Animals are the most unpleasant of all garden pests, because, unlike other types of animals, they have advanced intelligence and sharpness of the senses.
Fighting insects or mollusks is much easier, since their actions are instinctive and information about how to survive is not passed on to the next generation. In most cases, gardens are very vulnerable to rodent attack and very often the measures taken by man to control mice, hamsters or hares are insufficient.
A separate group of living beings, the fight against which is complicated by their ways of life, movement and nutrition, are moles. These small earthen diggers are capable of delivering a lot of problems to the owners of the plots. The article will discuss how to get rid of moles in the garden or vegetable garden.
Content:
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Description of the pest
Mole
Formally, the mole does not apply to rodents. This mammal belongs to the order of insectivores, however, this nuance is not so important for gardeners and gardeners. In terms of its negative impact on the cultures of the garden and vegetable garden, the mole completely repeats the actions of rodents, namely:
- eat the roots fruit trees and tubers in vegetables
- destroy the useful fauna of the garden (moles prey on any animals that they can overpower - worms, frogs, ants etc.)
- spoil the appearance of the site
Undoubtedly, the predatory nature of moles has its positive impact. For example, this animal is the only natural enemy of the bear in the garden, however, due to the combination of factors, the presence of a mole on the site still has more negative points than positive ones.
And the point here is not only in some qualities of the mole or its individual activity. Very often, the mole, having "cleaned" the next area from insects (and, perhaps, without even damaging the root system of a single tree), moves to another.
Molehills are the exits of wormholes to the outside. A sign that the mole is moving towards the site
At the same time, of course, its system of holes and underground chambers remains on the site and rodents - mice or hamsters - begin to "use" this system. They would never have dug such communications themselves, and now, thanks to the mole, they have safe access to all parts of the garden, where no predator will get them: be it a cat, a crow or an owl.
Consequently, the mole is a “strategic” enemy of the gardener, since it can not only harm with its direct actions, but also to provoke an invasion of any rodents on the site. That is why the fight against moles in garden and summer cottages is very relevant.
There are only two ways to deal with a mole:
- scare an animal from your yard
- destroy it
Let's consider each of the possible options in more detail.
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Mole Repeller
Like all animals, the mole has several sense organs. They even have eyes, albeit undeveloped ones. By acting on some of the senses, you can irritate the moles and force them to leave the site.
The main irritants that are effective against these animals are as follows:
- auditory stimuli
- irritating odors
- taste stimuli
The first means are the most effective. Let's consider them in more detail:
Acoustic deterrent methods
Stationary ultrasonic repeller
Currently, there are many tools created specifically to counteract moles.
These are various sound generators, having both industrial and handicraft production:
Simple acoustic devices
Mole repellent "Antikrot"
An example of devices of this kind are the mass-produced sound vibration generators Krotopug, Krotogon, Antikrot, and so on.
They are both sound (operating at a frequency of less than 20 kHz, and ultrasonic).
The equipment emits signals that are either unpleasant for the mole, or imitate sounds warning moles of danger, etc.
- low price
- easy accessibility
- not life threatening
- low efficiency at a large mole distance
- to cover a more or less large area, you will need more than a dozen such emitters
Use of resonator generators
Aluminum can repeller
Despite the complicated name, the method is quite simple - empty bottles or pipe cuts are buried in the ground.
The whirlwind of the wind moving along them creates sound vibrations in them, which negatively affect the mole.
As a rule, these are buzzing sounds of low frequency, which also serve as a danger signal for moles.
- cheap method
- you can bury bottles throughout the site
- depending on the weather (wind).
- also view of partially buried pipes or bottles significantly impairs the aesthetics of the garden or vegetable garden
Sound sources in the ground
Mole repellent - alarm clock
The method is quite unexpected, but at the same time effective.
The sound source - an electronic generator or just an alarm clock - is placed in a hermetically sealed glass jar and buried in the area.
The ideal option is to place it in a wormhole.
- ease of implementation
- increased efficiency
- the absence of wormholes in the area significantly reduces the effectiveness of the product
Use of wind to generate vibrations by mechanical means
Ratchet from a plastic bottle
Simply put - handicraft rattles, rattles and so on. The method is quite simple and easily implemented from any improvised materials.
These can be: tin cans hanging on ropes, rattles from plastic bottles, etc.
- cheapness and simplicity
- low efficiency
Mole scaring with smells
Calendula is considered one of the best means of scaring away unwanted guests from the site.
There are a huge number of different ways to drive the mole away from the site by influencing its sense of smell. Like all blind creatures, moles have a very well developed sense of smell.
Of course, it cannot be compared with the sense of smell, for example, of a dog, but a mole can smell certain smells at a distance of up to a kilometer. These properties of the animal are used to fight it.
- Pepper mint, marigold, calendula or wormwood: herbs that have a high content of essential oils have never been liked by animals. It is necessary to pick bunches of grass and lay them out in wormholes. For prevention, these plants should be planted around the perimeter of the site.
