Getting rid of Moles/Voles

davesl708 · Nov 4, 2015

MossRoad said:
Moles don't eat plants.

they dig through the roots where the ground is moist breaking some and exposing others to air and they dry out.
They ring the tree and kill to many roots for the tree to survive.

MossRoad · Nov 4, 2015

woodlandfarms said:
Moles disrupt the soil which aerates the roots which kills the trees... It is our big problem, we put in a fruit tree and a week later moles are all over it. Roots untouched (outside of being dug through) Frustrating.

Well that stinks. I have about a dozen fruit trees that I planted. Never had that problem. Like I mentioned, I've killed upwards of 250 of them on our little slice of mole heaven. Never seen them do damage "to" a plant, but never thought "around" a plant would damage it. Makes sense. I'd kill them. Since you apparently can't use the pincher traps, can you use the spike traps?

beeforty · Nov 4, 2015

California said:
Strange. If I see a newly planted tree looks dead, I can pluck it out of the ground with just fingertip pressure and I find no roots attached to the root main stem. I assumed the moles or gophers (we have both) ate the roots.

With the drought in California, my gophers have eaten all the way through the stem of 2 Yucca plants I had transplanted. Trunks are about 1 1/4" diameter, one day they just fell over. Luckily they can be replanted and seem to be doing OK. Fertilized the tunnels with some Gopher "fertilizer", so far they haven't reattacked them:thumbsup:

MossRoad · Nov 4, 2015

California said:
Strange. If I see a newly planted tree looks dead, I can pluck it out of the ground with just fingertip pressure and I find no roots attached to the root main stem. I assumed the moles or gophers (we have both) ate the roots.

Moles don't eat the roots. Voles do. If you see mole tunnels with nickle-sized holes to the surface, you probably have voles using the mole tunnels. Moles don't make holes to daylight. Voles do.

I know nothing about gophers. We don't have them here in north-central Indiana. They are rare and a species of special concern here.

MossRoad · Nov 4, 2015

Just so we're all on the same page here.... cause some animals are called different things in different parts of the country.

Mole

Vole

Gopher

13 lined ground squirrel

Chipmunk

woodlandfarms · Nov 4, 2015

MossRoad · Nov 4, 2015

Hahhahahaa!!!! Ain't that the truth! :thumbsup:

jagjiwan · Nov 8, 2015

for my farm i use rozal works very well

Johnkn · Nov 15, 2015

Johnkn said:
Thanks for all the responses everyone. The moles in my yard in Maryland are the worst I've seen in 25 years. Some areas are nothing but tunnels, seems and entire 4x6' areas are raised. I picked up some TOMCAT mole killer worms.. They are ~6" long, look similar to a worm, and you push them into active tunnels or areas. Moles reportedly eat them and die. Let's hope so. Little Ba$tards.... Will report back in a few days.... thanks

A follow up. As I mentioned I've had the worst mole infestation in 25 years. So many commingled tunnels that traps weren't working. I tried the TOMCAT worms and the moles are basically gone. I ended up buying 3 packs of ten. Put 10 in the ground initially, then 6-7 a few days later followed by a 3rd treatment. I found one mole about dead above ground, as large as a small squirrel, and finished him off with a shovel. These worms are easy and effective, they'll be my go-to mole killer from now on. Good luck