The presence of volcano-shaped dirt mounds and raised ridges across a lawn is a common sign of a ground mole infestation. These small, burrowing mammals cause significant aesthetic damage to turf, leading homeowners to search for quick solutions to eliminate them. This persistent problem has generated numerous non-traditional remedies, including the unusual suggestion of using marshmallows to remove the pests.
Addressing the Marshmallow Myth
The idea that placing marshmallows in a mole tunnel will effectively eliminate the animal is an unfounded myth. Ground moles are insectivores, meaning their diet is dictated by their biology. Their primary food source is live invertebrates, specifically earthworms, grubs, and other subterranean insects. Marshmallows offer zero nutritional value and will not serve as an attractive bait or a poison, and any claims that they plug the mole’s digestive system are biologically incorrect and lack scientific validation.
Determining If You Have Moles
Before attempting any control method, confirming the pest is a mole is an important diagnostic step, as their activity is often confused with that of voles or gophers. Moles create characteristic molehills, which are symmetrical, volcano-shaped mounds of fine, uniform soil. The entry hole is typically plugged and centered at the peak of the mound.
A mole’s surface activity also includes raised runways, which are spongy ridges of soil directly above shallow feeding tunnels. Voles leave small, open burrow holes, while gophers create crescent- or fan-shaped dirt mounds with the plugged entry hole off to one side.
Effective Strategies for Removal and Control
The most direct and consistently effective strategy for removing moles involves lethal trapping. Trapping targets the individual animal causing the damage and prevents its tunnel system from being reused. The key to successful trapping is correctly identifying and setting the device in an active, main runway.
Trapping
To identify an active tunnel, use the “flatten and check” method: flatten a section of a surface runway with your foot, then check it 12 to 24 hours later. If the ridge is pushed back up, the tunnel is active and is an ideal location for trap placement. Common lethal trap types include the harpoon, scissor, and choker loop traps.
Wear gloves when handling traps to avoid transferring human scent, which can cause the mole to avoid the area. The trap should be set directly over the main tunnel, secured firmly into the soil, and covered to exclude light, increasing the likelihood of a successful catch.
Baiting (Chemical Control)
Chemical baiting is a second effective control option, provided the bait mimics the mole’s natural food source. Unlike the marshmallow myth, modern commercial mole baits are formulated to look and feel like earthworms or grubs. The active ingredient in these baits is often bromethalin, a fast-acting neurotoxin.
These baits are placed directly into the main active tunnels. Extreme caution must be used with all chemical baits, as it is highly toxic to non-target animals, including pets and wildlife, if ingested. Always follow the manufacturer’s label instructions precisely.
Repellents and Exclusion
Repellents and habitat modification offer long-term control by making the environment less appealing to the moles. Castor oil-based liquid or granular repellents are widely available and work by making the soil and the moles’ prey taste and smell unpleasant. When applied to the lawn, the castor oil causes a temporary digestive upset, encouraging them to relocate.
Reducing the mole’s primary food source is another indirect control measure. Applying grub control products to the lawn decreases the food supply enough to force the mole to seek new territory, modifying the habitat to prevent future infestations.