- Bean cultures. For some unknown reason, moles really dislike the smell of legumes. The group of unloved plants includes beans and beans (peas not included). It is also recommended to plant these plants around the perimeter and as green manure.
- Onion and garlic plants. In this situation, the reason for the negative attitude is more or less clear. Onion and garlic alkaloids are not tolerated by most representatives of the animal world, and moles are no exception. natural barriers from Luke and garlic, as well as their planting in the aisles can significantly limit the movement of moles in the area
- Watering plants with a solution of onion peel is also effective.
- Ground red and black peppers. The repulsion effect is very high. Pepper crumbles around the site or falls asleep in wormholes. The disadvantage of the method is that the pepper is effective while it is dry. In a hole, due to natural humidity, the effectiveness of the drug decreases almost to zero in a few hours.
- Herring heads. Herring heads can be decomposed into mole tunnels and the smell of trimethylamine released during decay will quickly force the mole to leave the habitat
- Tobacco or cigarette butts. Planting tobacco, putting cigarette tobacco, cut tobacco leaves, or even simple cigarette butts into mole holes is also effective in repelling pests. However, the method has a serious drawback: even smokers will not want to eat food grown on such "fertilizer"
Marigold
List "natural" smells are quite impressive and the gardener will always be able to pick up something from what he has at hand.
Odors of artificial origin:
- Kerosene. It is used in concentrations up to 100 liters per 10 liters of water. In this solution, it is enough to moisten a rag wound around a stick. After that, a stick with a rag is placed in a wormhole
- Naphthalene. A persistent strong smell repels not only moths or rodents, but also moles. Disintegrates into wormholes or molehills
- fuel oil. The application is similar to kerosene, but the substance does not dissolve in water, but simply a rag on a stick is wetted with it
- Vinegar essence. The ideal option is to install small containers with liquid at the bottom of molehills. Compromise - wetting rags or tow and placing them in molehills. The method is ineffective in drafts in wormholes, since the liquid will quickly evaporate
- Bleach based on chlorine. An effective tool that can be poured directly into the hole. Works very well, but can be hazardous to the environment
- Tear gas. You can use gas from spray cans for self-defense and against moles. This gas is very stable and retains its effect for a long time.
Here's an even longer list. The chemical industry does not stand still.
The use of a special deterrent
At the same time, one should not forget that the use of too active chemicals can have negative consequences, and not only for pest, but also for the owner of the site
In principle, any liquids, gases and solids of artificial origin that have a persistent and irritating odor can be used against these animals.
Since the animal is very cautious, it will most likely, having met with an unfamiliar aroma, change its mind to move in the same direction and leave.
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Mole extermination
Trap in a wormhole
Before moving on to inhumane methods of influencing animals, it is worth thinking a few times. Killing such an animal useful for wildlife as a mole, to put it mildly, is not recommended. Yes, for a gardener it is a pest, but life on Earth is not limited to agricultural land.
Well, if the gardener still decides on the “cleansing” option, it can be solved in several ways:
Filling wormholes with water. This is the most popular way to fight. It is especially effective at the very beginning of mole activity on the site. If the moment is missed, its effectiveness is significantly lower, since the mole will have many more places where you can wait out "flood".
Mole remedy
Treatment of wormholes with toxic chemicals (gassing). It can be performed both handicraft and with the involvement of professionals.
Poison against moles
Use of poisoned baits. Despite the abundance of funds (such as Antikrot, Carbidex, Detia, etc.), it cannot be said that their effect is not very significant. Perhaps the fact is that the mole is a predator and this kind of bait is ineffective for him.
Detia to repel moles
Live fishing. One of the most difficult methods, involving the pursuit of a mole during its rummaging moves literally in the "online" mode with blocking all escape routes. A very time-consuming method, involving the digging of all freshly dug wormholes.
Setting traps. There are a huge number of traps focused exclusively on moles, which are installed in wormholes or molehills. They are very effective, but in order for the venture to be successful, a sufficiently large number of such funds should be acquired. This is due to the fact that the system of mole moves can be very branched.
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Repelling moles from the site
There are many ways to deal with moles in a garden or garden - from prophylactic planting of herbs to the destruction of these animals with traps or gas attacks.
The gardener himself must weigh all the risks from the possible consequences of both the activities of the mole and his struggle with him. It may turn out that the neighborhood with a small digger will bring more benefit to the site than harm. Also, do not forget that in about a dozen countries, moles are listed in the Red Book.
Thematic video:
![[Instruction] How to effectively deal with moles in a summer cottage: modern and folk remedies](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
How I defeated the moles
[Instruction] How to effectively deal with moles in a summer cottage: modern and folk remedies | (Photo & Video)
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My experience has shown that the most effective method is catching moles. I used a mole trap, I put it in the evening - in the morning the mole will be undermined for several days, after a few days they stopped being active, ordered both a mole trap and a drill on the site
a windmill with a propeller and the end of the pipe into the ground, the method is described in the Soviet encyclopedia “Animal Life” volume 6 of 1968, I tested it on the site and at the dacha in a potato field - a week later the mole and all the shrews go to my plot of 10 acres, one windmill was enough, like this….