How to get rid of moles in the country house and garden

A small creature, almost a children's plush toy. It even causes pity, the eyes are small, covered with fur, and in some with skin at all. Accordingly, there is no vision, however, the compensation is served by excellent touch and smell. Ears are also practically absent. Well, isn't that a miserable animal? It turns out, no. You won’t get any problems from him.

How to recognize a mole

The mole has outstanding strength and agility. It is enough to mention only that its speed of movement underground about 6 km / h. And what are the front paws, equipped with a decent size of claws, which cause so much trouble and problems for gardeners. If the mole decided to rent a summer cottage or part of the garden, then the owner of the estate will immediately notice this, as there are slides of land that can be seen with the naked eye. Yes, it worked the mole - a laborer in gardens. He leaves such signs of presence when he gets to the surface and pushes the earth with his powerful paws. And what is surprising is that it itself is only up to 20 cm in size, and is distinguished by excellent appetite and tireless working capacity. All the prerequisites suggest that it is time to sound the alarm, and this moment is the beginning of a difficult struggle between humans and animals.

Why do moles appear in the garden

Moles cannot be blamed, because this is heredity passed down from generation to generation. The eternal search for food. To survive, these mammals must chew almost constantly, otherwise they will be given only 15 hours without food. Therefore, you often have to eat 1.5 times more than your weight. And to take such an amount of edible somewhere is necessary.

Moles are by nature loners, but, despite this, they manage to keep the occupied territory in their paws. Gradually, the reserves run out, and then the migration period begins, the result of which are new tunnels and dug holes. Loneliness also bothers, and animals try to settle closer to people. They especially like the man’s care for the land: constantly groomed, fed with fertilizers, watered - and this is the most favorable environment for the reproduction and life of moles.

Garden plots are rich in food supplies not only in plant form. By the way, mole plants do not seduce. Malicious insects that feed on human-grown crops live in the soil, and most of them are concentrated on cultivated areas. Given the factor that all kinds of beetles, insects, earthworms, i.e. Earth inhabitants - this is one of the main sources of food for the mole, they have to develop plantations inhabited by man. These mammals also feed on small rodents, swallowing entire families, and, as you know, the latter most often live in garden plots. And another reason for their appearance is the search for protection. Pets do not pose a direct threat to them; their specific smell serves as a protective weapon for the mole. But predators living in the vicinity are already a serious danger.

But, unfortunately, conditions comfortable for a mole do not please a person, and peaceful coexistence becomes impossible.

What is dangerous mole

Appearing on the garden plot, the mole tirelessly digs new tunnels, gradually tidying the entire territory to its paws. Within one day, the animal is able to dig a labyrinth with a length of about 50 meters, leaving behind itself pits and earthen mounds.

The aboveground part of the vegetation is not purposefully destroyed, but begins to die gradually if the root system gets in the way of the mole and remains bare. In addition, eating worms, harmful and beneficial insects, it depletes the soil, after which its suitability for agricultural work is lost. Yes, and the aesthetic appearance of a lawn, garden or vegetable garden that was recently groomed cannot but disappoint the owner of a summer cottage, since it is problematic to restore the ruins that have appeared in terms of time and additional material costs.

Moles are not particularly dangerous for humans. It’s just not very pleasant to walk on the loosened earth and carefully go around every hole so as not to get into it with your foot. Grateful moles for their work can only be vole mice that use abandoned burrows, and the summer resident has to additionally look for methods to combat these rodents. Another problem that can not be ignored is the fact that small workers in gardens are the carriers of various infections.

The benefits of a mole in the garden

Despite the serious harm caused by the activities of the mole, there are some positive aspects. Along with useful ones, harmful insects, as well as field mice, are destroyed, and this is a plus. The paradox, but loosening the earth, the animal contributes to increased fertility.

Mole is also valued as a fur-bearing animal. The skin, although small in size, is durable, and the fur is thick, shiny and velvety.

Ways and methods to get rid of a mole

Summer residents are inventive people and over the years have gained considerable experience in dealing with a small pest. The methods are very different in time and effectiveness.

Initially, it is necessary to study the entire area riddled by moles, to determine their active course. Next, use a feeler gauge to make a hole and lower the bait into it, poisoned by any poison for rodents. Season earthworms with arsenic or a rat product, divide into portions and put into molehills and dug trenches, and block the holes with earth. It is enough 20 minutes (the time during which the worms are still alive) for the mole, guided by its sense of smell, to find food, eat and die. If possible, lay the drug at the bottom of the tunnel. If this method does not prove effective the first time, then repeat the procedure.

