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moles
[note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening]
I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? -- Si |
moles
In article , $3o&m
says... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? I have to say I had always wondered what the fuss was about (not having moles here!) but have recently visited a cousin up near Cambridge who has moles, heaps are no problem, but walking across her grass was like walking on a water bed it was so undermined. What ever you chose to do just bear in mind that as soon as one mole moves out another will soon occupy the vacant territory, so a sonic deterant may be worth a go, mixed views on here, from wonderfull, to, does nothing at all. -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea |
moles
Si wrote:
[note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? Hope for a really hard winter. |
moles
"Si" $3o&m wrote in message ... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? If you want to get rid of the mole read this before you do anything... http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-cou...ole-review.pdf It's written by DEFRA the government agengy. We had mole problems for years and I wasted a lot of money on ultrasonic and other devices that simply don't work. Then I googled for advice and found this report and other web sites that say the same thing. Basically the only solution is trapping or poisioning and if I remember correctly there is no currently licenced poison for moles in the UK. I've tried two traps... sissor traps http://i11.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/88/b0/c21a_1.JPG and barrel traps. http://i14.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/c4/8d/b209_1.JPG I've never caught a mole with the sissor traps but the barrel traps have been remarkably effective and have eliminated the 7 moles from our garden and padock (sorry mr Mole but you cause too much damage). Both types are made from wire and metal and may need adjusting/bending to adjust the sensitivity/shape There is also a knack to setting them and getting them in the ground without getting your fingers trapped. The main advantage of the barrel trap is it has a metal plate that stops dirt falling into their tunnel when you cover it over. I got five traps from ebay for a few pounds each . I probably wasted £100 on ultrasonics and batteries that don't work before I gave up on those. The DEFRA report make clear why they don't work. Good luck |
moles
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message ... Si wrote: [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? Hope for a really hard winter. Brilliant idea. Another way would be to get one of the celeb chefs to come up with a really good mole recipe. |
moles
"Si" $3o&m wrote in message ... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? -- Si Large wooden Mallet and a deck chair, sit at night in said chair and wait for heap to start to appear then belt with mallet. We tried the sonic device with no luck, luckily they/it seems to have moved on this year. |
moles
In article , Si says...
[note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? I've tried virtually all the remedies for getting rid of moles from traps to poison to gassing to petrol down the holes etc etc. Frankly the best you can hope for is the particular mole will move on or die. However, if you are surrounded by fields as we are, then more moles simply take their place. They are territorial, so a vacant plot soon gets a new resident. I've given up trying to get rid of them now. It just means putting up with the lawns looking unsightly and having to walk with caution as the ground is so uneven - a twisted ankle or a fall for the more elderly being a distinct possibility. On the plus side, fresh mole hills contain lots of really fine soil - ideal for mixing with cheap potting compost from garden centres for potting on garden plants etc. -- David in Normandy |
moles
"David in Normandy" wrote in message ... In article , Si says... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? I've tried virtually all the remedies for getting rid of moles from traps to poison to gassing to petrol down the holes etc etc. Frankly the best you can hope for is the particular mole will move on or die. However, if you are surrounded by fields as we are, then more moles simply take their place. They are territorial, so a vacant plot soon gets a new resident. I've given up trying to get rid of them now. It just means putting up with the lawns looking unsightly and having to walk with caution as the ground is so uneven - a twisted ankle or a fall for the more elderly being a distinct possibility. On the plus side, fresh mole hills contain lots of really fine soil - ideal for mixing with cheap potting compost from garden centres for potting on garden plants etc. -- David in Normandy Give the barrel type traps a go. I've found them very effective (in Belgim and the UK). See my other post. |
moles
"CWatters" wrote in
