I’m not a fan of killing pests. I’ll do it if I have to, but I won’t like it. That's doubly true if the pest in question happens to be cute.
Moles are cute. Maybe I can say this because they’re not currently destroying my yard, but I think it’s an objective fact. They’re also minding their own business, burrowing around looking for delicious earthworms to eat. How are they supposed to know they’re disturbing the grass above and slowly driving you to the brink?
Maybe you feel the way I do. But maybe your yard is being destroyed, and you need to do something about it before the moles completely claim your lawn as their own.
So, how do you get rid of moles without killing them? The internet has plenty of mole control suggestions, and they pretty much all center around driving the moles away, making your lawn so intolerable that they’ll pack up and leave. Unfortunately, most of these don't work.
Mole Deterrents That Aren't Up to Snuff
Broken glass, razor blades, chewing gum, pickle juice, castor oil, human hair, mothballs, mole plants, bleach, and rose branches. These are a few of the tried and true mole deterrents that can’t be backed up by any reputable sources I can find. (And are in fact warned against by those reputable sources). While vibrators, spinning pinwheels, and ultrasonic devices like this one on Amazon tout good reviews, they're scoffed at by most extension offices.
It seems the general consensus among experts is that you’re welcome to try it, but your long term mole problem is not likely to be solved.
How to Get Rid of Moles for Good
So how do you get rid of moles? The simple answer is that you have to get rid of them. As in, remove them. Whether you remove them from this plane of existence or just from your yard is up to you.
In order to catch a mole alive, you’ll have to drive it out from under the ground. Moles will be easiest to find in spring and fall, when they’re most active near the surface. Spring is best, since it’s before the grass looks nice, and before the moles give birth and greatly increase the number of little guys you’ll have to catch.
Scan your lawn for the moles’ main surface runways - this is where the moles are likely to spend more of their time. Moles mark their presence with lines of brown, dry grass that they’ve disturbed by digging under. Surface runways are the lines that are straight and long and often following manmade structures, as opposed to the winding, meandering paths the moles make while hunting for worms. You can check to see if a runway is active by flattening it with your foot. Check on it the next day - if it’s been unflattened, that means it’s been repaired overnight and is in use.
1. The Coffee Can Method
Dig a hole into the mole’s main surface tunnel just large enough to insert a clean coffee can so that the top rim is slightly below tunnel level. Don't have a coffee can on hand? Get this 4-pack from Amazon.
Repack the soil on either side of the can so the tunnel appears collapsed from the mole’s perspective. This is important, since moles will just burrow around any obstacles or open holes. If they encounter what looks like a cave-in, however, they’ll try to re-dig it and fall into the can.
Once your coffee can is situated, place a board over top of the whole thing. Then sit back and wait. Check on your trap the following day - if a mole is staring back up at you, congratulations! Remove the entire can from the ground and relocate the mole to a place it’s less likely to do damage. Moles are totally harmless in places you’re not concerned with lawn aesthetics.
It's possible to achieve the same goal with a humane trap, like this Havahart one available on Amazon. Simply bury the trap along the surface runway like you would the coffee can, and check back periodically.
2. The Shovel Method
If digging big holes in the lawn isn’t appealing (It might be counterproductive if you’re trying to preserve your lawn!) then you could try trapping the moles aboveground. Try to find the most recent digging spots you can, and check on them either early in the morning or in late evening. These are the times the moles are most likely to venture topside.
Bring along your trusty coffee can (the one you didn’t bury) and a shovel like this one from Home Depot. Acting quickly, scoop up the soil under the mole and deposit it all in the open coffee can. With any luck, you’ll have one very disoriented mole inside.
3. The Hose Method
It may also be possible to drive a mole out from underground. Using a garden hose like this Gorilla brand one from Home Depot, run a stream of water into a surface runway. Keep an eye on the mounds of dirt in your yard - this is where moles are most likely to try to escape the flood. If you see one, repeat the old shovel and coffee can trick.
How Well Do These Methods Work?
How likely are you to catch a mole using these techniques? It’s hard to say. What I can say is it’s probably less likely than if you go one of the deadlier routes. Amazon sells harpoon and scissor traps that can do the job, and they're a lot easier and less time consuming.
But they will also, make no mistake, result in a bunch of dead moles. And I, for one, would rather try my hand at the more humane approach.
