Mole is a small burrowing mammal with dark velvety fur, a long muzzle, and very small eyes, feeding mainly on worms, grubs, and other invertebrates.
What do moles look like?
Including its tail, the average mole is between four and 11 inches long. They typically have black, brown, or gray fur and resemble rodents, though they’re technically small mammals. They have tiny ears and eyes, small hind feet, and larger forefeet used for digging. Even though moles look similar to rodents, they’re more closely related to bats.
Moles are insectivores and prefer to feed on centipedes, earthworms, insect larvae, and millipedes. Their tunneling wreaks havoc on gardens and lawns and provides easier access for other rodents to feed on your plants. Moles typically tunnel where the soil is abundant with organic matter. If you see a high population of moles in a specific area of your yard, that may be a red flag for high populations of soil pests. Because they can tunnel up to 15 feet per hour, that leads many homeowners to want the moles gone for good.
How do you get moles In South Africa
When researching how to get rid of moles, your first step is to identify where they come from and what attracts them to your yard. Their main motivation? Food. Moles love to eat earthworms, grubs, and other insects that live deep within your lawn, so you may want to invest in products that can help control these insects. If you cut off the moles’ food supply, they will lose interest.
Moles may be small, but they cause plenty of damage as they dig through root systems. If you see small mounds of dirt in your yard that look like little volcanoes, those might be molehills. These are entry and exit ways created by moles to lead to their tunnels. Some of these tunnels make three- to 30-inch protrusions or ridges on lawns and in gardens which cause major inconveniences if you’re trying to grow flowers, garden vegetables, lawns, and small trees.
Below is How To Get Rid Of Moles In South Africa
There is little that can be done to prevent moles from entering an area. They often move in from adjacent woodland and banks. Moles are good swimmers and streams present no barrier to their movement
There are plenty of old wives tales that will tell you how to get rid of garden moles, but most of these have no scientific support whatsoever. These include:
Flooding mole tunnels with a hosepipe
Pouring castor oil down the tunnels
TIP YOU CAN TRUST: Reduce the main food source of moles by removing moss and weeds that earthworms are known to like. Having said that, it’s worth remembering that a certain number of worms are good for aerating the soil in your lawn.
Professional Garden Mole Removal In South Africa
There is an argument for tolerating a small number of moles, as they are not known to carry disease. If this is how you feel, simply remove the earth that makes up the molehills and use a roller to flatten lawn areas where required.
While DIY pest control products can deal with smaller mole problems, a professional mole control service will probably be required for larger outbreaks of garden moles on your property.
Rentokil does not offer a nationwide service to get rid of moles in the garden, but your local Yellow Pages will be able to provide you with details of an operator who specializes in mole control and removal.
Products you can use to fix a mole infestation In South Africa
Granular repellents: Spread granular repellents where you see molehills and ground protrusions. These repellents contain ingredients moles don’t like, including castor oil, cinnamon, and garlic.
Humane mole traps: Capture moles and other rodents using a humane mole trap. These traps cause no harm to animals and are safe to use around children.
Insecticides: Look for safe and natural insecticides. Because moles eat what’s lurking beneath the surface, getting rid of their food supply is an ideal remedy. Select products that eliminate pests without harming plants or animals. These products should also be safe to use around children and pets.
Non-lethal sprays: The active ingredient in many non-lethal sprays is castor oil. These sprays treat up to 10,000 square feet. As the spray soaks into the ground, it kills off the mole’s food source and repels the moles themselves. These repellent sprays are safe to use around pets and children.
Ultrasonic spikes: Install two ultrasonic spikes every 100 feet in your yard to drive moles away. These are shock-proof devices that send electronic pulses into the ground, which claims to drive away moles, though effectiveness has proven to be inconclusive.