Unwanted visitors - How to deter moles

The battle between moles and gardeners is a long running one and likely to continue as long as there are moles and gardeners. Moles can spoil lawns and their runs can undermine plants in borders. They spend most of their life underground and a single family can occupy up to half an acre of land. Burrowing activity is at a peak in the spring while the parents find food for the new litter of baby moles (can't find what a baby mole is called - think it might be a kitten). The chances are that if you have moles, you will never actually see any of them face to face - just their destructive trail.

Moles are carnivores and feed on worms and grubs that they find in the soil, they don't feed on plants and damage them only coincidentally as they burrow past.

Traditionally moles were removed from a site by a mole catcher in a battle of wits whereby he inserted traps into runs in the evening and returned the next day to see how many he had caught. This is still an option for gardeners though many people find it distasteful today as the mole is killed. There is also the disadvantage that the garden is now missing any resident moles and the chances are that another family will move in to take the place of the deceased ones!

There are a whole range of chemical deterrents available that can be put down the mole run such as:

Castor oil can also be used on the ground. When the moles food is seasoned with castor oil, they will go elsewhere for meals. (Wouldn't you?) Mix up a spray of 3 parts castor oil to 1 part dish detergent; use 4 tablespoons of this concoction in a gallon of water, and soak the tunnels and the entrances. Check your soil for the presence of pests; if you have a lot of moles, you probably have an oversupply of grubs and bugs.

More modern methods involve the use of a sonic deterrent, which emit bursts of sounds on a regular basis that the moles find off putting and leave. The results of this method however are not instant and devices need to be kept running for 4 to 6 months. There is also the problem that when you stop, the moles may come back.

Mole Repeller - £19.99 This high powered sonic mole repeller is perfect for getting rid of moles in lawns, bowling greens, golf courses, flower beds, vegetable gardens and allotments. They are safe to use near children and family pests and are chemical-free. Most underground rodents have poor eyesight, but have excellent hearing and they can detect even the slightest vibration in the ground, which warn them of impending danger. The Mole Repeller creates low frequency ground vibrations that make it uncomfortable for them to remain in the area. The Mole Repeller will work on all soils but heavier clay soils are better for transmitting the signal so they will give the maximum coverage of 836 sq m (9,000 sq ft). With a new set of alkaline batteries the Mole Repeller will keep your garden mole free for about 4-6 months.

Little Nipper Mole Trap - £3.49 The Little Nipper mole trap is an old fashioned but effective way to catch moles. The trap is easy to set by placing the trap inside the mole run with the handles outside. Then the hole is covered excluding all light to the run and when a mole has been caught the handles of the trap will spring apart.