: "Si" $3o&m wrote in message ... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? If you want to get rid of the mole read this before you do anything... http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-cou...tes/reports/mo le-review.pdf ... The DEFRA report make clear why they don't work. Indeed. Trapping works, and is easy to do. The tunnels are only a few inches below the surface and can be readily located. There is usually a main tunnel with branches; the approx location of the main tunnel can be seen by the line of molehills and the exact location found by probing with a pointed stake or similar. Dig out and clear a very short section [I found a trowel + tablespoon (for clearing the actual tunnel you have broken into) to be useful]. I used scissor traps very succesfully but YMMV. They were of a different design to that linked to on eBay and similar to the 'Sure Grip' design shown he http://www.moletraps.co.uk/mole_trap_supplies.html I ordered them by phone from a company advertising on-line (but can't remember who) - they are readily available in hardware stores, garden centres etc. Aside: despite the cuddly image, moles are nasty, vicous, solitary and cannibalistic creatures. They even eat their own young if they hang around too long. Indeed, one reason that poison is effective is that an incoming mole entering a vacated tunnel network will eat the poisoned corpse of the previous occupant. Just thought you'd like to know... Hope this helps -- Richard Perkin To email me, change the AT in the address below richard.perkinATmyrealbox.com It's is not, it isn't ain't, and it's it's, not its, if you mean it is. If you don't, it's its. Then too, it's hers. It isn't her's. It isn't our's either. It's ours, and likewise yours and theirs. -- Oxford University Press, Edpress News |
moles
CWatters wrote:
"Si" $3o&m wrote in message ... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? If you want to get rid of the mole read this before you do anything... http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-cou...ole-review.pdf Good article. Like I said, given that they eat worms, hope for a hard winter that kills the worms. |
moles
On 26/11/07 11:26, in article , "The
Natural Philosopher" wrote: CWatters wrote: "Si" $3o&m wrote in message ... [note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? If you want to get rid of the mole read this before you do anything... http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-cou...ts/mole-review. Good article. Like I said, given that they eat worms, hope for a hard winter that kills the worms. And harms the soil? I don't think, so thanks! -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon (remove weeds from address) 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' |
moles
On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:03:26 +0000, Si wrote:
[note x-post to uk.d-i-y & uk.rec.gardening] I have a mole at the top of my garden. The first hill appeared about 10 days ago and the second, nearby, a couple of days ago. Both in lawn. Tough luck, been there done that got the uneven lawn. SWMBO reckoned over thirty mole hills at the height of last summer..... What should I do? Our garden is intended to encourage wildlife but hills all over the grass doesn't seem to me to be a friendly hello from a visitor. Do the sonic repellents work or do I have to insert a trap in a tunnel and take it far away? Forget the sonic repellents, they don't work, and may actually work against you, as does the old wives' tale about sticking windmills in the ground coz they don't like the vibrations. All that does is to tend to bring the worms up close to the surface, so the runs are closer to the surface which tends to make the lawn more uneven. Had a mole catcher when we had our first troubles some years ago, two or three years with LOTS of pellets dropped down the mole hills into the runs, no effect whatsoever. In the end they just went on their way. The last lot we had, last summer, was a family. In the end we got them with traps. DON'T use the so-called 'humane' traps, which are supposed to let you catch them live and release them a long way off. Moles need to eat continuously, and will actually starve within two or three hours if they are confined in a trap. Use traps that actually polish them off there and then. Much better to kill them off immediately than let them starve. Oh, and cats don't work. Ours just sit and look at the mole hills appearing..... -- the dot wanderer at tesco dot net |
moles
In article , The Wanderer
wrote: The last lot we had, last summer, was a family. In the end we got them with traps. DON'T use the so-called 'humane' traps, which are supposed to let you catch them live and release them a long way off. Moles need to eat continuously, and will actually starve within two or three hours if they are confined in a trap. Use traps that actually polish them off there and then. Much better to kill them off immediately than let them starve. I have had good success with the plunger type - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Northern-Too.../dp/B000VDCL4Y - which can be set without any digging and give visual feedback when they have been triggered. But I also found that filling in the main run - by lifting up the turf along its full length, filling with sand and topsoil and replacing the turf - seemed to send the moles elsewhere. They certainly didn't excavate the same tunnel again -- although they might just choose another route across the lawn. Another trick I will try if the varmits come back is to block off the side of the lawn they usually come in (from (the field next door) with some roof slates buried vertically along the lawn edge. They don't like going too deep and may go somewhere else if they can't find an easy route across your lawn. |
moles
The Wanderer wrote:
Oh, and cats don't work. Ours just sit and look at the mole hills appearing..... They do with me. Very effective although they do get a lot of help from a Jack Russell and a flock of chickens (they will kill and eat moles). -- Howard Neil |
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