Often, when we notice that there are mounds of fresh earth on the lawn, and hollow corridors can be found under the surface of the flower beds, the first suspicion ismolesAs it turns out, a mole does not have to be the only perpetrator of this type of damage. It may well begrubber ,field mouseorbank voleIt is worth learning to recognize which of these animals caused damage to the garden, because only then will we choose the right and effective method of combating these pests.
Mole, grub, voles, field mouse - who is the cause of this damage?
Moles, voles, grubs or mice - how to tell them apart?
A careful look at the damage done will allow us to determine which animal caused the damage and choose the right method to get rid of it from the garden.
The field mouseis the easiest to recognize, because it does not make mounds on the ground, but only digs underground corridors. The corridors excavated by field mice have a circular cross-section, 3 to 4 cm in diameter and are connected by numerous vertical exits to the surface.
Voles and voles are sometimes mistaken for miceThey are smaller ears, shorter tail and shorter legs. Unlike mice, voles are most likely to eat green grass and, in winter, the rhizomes of various plants. It sometimes happens that when they can't find anything else to eat, they nibble on the bark. Voles are found in forests and voles in fields and wet meadows.
If there are mounds, the damage will be caused by a mole or a grubber The tunnels dug by the grubber have an ovoid cross-section (they are wider) and a width of about 5 cm. The mounds heaped from the ground removed from the tunnel are flat.
On the other hand,moles make more heaped mounds , and the tunnels hollowed out by them are larger than their width. In order to be 100% sure, we can try to dig around a meter long section of the corridor hollowed out by the animal. After about 6 hours or the next day, we check the condition of the damaged tunnel. If it has been rebuilt, then we are dealing with a grubber, becausemoles never recreate a damaged pavement "
The effects of the mole's activities are easy to recognize. Mounds of soil, created when soil is being pushed out of underground passages, are regular and can also be quite high
Fighting moles, voles, grubs and mice
In order to prevent the appearance of the above-mentioned animals in our garden, it is worth growing plants that repel moles and voles, such as spurge, common garlic and garlic, imperial checkerboard or sharpener. Molesare also not very fond of basil, łoboda and marigolds. If we are sure that the perpetrator of the damage isfield mouse ,grubberorvole , we can also set traps or scatter food poison, such as, for example, Normix (the poison is put directly into the holes of the burrows made by the pest).
If we want to get rid of mice from the garden, consider also letting the cat in. It does not have to be a cat that will stay in the garden permanently and hunt mice. The mere presence of a cat and its smell have a deterrent effect on mice. Therefore, it is enough if a friendly cat from the neighborhood simply visits our garden once every few days.In the case of a mole, the matter is not that simple, because it is a useful animal, under partial protection. Although in the gardens the mole is not protected, it is better not to kill it, but only chase it from our plot.
How to deter moles?
Fighting moleswill be easier if we know some details about them.Moles are almost blind, but their other senses are alert - touch, smell and hearing. Preparations and devices that deter and helpget rid of the mole from the garden are based on this property
Poison, fragrancesWe can choose mainly chemical preparations containing substances poisonous or odorous, irritating the mole's sense of smell and causing it to move to another territory (eg Kretomax). In a similar way, we can use carbide - put its nuggets into several wells, pour water and pour over. The smell of carbide irritates the sensitive smell of moles.
Sound and vibration deterrents
Many gardeners also praise the mechanical method, which involves placing a metal pipe in the soil closed at the bottom. Vibrations from frequent hitting metal should discouragemolesfrom being around. To save effort, we can put plastic drink bottles on the metal tubes, which will give a similar effect by knocking in the wind or use various types of fan.I do not recommend electronic devices that emit sounds and vibrations. They are relatively expensive, and in known cases they turned out to be completely ineffective.
We can build a repeller on our own plot from plastic bottles and aluminum beverage cans placed on a wooden stake. Moved by the wind, they will cause vibrations that moles do not like very much
Smoke candles
A more drasticway to deal with a mole is to use smoke candlesCarefully clearing away the mounds, we find the entrances to the corridors. Lighted candles should be put in them and the entrance closed with soil. However, I do not recommend this method, because it is associated with the slow poisoning of the mole, which causes the animal to suffer, as well as the introduction of poisonous vapors into the soil in which we grow plants.
Cretaceous pyrotechnic trap
This is one of themost effective ways to kill the mole , but unfortunately it involves killing the mole with an exploding firecracker.The advantage is that the mole dies immediately and is not exposed to suffering before it dies. Therefore, I find this methodmuch more humane than smoke candles or poisonThe Target mole-trap takes advantage of the fact that the mole visits the dug-up molehills within at least 2 days to repair the damaged corridor. So the molehill should be leveled and the Molehound and firecracker should be placed in the exposed opening of the tunnel. When the mole moves the sensor, the firecracker explodes. However, let's use this method only as a last resort.
Important - don't give up!
It is important not to get discouraged too quickly when trying to drive the mole away. According to the reports of gardeners with whom I spoke, completely different methods turned out to be effective for different people. Ifmolesdo not want to leave our garden or plot, you have to try another method.The above-mentioned measures against moles, voles and other pests can be ordered in our store. We guarantee the highest quality of goods, low prices and fast delivery.To view the offer, press the button below.
Moles - removing damage
There is still the issue ofof removing the damage that the mole has already causedin our garden. The lawn could suffer especially. What to do then? We begin by removing the mounds and leveling the soil dug up by the mole. Then the remaining bald patches need to be supplemented by additional sowing or covered with pieces of turf taken from other places on the lawn (e.g. lawn edges hidden under bushes).Read also:
