Moles!!!! How to get rid of them???

[Ludicrous Speed]

Since I have lived here, there has been a mole or two on the property. I used some more repellant and it seemed to work for a while, but as the summer went on, they came back and became more destructive.

I put down more repellant, but it just seemed to piss them off and now that we have had uncommonly heavy rain, there are spots in my yard that are like a swamp. The moles have gone nuts and are destroying everything!

Short of getting up and sitting around with a shovel, is there something I can put down to kill them or drive them off???

[scweedman]

The only thing that works are traps. That way u know u killed them. I have
tried everything and u just don't know if its working.

[LawnTamer]

First, are you sure that you have moles? Lots of people here think they have moles but actually have pocket gophers. Go online and look at some pics; search mole damage and gopher damage. Once you've identified the problem, go to Lesco. A lot of guys like Talprid for moles. I have had great success with Omega grain gopher bait for gophers. Follow the instructions whichever problem you have.

[Ludicrous Speed]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I am sure that it is not gophers, as they are not in this area. The only thing we have is ground hogs and they are HUGE..... These little @#$%^&*s have tunnelled all over the damn place.

I thought I found a live tunnel earlier in the fall. stomped it down, and it came back up in a day. Same thing next day. I tried to set a homemade trap, but the tunnel was not used any more.

I will try Lesco and see what is on there.

[scweedman]

What ever u try you will need to find a tunnel that is beeing used. Push it down and mark the spot and wait to see if comes back up. Alot of the
tunnels are just tunnels looking for food and may never use them again.

[Gatewayuser]

Just remember that you will need a vertebrae pest license to control that problem. Most people think that turf covers moles but thats not true.(at least not in my state).
I have had great success with Talprid by Bell Labs for moles.

[LLandscaping]

I tried mole bait but it seemed to make them more aggressive. I ordered some artificial worms from Lesco that should be in this week. I will let you know how they work.

[Gatewayuser]

I tried mole bait but it seemed to make them more aggressive. I ordered some artificial worms from Lesco that should be in this week. I will let you know how they work.

Thats Talprid and it works great. Like I said before you need a different cat if you are using it. Your state could be different though.

[Let-it-mow!]

We had moles for years on 20+ acres of athletic fields. Some areas almost looked like they were freshly plowed from all the tunnels.

Nothing worked. Driving over tunnels, gum, Tried all the baits. Sprayed castor oil, even put up "owl houses" hoping to attract some owls. We trapped and cought 3 or 4 a day sometimes. But they kept coming.

Just over a year ago I heard about Talparid, a new bait that looks, tastes, and feels like earthworms. Moles eat earthworms almost exclusively.

It took three applications over about 2 months and they're gone. I mean gone!

I still keep a box on my truck just in-case I see a new tunnel but haven't yet.

I'm not a brand loyal kind of guy and I don't like hype for new gadgets much. But this is one exception. Talparid works!

It's a bit involved to do it right, poke holes, wait a few days for moles to fill in holes, insert worms with gloved hands, poke more holes. Takes a few weeks. But did I mention that it works?

[Ludicrous Speed]

poke holes, wait a few days for moles to fill in holes

What do you mean by poke holes and wait for them to be filled in?

[Runner]

It is in the instructions...You poke some small finger sized holes in the runs. If the holes get patched up, then that is an active run, because they patch the runs up to not allow light in.

[scweedman]

I think if you got the time they will work

[Ludicrous Speed]

It is in the instructions...You poke some small finger sized holes in the runs. If the holes get patched up, then that is an active run, because they patch the runs up to not allow light in.

Ahhhh... I get it now..... I always heard mash the run in a little.

Will I be able to get this as a homeowner and not a commercial guy?

[Ludicrous Speed]

Oh, and thanks for all the help!

[Duekster]

Again, every state is dif. you need to know the state laws where you operate and the laws about critter you are after.

[RigglePLC]

There is a smilar product available at larger retail garden stores. Called Tomcat for Moles. Poisoned molded worms.

[Runner]

same thing, but with less active ingredient. Also more expensive.

[All Season Bill]

Thats Talprid and it works great. Like I said before you need a different cat if you are using it. Your state could be different though.
Hey I started using Talprid this year and it works great. My best money maker last spring.
Oh and get a good soil probe with a foot stand. Those cheapies always bend on me

(I'm studying for my license but was told I really don't need one yet - if they restrict it someday I'll have my "7" already)

[Eakern & Dog]

This best approach is a Cherry Charms Lollipop and a hammer :)

[Runner]

Hey I started using Talprid this year and it works great. My best money maker last spring.
(I'm studying for my license but was told I really don't need one yet - if they restrict it someday I'll have my "7" already)

If you're putting down Bromethalin, then you definitely need a license.:nono::waving:

[Gatewayuser]

Hey I started using Talprid this year and it works great. My best money maker last spring.
Oh and get a good soil probe with a foot stand. Those cheapies always bend on me

(I'm studying for my license but was told I really don't need one yet - if they restrict it someday I'll have my "7" already)

Errr wrong, you need a cat 7 this year to be legal! Don't let anyone lie to you by saying its part of turf because its not.

[Runner]

That is exactly right. It is the same way in Michigan.

[MStine315]

Joe, is this for Talparid, too? I swear I read something from MDA last summer that said "for now" it's part of turf. Did this change, or is it for the gas treatments?

[Gatewayuser]

Joe, is this for Talparid, too? I swear I read something from MDA last summer that said "for now" it's part of turf. Did this change, or is it for the gas treatments?

ODA law is that you have to have a cat 7 I don't know about MI. Now a few years back you only needed turf that was until Talprid and Kaput came out. It really is an easy test I took it last winter.

[garydale]

Talprid works!

Go on line an review their wedsite. Gives great instructions and can be ordered online.

[Runner]

Joe, is this for Talparid, too? I swear I read something from MDA last summer that said "for now" it's part of turf. Did this change, or is it for the gas treatments?
To use Talpirid, (or Kaput) in Michigan, we need 7d. It sucks, but it is true. We thought we could work around it, and were told that the MDA was proposing to make some changes, but they did not. I have no idea what you read from the MDA that said this, but I'd love to get my hands on it. I've spoke to Saginaw, and I've spoke to Lansing over this matter (and a few others), and they stand by their decision of keeping it in 7d (vertebrate). This backs a whole lot of people up, because we can't just test for it, we need our "2 years experience" in this category to be able to get this under our license - unless we want to find someone who already has the experience and hire them.

[MStine315]

Let me get a hold of the MGIA. It was in the Landsculptor magazine last summer, written by a MDA inspector. Like a monthly column deal. I never even thought about the 2 yrs. exp., though. What a PITA. If I can find something I'll get it on here ASAP.

[Gatewayuser]

I went to the ODA conference in Wilmington 1 1/2 months ago and they advised everyone in the cat 7 conference that you need cat 7 to treat moles, voles and chipmunks.

[John Gamba]

Since I have lived here, there has been a mole or two on the property. I used some more repellant and it seemed to work for a while, but as the summer went on, they came back and became more destructive.

I put down more repellant, but it just seemed to piss them off and now that we have had uncommonly heavy rain, there are spots in my yard that are like a swamp. The moles have gone nuts and are destroying everything!

Short of getting up and sitting around with a shovel, is there something I can put down to kill them or drive them off???


MERIT for Grubs works great.

[MStine315]

MERIT for Grubs works great.

Except that they like earthworms more than grubs

[John Gamba]

Except that they like earthworms more than grubs


Not here. Its worked for me for about 15 years. I would give it a try. It beats poking holes in the ground and waiting with a shovel.

[Runner]

LOL I think he (John) was being fecicious (sarcastic).:)

[MStine315]

O.K., my face is red! I guess I'm a little slow today-Monday and all. Thanks Joe! (I may have a PM for you if the MGIA comes through-stay tuned)

[John Gamba]

LOL I think he (John) was being fecicious (sarcastic).:)


Joe:laugh: :laugh: it works. He should try it. You dont know how many times i would sit there have a beer wait, sit there have a beer an wait. pretty soon you are having a beer with the mole(thinking its your wife) and his Buddy's till you pass out.

Then they take your beer and you still have moles. TRY IT IT WORKS:hammerhead:

[Turfdoctor1]

i'll save you guys some time and energy.

buy a shovel. wait to see it moving around, pop it out and chop its head off.

much more likely to kill the little devil than the mole poison crap that doesn't work most of the time.

[John Gamba]

i'll save you guys some time and energy.

buy a shovel. wait to see it moving around, pop it out and chop its head off.

much more likely to kill the little devil than the mole poison crap that doesn't work most of the time.


Heres another good cost cutting way:cool2:

[MStine315]

O.K., for Joe and others in MI interested. This is from the helpful staff at the MGIA who took time today to look up this article. In order to post this here I have to say "Excerpt taken from the Landsculptor (Sept. 2006), a publication of the Michigan Green Industry Association," www.landscape.org This was written as part of an article on pesticide application and training by Molly Mott, pesticide specialist, Pesticide and Plant Management Division, Michigan Department of Agriculture. If you would like the whole article, I have it in MS Word and would be happy to PM it, but it's too large to copy and paste here.

TALPIRIDä: Many of you may know that MGIA and other industry groups are hosting seminars to provide training on Talpiridä use for mole control, and questions have arisen regarding the appropriate certification category. At this time, MDA is currently allowing 3A (Turfgrass Pest Management), 7A (General Pest Management), or 7D (Vertebrate Pest Management) as acceptable categories.

