The presence of moles in a lawn is often announced by the characteristic sight of raised ridges and volcano-shaped mounds of soil, which quickly disrupt the appearance and health of turf. These subterranean mammals tunnel extensively as they seek out food. While their activity is a nuisance for homeowners, it is possible to manage and deter them effectively without resorting to lethal measures. The following methods focus entirely on non-harmful techniques, aiming to persuade moles to relocate away from your property.
Identifying Mole Activity and Behavior
The first step in non-lethal management is confirming the culprit is indeed a mole, rather than a vole or gopher, as their control strategies differ. Moles create two primary types of soil disturbance: molehills and surface feeding tunnels. Molehills are small, cone-shaped piles of finely sifted dirt pushed up from deeper tunneling, usually featuring a centered plug of soil.
Surface tunnels appear as raised, meandering ridges in the lawn, indicating where the mole is actively foraging just beneath the grass roots. Moles are insectivores with a high metabolism, meaning they must consume between 60 to 100 percent of their body weight daily in prey. Their diet consists primarily of earthworms, which are their favorite food source, along with various insects and grubs.
Gopher mounds, in contrast, are often crescent or horseshoe-shaped with a plugged entrance off to one side. Voles create visible surface runways through vegetation instead of deep tunnels. Identifying the distinct molehill and the raised feeding ridges confirms the animal’s presence. Tunnels that are straight and follow a sidewalk or driveway are often main runways, while the meandering ones are used for foraging.
Non-Lethal Repellents and Deterrents
Moles rely heavily on their acute sense of smell and touch to navigate and locate food, making scent-based and vibration deterrents a humane option. Commercial and homemade repellents using castor oil are the most common scent-based solution. Castor oil is not toxic to moles, but it irritates their digestive system when they ingest prey coated in it, and the strong odor makes their tunnels and food sources unappealing.
A common application involves mixing six ounces of castor oil with two tablespoons of liquid dish soap, which acts as an emulsifier, into one gallon of water to create a concentrate. This mixture is then diluted and applied liberally to the affected areas, covering about 300 square feet per gallon of solution. It is important to water the product into the soil immediately after application, ensuring the repellent penetrates the tunnels where the moles are active.
Sonic and vibration devices, which are inserted directly into the soil, attempt to create an uncomfortable environment for the moles. These stakes emit pulses or sounds, often at frequencies between 300 and 400 Hz, that disrupt the mole’s sensitive hearing and touch-based navigation. For these to be effective, they must be firmly rooted in the ground for optimal sound transmission and spaced according to the manufacturer’s directions, typically every 80 to 100 feet. Reapplication of liquid repellents is necessary after heavy rainfall or extended watering.
Humane Live Trapping and Relocation
When repellents prove insufficient, humane live trapping allows for the safe removal of the mole from the property. Live traps are typically tube-style devices with one-way swinging doors that are placed directly inside an active tunnel. To confirm a tunnel is active, gently press down on a section of the raised ridge, and if the mole pushes the soil back up within 12 to 24 hours, the tunnel is in use.
The trap should be carefully set into the main runway, which is generally deeper and straighter than the meandering feeding tunnels, and then covered with soil or a board to block out light. Moles are prone to stress and have a high metabolic rate, so humane practice dictates that live traps must be checked at least once every 24 hours, and ideally twice daily, to prevent the captured animal from suffering. Captured moles should be handled carefully, often by wearing gloves to protect the animal and the handler, and then promptly transported for release.
Relocation requires finding a suitable habitat far from residential areas, preferably a location with moist, loamy soil that is rich in earthworms. It is necessary to check local and state wildlife regulations before relocating any animal, as many jurisdictions prohibit the transport and release of captured wildlife without a permit. These regulations prevent the spread of diseases and ensure the mole is not released into an area where it will simply become a problem for others.
Long-Term Exclusion and Prevention
For a permanent solution, installation of physical barriers prevents moles from re-entering specific areas. Moles are capable of digging to significant depths, so any exclusion barrier must be buried at least 24 to 30 inches deep to be effective. Galvanized hardware cloth with a mesh size no larger than three-quarters of an inch is a recommended material.
For garden beds or small, high-value areas, the barrier should be installed vertically and then bent outward at the bottom in an L-shape to deter the moles from tunneling underneath the fence. It is also beneficial to allow the barrier to extend a few inches above the soil line to prevent moles from crossing over the top. When protecting an entire lawn, the wire mesh can be laid horizontally one to two inches beneath the sod or topsoil before planting.
Attempts to reduce the moles’ food source by applying grub control treatments are not effective for long-term mole prevention. This is because the mole’s primary diet consists of earthworms, which are beneficial to soil health and are not significantly affected by most modern grub-specific insecticides. Focusing on physical exclusion and prompt, humane removal remains the most direct way to manage moles while protecting your landscape.