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Moles are not rodents but are small mammals in the order Insectivora and are closely related to shrews. There are two species of moles in Wisconsin; the eastern or prairie mole (Scalopus aquaticus) which is found in southern and western Wisconsin and the star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) which is found in the north.
Both species are about 7-8 inches long and stout. The star-nosed mole is dark grey to black in color while the prairie mole is silvery grey. Moles can be distinguished from mice by their relatively short tails, poorly developed eyes and ears, and lack of long, curved incisor teeth. They have large, flattened front feet with large claws used for digging. The prairie mole is by far the most widespread of the two species and is the major pest species. Prairie moles typically are more damaging than the star-nosed mole because of their preference for the loose, upland soils typically associated with turf. Star-nosed moles, on the other hand, prefer moist soils near water.
Moles consume between 70-100% of their body weight in food each day. They primarily feed on pest insects such as beetle larvae but they also eat earthworms and other invertebrates such as centipedes. Rarely do they eat plants and they cannot be held responsible for the destruction of seeds and bulbs. However, although they don't directly damage plants, their tunneling exposes grass roots to air and the ridges they produce while constructing the tunnels interfere with mowing. Mole tunnels are often used by other plant-eating small mammals such as voles and white-footed mice.
Most mole damage to turf occurs in spring and fall when moles are actively looking for food just beneath the ground surface. It can be distinguished from that of gophers by the raised ridges they produce when they excavate their tunnels. The mound of excavated soil at the tunnel entrance can also provide a clue as to the culprit. The entrance hole to a mole burrow is vertical in orientation and is often plugged with soil. In addition, the excavated soil is often mounded around the hole in a similar fashion to a volcano. On the other hand, gopher entrance holes are more inclined and the soil around the entrance is on one side of the tunnel. Gopher tunnels are usually not visible on the ground surface because they are located deeper.
Although you may notice an extensive series of tunnels in your lawn, you may only have a few moles. A single animal can dig hundreds of feet of tunnels in a few days. Surface tunnels are often only used one time in search of food. After the food source is exhausted, the mole will abandon the tunnel and excavate a new one.
If you intend to manage problematic moles in turf, you must first determine which tunnels are active tunnels. To do this, press down the raised soil on some of the straight runs. If the tunnel is re excavated, the mole is actively using the tunnel. These are the tunnels in which you should place traps to kill the mole.
Moles usually don't remain in one turf area for an extended period of time unless cultural practices encourage high resident insect populations. It is therefore important to manage insect pest problems in the turf to eliminate mole damage. Refer to the section of this manual on how to manage turf insects for a complete discussion.
Fencing may also eliminate moles from a small area. Keep in mind that the fence must be buried at least 18 inches in the soil and the mesh must be tightly woven. This may be more work and money than you are willing to commit.
Trapping is the most efficient and cost-effective method in managing mole populations. There are several commercially-available mole traps which are designed to be sunk into the tunnel and are relatively safe for users, pets, and wildlife. In order to successfully trap a mole, you must understand its behavior. Moles are not suspicious of dirt blocking a runway and will re excavate a blocked tunnel if necessary. Traps that straddle the runway take this behavioral trait into account. As the mole tries to tunnel through the blocked area, it triggers the trap. Keep in mind that moles are wary of anything unnatural in its environment. Don't excavate large areas of a mole tunnel. Place the trap in a frequently used tunnel. These are distinguished from single-use hunting tunnels by their relatively straight course and their location between two systems of tunnels. Dig out a portion of the tunnel and place the trap. Replace the soil, packing it down in the process. If the trap fails to catch a mole after a couple days, move the trap to a new location. It is best if traps are set when the area isn't being used and children won't be around to tamper with the traps such as weekends or breaks.
There are several predators of moles including dogs, cats, raptors, raccoons, and foxes. However, dogs and cats may kill, but not eat, moles.
Because the primary food of moles are insects and related organisms, they often don't feed on poisoned baits such as peanuts or grains reducing the effectiveness of chemical pesticides. Chemical pesticides are not recommended for mole control. Several years ago a new class of mole repellants were released which contained castor oil. The best known is Mole-Med. This product is available as a ready to use spray which is applied with a hose-end sprinkler and watered into the turf. It has been reported to be quite effective in keeping moles out of a treated area for several months depending on the amount of rainfall the area receives.
UWEX Publication G3200 "Mole Control" by Scott R. Craven, 4pp.
"Stopping Gophers and Moles" in Common Sense Pest Control Quarterly, v.12, no. 2, Spring 1996. 23pp.
