The Process Of Trapping Moles Causing Lawn Damages
Traps for moles come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Deep tunnels, marked by steep volcano-shaped mounds, are used by moles to move from one feeding area to another; surface feeding burrows, where they practically swim just beneath the surface and leave a raised bump trail, are not. Moles will not be attracted to bait because they eat live earthworms. Some traps, such as the Victor Harpoon, are designed to skewer the animal as it passes by. The mole must be caught or snared by the trapper as it moves through the tunnel. Because leaf litter is an excellent mulch that attracts worms, moles tend to use the deep tunnels as freeways to travel to feeding areas such as moist garden beds, lawns, and particularly oak groves. Deep tunnels that serve as routes from one area to another are the most frequently used. The most effective way to catch a mole is to intercept them in these areas.
Deep Tunnel Trapping For Moles in The Lawn
Search for the small mountain shaped dirt mounds and poke around them until you notice your probe drop into an air space to find a deep tunnel. The mounds are lateral mole tunnels off the main trail that are only there to clear soil from a tunnel in useful areas so the mole doesn’t have to backtrack as much. A large pile of soil may occasionally be found next to a road. This is due to the mole’s need to return to the side where it started to remove soil until it reaches the opposite side. This can be seen on walkways, patio edges, and foundation slabs, among other places. These under-the-road paths are frequently used and provide an excellent trapping location. Another excellent trapping location for moles is along the foundation of a house. Most of those deep tunnels, particularly those that run beneath paths and roads, serve as access points for other moles, making them ideal trapping spots in the occurrence of a secondary infestation.
Choosing A Mole Trap
So now that you’ve found a good trapping spot, how do you decide which trap to use? This is a debate between two schools of thought. One method is to dig a large hole and reveal two or more tunnels, then set your mole trap in this dirt to make the mole; the other method is to cut a small hole from the surface and use a trap with a long reach into the tunnel. Surface trapping is my preferred method because it is less destructive to the lawn and landscape. The first technique, on the other hand, may necessitate fewer traps or resets. Probing around mounds until your probe sinks in is the first technique. To get a good feel of the tunnel’s direction, probe a little more. Dig around the tunnel with a spade, attempting to preserve the turf block you’re removing so you can replace it later. The excavation is really about the width of a spade, or 6 – 8 inches across. Then clean the tunnel entryways and place your trap inside. The Cinch Mole Trap and the Gophinator are two best mole traps.
The Cinch Mole Trap and Gophinator Trap For Moles
The Cinch Mole Trap fits very well in the mole’s burrow opening and it’s simple to get the trap jaws to rest into the soil so the mole isn’t aware of the foreign object in its tunnel. Because moles are cautious creatures who have been shown to be perceptive to metal, concealing the trap is always a smart option. I insert the Cinch Trap, which has a long reach, into the burrow, settle it around a bit to hide the jaws, and set the trigger to the least sensitive setting. Most traps have some trigger sensitivity options, but the Cinch allows for a full half inch of play before it springs, allowing the mole to push soil into it before it springs.
Fill the hole with loose soil to block the light, then check the trap after a day. The spring plate of the Cinch Trap is about eight inches from the trap’s jaws, allowing you to monitor the trap without having to remove it from the burrow. You may be done when you check the trap and see that it has sprung, indicating that the mole has been caught. The trap is often set by the mole pushing a column of dirt in front of the trap.
When using the Gophinator trap or other pincer trap types, the setup is the same except the trap will be completely submerged in the burrow with a string or wire attached to it so you can pull it out. To check the trap, you’ll need to pull it out and reset it if necessary.
Surface Tunnel Trapping For Moles
Trapping moles in those raised, just below the surface tunnels can be easy, especially if you can find the most frequently used tunnel. These tunnels are commonly found alongside walkways, lawn edges, and foundations. These are ideal spots for setting up traps that will set your mole in both directions.
Simply stomp down a section of the tunnel in several locations and check the following day to see if it has been raised again. If that’s the case, you’ve found one of the most important routes. There are a variety of traps available, similar to the deep trapping method, and I’ve tried them all and found a few that work best for me.
The Cinch Mole trap has once again proven its versatility in this type of trapping, owing to its long reach, adjustable trigger, and easy monitoring. I locate the active surface tunnel, remove any excess soil, and set traps in both directions. Wait a day or two before checking the traps and resetting them if necessary.
This trap was created specifically for mole tunnels on the surface. It’s a tall trap with a strong spring and two sets of long tines that spear the mole from either side when it approaches. It’s not difficult to set up. Find the surface tunnel that is currently active. To make that the tines can smoothly penetrate the soil, press it down with your heel and push the unset trap down. Pull the spring back carefully, set up the trigger, and place the trap in the same holes as before. Push the trigger pan into the depression created by your heel with extreme caution, and monitor an eye on the trap. Dig around the tines of the trap before pulling it up to ensure your catch is there. Many people, thinking it was a miss, just pull the trap up and leave the caught mole in the soil.