Deratization method is considered very effective.. Chemicals such as rodenticides and fumigants are used especially for moles. Their composition includes damaging substances. One of the chemical methods of destruction can be the use of poisonous gas, which is pumped into the maze. But these methods have a significant minus. Poisoned compounds are dangerous for pets and children, and also adversely affect the surrounding area and soil cover.

Hunger - the worst thing that can be offered to the mole. And the fight should begin with a power source. And they are insects, their larvae, earthworms. To reduce their numbers, pesticides are used. As a result, the harmful animal will not withstand the hunger blockade and will go to look for food in other areas.

And for the remaining individuals, you can offer molehills - a tool that serves both as a bait and a trick of the animal. Their designs are the most diverse - noose, gunshots, traps. The tunnel mole traps are most effective. Their design allows you to lure the beast, and he will not be able to get out without outside help. The active course of the animal has already been determined, it remains to establish a mechanism for fishing. For a successful result, it is important to attach the system to the top of the hole and cover it so that it is not visible. Only one indispensable condition, the observance of which will help not to scare away the pest: it is impossible that the smell of a person’s hands remains on the traps, since the weak vision of the mole is compensated by its excellent sense of smell.It is desirable to set traps in spring and autumn - this is the time of activity of animals. In the spring, all young offspring will fall into the trap.

A man can also become a kind of fishing tool.. Having patience, armed with a shovel, settle in the place of molehill digging and wait for the outburst of earth to begin. Then you need to have time to stick the tool across the course, throw the beast out and catch, which does not always work. Some gardeners are so desperate that they prefer to use the radical method. But if you want to catch a living pest above all else, you should use the following method. Find a fresh passage, open it a few meters and leave it open on both sides. The mole is a gentle creature, it will hasten in a few minutes to get rid of the draft, closing the holes. As soon as he gets to work, you need to stick a shovel behind him, block the road, and open the entrance with your hands. Thus, the mole will be trapped. Now the main thing is not to get confused and grab the body.

The effective method of control is the use of ultrasonic repellers. Such a device will protect the site from moles thanks to sound impulses with a certain frequency. It is completely harmless to pets and plants. Even if you can’t solve the problem forever, getting rid of the beast for a long time will help.

The next type of repeller is vibration. Moles quickly pick up the low-frequency vibrations propagating in the soil, feel uncomfortable with such a neighbor, and set off. Vibration repeller is better than ultrasonic in effectiveness.

There is a model of electronic solar-powered repellers. They are charged by solar energy. Being safe for others, they emit sound signals. In the daytime, the food comes from the sun, at night - from a recharged solar panel.

Natural repellents are produced with the aroma of citrus, which animals do not like, and, smelling this smell, are forced to flee.

The above devices are manufactured by industry, so you can buy them in a distribution network. As for folk methods, country craftsmen also succeeded.

You can pour a mole by flooding it with water. Lower the usual garden hose into the hole and fill it until the beast crawls out.

The next rationalization proposal of farmers is the use of liquids and substances with a specific odor. They use naphthalene, lime, shag, tobacco and even rotten fish, which are put in molehills. Or pour in a dug hole a mixture of fuel oil with kerosene in a ratio of 2: 1, cover it with earth and tamp. Smelling means will drive out the mole family.

A homemade device from a plastic bottle can also be tried. The design is very simple: drive a piece of unnecessary water pipe into the ground below the level of a dug line. Drive reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm into its upper hole and fix it with a wooden cork in the pipe. After making a hole in the bottom of the bottle, and on its walls 4 slots with bent edges, put on the pin. Such a pinwheel creates a noise effect when wind gusts cannot be tolerated by the animal, and if several such weathercocks are placed in the area, then after some time the exhausted owners will find peace. Instead of plastic, a tin can fit with small stones, the trills of which on the pin, like on a conductor, will be transferred to the ground.

Mole Prevention

To protect their garden plots, cottage owners are advised to think over preventive measures in advance so that later they do not have to look for more radical methods of control. The simplest and, moreover, beautiful option is to plant plants whose smell the animal cannot tolerate. These are marigolds, daffodils, garlic, decorative onions. Also help to save the situation of the bed with legumes.

Castor oil seeds are distinguished by the content of castor oil, which is deadly for moles.

In addition, to prevent their occurrence, it is worthwhile, even with the onset of spring, to make a site fence by digging sheets of tin or slate into the ground to a depth of 1 meter. Of course, the implementation of this method will take a lot of time and take up enough physical strength, but such a defense will block the path of the enemy.

These events will greatly facilitate the preparation for horticultural work, and if, nevertheless, uninvited guests descend, then at least one of the recommended methods of fighting moles will certainly help.

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