestive upset in moles and makes them less likely to stay in your yard. Mix three parts castor oil with one part dish soap, and then mix four tablespoons of the mixture into a gallon of water. Soak mole tunnel entrances in the water and oil mixture and the moles will eventually move on.

There are also commercial repellents in liquid or granule form available for purchase. Be sure to follow all label instructions carefully when using a commercial repellent.

Create Barriers and Obstacles

You can use landscaping to your advantage to prevent moles from moving into your yard. Create barriers at the edges of your property that make it difficult for moles to dig into your yard. If your yard or garden isn’t easy to get to, the moles will move on to somewhere else, instead.

You can create barriers with several methods. Plants such as daffodils, marigolds, or other allium family plants have a strong smell that is repulsive to moles. Plant these along the edges of your garden or lawn for a beautiful and effective barrier.

Trenches are another type of barrier you can use, as well. Dig a trench around your garden approximately 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep, and then fill the trenches with pebbles or line them with mesh. These trenches will be difficult, if not impossible, for moles to traverse.

Make your Yard Unsafe for Moles

The final step to DIY mole prevention is to make your yard unsafe or difficult for them to live in. Keep your lawn trimmed short so the moles don’t have anywhere to hide. Avoid using mulch or overwatering your lawn, as moles prefer moist soil to dig in. If the soil is too dry, they will have a more difficult time establishing their home tunnels. Drier soil also means fewer earthworms, which are another mole food source.

Get Rid of Existing Moles

If you’ve taken all the preventative methods and you’re still dealing with moles, or you’re trying to fight an active infestation, you will need to find a way to remove the existing moles from your yard. We recommend calling in a professional mole removal service to deal with your infestation, however, there are some DIY methods available to homeowners.

Baiting/Poison

Commercial mole bait is typically shaped like a worm or other mole food source but is laced with a poison that will kill the mole after it has been consumed. Mole poison also comes in a gel form that can be deposited into their tunnels. When a mole comes in contact with the gel, it causes internal blood coagulation, and the mole will die quickly.

Poison gas is also available as an option for killing moles. It is available in a granule or tablet form that you can deposit into the mouth of a mole tunnel. It then reacts with the soil to create a poison gas that will kill the moles as they traverse their tunnels.

Trapping

Trapping the moles is the other removal method for existing mole infestations. You can purchase commercial, mechanical traps and place them in your yard where the moles have tunneled. These traps are spring-loaded and are usually designed to impale or squeeze the mole when set off. These traps require a lot of supervision and effort, but they are effective.

Call the Professionals

If your DIY methods haven’t yielded results and you’re tired of seeing mole damage in your yard, a professional service should be your next step. Trap Your Moles is experienced with trapping the Tri-State’s moles and saving your yard from their tunnels for good. If you’ve tried everything and are still experiencing a mole infestation, get in touch with us for a quote. Once the moles are gone, you can take the mole prevention steps outlined above, and hopefully, you can experience a beautiful, mole-free yard for years to come.

6 Tips to Prevent Mole Damage This Winter

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As the weather gets colder, you might think that your mole struggles are over with. Unfortunately for homeowners, this isn’t the case. During the winter, moles do not hibernate like many other mammals; they simply burrow deeper into the ground beneath your yard. They dig down below where the ground freezes and live on worms, grubs, and other insects that inhabit the deeper layers of soil. They stay deep underground until early spring when they start to tunnel closer to the surface. Further, males and females come together to breed in late winter, creating the next generation of moles ready to destroy your yard.

Prevention and early treatment of mole problems year-round is the key to keeping your yard intact. We’re the Dayton, Cincinnati, and Northern Kentucky mole removal experts, so when you have a mole problem, you can count on us to take care of it right away.

In the meantime, read on for the top strategies you can use to prevent and deter moles from tearing up your yard this winter.

1. The Dryer the Better

Loose, moist soil is easier for moles to tunnel through. If you overwater your lawn or have a lot of moisture in your soil, moles will be more tempted to move in. Moist soil is also rich in earthworms, grubs, and other pests that moles eat. Use sprinklers or irrigation systems sparingly and be alert if the forecast calls for heavy rain.

2. Place a Barrier

Protect your flowerbeds, trees, and other features with barriers that prevent moles from digging where they’re not wanted. Cloth liners below or above flowerbeds or wrapped around the base of trees will deter moles from digging. If it’s too difficult to dig in your yard, they’ll likely move somewhere else instead.

3. Don’t Mulch Too Early

Putting down mulch earlier in the season to better insulate your plants may invite moles to move into your yard. Warmer soil is easier to tunnel under, and the earlier you mulch, the earlier moles may invade. Try to wait until after the first frost to mulch your flowerbeds. Hopefully by that point, moles and other pests will have moved on from your yard in search of a warmer environment.

4. Take Advantage of Natural Predators

Do you have an indoor-outdoor cat? Have you seen snakes in your yard or hawks flying overhead? All of these creatures will make a tasty snack of moles and are an effective way to deter them from sticking around. Cats especially are effective mole hunters, as well as controlling other rodents. Consider adopting a furry friend to help keep your mole problem in check. Resist the urge to rid your yard of snakes or cut down trees that birds of prey like to roost in, as well. Coexisting with these critters can help keep your yard mole-free.

5. Starve Them Out

Moles are insectivores, feasting on worms, grubs, and other garden pests. Keeping on top of pest removal is an effective solution in preventing moles from finding your yard hospitable. Get in touch with an exterminator or plant shrubbery or flowers that don’t attract pests to make sure your yard doesn’t become a mole buffet.

6. Contact the Experts

If you’ve tried every prevention strategy in the book and moles still are tearing up your lawn, it’s time to call in reinforcements. Trap Your Moles serves the greater Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky areas with expert mole removal services. The recommended mole removal and prevention services include several visits per year to monitor your situation and keep up with trapping and repellants. Our trappers are versed in many different strategies to remove moles for good. You can get in touch with our experts for a consultation, so your mole problem is solved for good.

What are the Signs of Moles?

When there’s snow and ice on the ground, it can be tricky to determine if you have a mole problem. Often, they can tear up your yard without showing any visible signs until it warms up. Once the last snow has melted, check your lawn for loose dirt, uneven terrain, or other abnormalities. Small piles of dirt excavated from tunnels, called mole hills, may crop up in places you don’t expect. Or you can see long, raised tracks through your lawn called feeding tunnels that moles use to dig for food. Tunnels may appear along the side of your house or other structures, as moles like to dig alongside a solid barrier to lend more strength to their tunnels. You may also notice dead grass or plants in the wake of these tunnels, but you’ll have to look closely in late winter when the grass is likely still dull.

Don’t Let Moles Ruin Your Yard

Dayton, Northern Kentucky, and Cincinnati homeowners trust Trap Your Moles to rid their yards of any pesky wildlife. Nipping the mole problem in the bud early in the winter before they reproduce is the best way to stop them from becoming an infestation. See for yourself just how effective our methods are in our gallery, and contact us to schedule your consultation today.