About Ground Moles
It’s easy to make a mountain out of a molehill when a mole comes and destroys your garden. These little furry animals live underground and spend their days burrowing through the soil. They are mostly blind and their eyes are sometimes covered with fur or skin. In fact, Darwin once used the mole as an example of a species that phased out an organ because they did not use it enough. He said that functioning eyes were not advantageous to a mole who lives underground, so today they are almost completely blind. While moles are typically harmless to humans, they can do a number on your garden. They push rocks up to the surface which can damage tractors and other equipment. They often damage drainage systems as well. Plus, other animals such as weasels can use mole tunnels to get into fenced off areas. (Learn how to get rid of weasles) Are moles all bad? Their constant digging helps to aerate the soil and their diet of invertebrate animals means they don’t eat your plants or their roots. However, they will push up small piles of dirt called mole hills which can quickly ugly up your well-kept lawn. In India, moles are considered disgusting animals.
In fact, calling a man the Hindi word for mole means that he is a filthy coward. In England, the death of William III is blamed on a mole. The rumor is that William III died after he was thrown from his horse when it tripped over a mole hill.
Getting rid of Garden Moles
The good news is that moles are not social animals, so you usually only need to get rid of one of the little suckers to end your troubles.
An Easy Mole Trap
First, scavenge your property and locate as many tunnels and holes as you can, then find out which tunnels the mole uses frequently by destroying part of the tunnel and waiting to see if the mole fixes it. If he does, then you know this is a tunnel he likes. You can use this to your advantage by setting a trap in this tunnel. You don’t need a trap to catch a mole though. Many times you will see him traveling right under the surface of the ground and you can catch him with two shovels, pitching one in the front and one behind. Once you have him, place him in a covered bucket or trash can and take him far away from your property