[John Gamba]

O.K., for Joe and others in MI interested. This is from the helpful staff at the MGIA who took time today to look up this article. In order to post this here I have to say "Excerpt taken from the Landsculptor (Sept. 2006), a publication of the Michigan Green Industry Association," www.landscape.org This was written as part of an article on pesticide application and training by Molly Mott, pesticide specialist, Pesticide and Plant Management Division, Michigan Department of Agriculture. If you would like the whole article, I have it in MS Word and would be happy to PM it, but it's too large to copy and paste here.

TALPIRIDä: Many of you may know that MGIA and other industry groups are hosting seminars to provide training on Talpiridä use for mole control, and questions have arisen regarding the appropriate certification category. At this time, MDA is currently allowing 3A (Turfgrass Pest Management), 7A (General Pest Management), or 7D (Vertebrate Pest Management) as acceptable categories.





You do not need a license for a bag of Merit and a shovel.

[MStine315]

Like we used to say to laborers on the golf course, "Here's a balogna sandwich and a pitchfork, DON'T come back without a mole." LOL

[John Gamba]

Like we used to say to laborers on the golf course, "Here's a balogna sandwich and a pitchfork, DON'T come back without a mole." LOL



:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:If you want to really confuse them, tell them to bring back a vole

[MStine315]

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:If you want to really confuse them, tell them to bring back a vole

Heck, you could put one of those in a bun and have yourself a hoagie to go with the sandwich!

[John Gamba]

Heck, you could put one of those in a bun and have yourself a hoagie to go with the sandwich!


I bet your a cheap date:laugh:

[Runner]

MStine, You have a PM.

[MStine315]

Joe, "you have mail"

[John Gamba]

Joe, "you have mail"



Joe you sent mail :waving:

[MStine315]

And I replied. Thanks John, you're helping me get my post count up!

[John Gamba]

And I replied. Thanks John, you're helping me get my post count up!


Anytime:waving: 7600 to go:walking:

[All Season Bill]

If you're putting down Bromethalin, then you definitely need a license.:nono::waving:
I've had a lawn pesticide license for 18 years but the AG inspector that came by this summer said that I don't need a special one yet for moles.
That's straight from the Dept of Ag

(unless I use the phostoxin fumigants)

[Runner]

Yeah,...I noticed that the laws in Ohio are alot different thanhere in Michign. It was truly some interesting reading - the requirements for applying for new licenses. I wish I was near the border, as they have a reciprocating policy with Michigan. I could actually sit on the fence and apply for licenses in Ohio and apply there. This way, there would be nothing stopping us from getting all our other certs..
As far as the Phostoxin stuff, we used it for a short time, and it is some wicked stuff...extrememly dangerous. It kills moles,...unfortunately, it kills dogs, cats, babies, and anything else it comes in contact with. Not only that,...but th success rate for this product for the use of moles is marginal, at best...especially in sandier soils. The bookwork, licensing, additional insurance, and liability weigh in heavy. The cleanliness and success rate of the bromethalin just makes it soooo worth while. Good luck with this season...I hope you do well.

[Gatewayuser]

I've had a lawn pesticide license for 18 years but the AG inspector that came by this summer said that I don't need a special one yet for moles.
That's straight from the Dept of Ag

(unless I use the phostoxin fumigants)

This year it is different that is straight from Dept of Ag recertification conference last month. I should know I have the proper license. Last year it was a gray area but now it's not you need cat 7.

[rcreech]

I just talked to Dr Jim Belt at ODA on Friday and you can use Category 8 until they go through all the hoops to reword category 7. He told me they will send out a notice to all who have cat 8 when this goes in affect. Call him at 614-728-6389 if you have any questions.

[doitall]

There is a product out by liquid fence that will prevent moles and you do not need to be licensed to apply it.

[All Season Bill]

I just talked to Dr Jim Belt at ODA on Friday and you can use Category 8 until they go through all the hoops to reword category 7. He told me they will send out a notice to all who have cat 8 when this goes in affect. Call him at 614-728-6389 if you have any questions.
Thanks rcreech - that's good to know


doitall - what's in this Liquid Fence?

[Victor]

I have a great solution for this problem. It works great for moles and voles. Sprinkle used cat litter down every hole you can find. No mole, or vole wants to hang around when the scent of a predator is present like that.

[doitall]

Thanks rcreech - that's good to know


doitall - what's in this Liquid Fence?

I believe some kind of caster oil.

[All Season Bill]

Errr wrong, you need a cat 7 this year to be legal! Don't let anyone lie to you by saying its part of turf because its not.


I was inspected this year by the dept of Ag...and I'm just going by what he said.

[rcreech]

I was inspected this year by the dept of Ag...and I'm just going by what he said.

You are exactly right!

I called ODA (as you can see above I posted the name and phone number (post #51) and they said that you can continue to use cat 8 until they let us know further. I just went ahead and got cat 7 so when they do make the change I am ready.