By Drew Ricketts, Extension Wildlife Specialist and Danny Lindahl, Natural Resource Video Production Specialist
Moles are an insectivorous mammal species that can cause extensive damage in turfgrass situations like yards, parks, or golf courses. Dr. Drew Ricketts, a wildlife management extension specialist with Kansas State University, developed this guide to help you manage problem moles. This is a written adaptation of Dr. Rickett’s guide that can be viewed in full below.
Moles use their large, scallop-shaped front feet to burrow underground in search of their insect prey, pushing up the ground with their head in the process and forming telltale ridges in the surface of the soil. Moles will sometimes burrow deeper underground where the soil can’t be pushed up. In that case, they will move the soil above ground to the clean out their burrow causing molehills.
When people are affected by mole damage they will often go to various sources for solutions. Many solutions that are purported to work, but in the experience of Dr. Ricketts, some of the gimmicky solutions will work some of the time, but the most effective way to manage nuisance moles is to trap them. In his own words: “you need to learn to trap moles or learn to live with them.”
