Sunday 27 October 2013

Ridding Yards With Mole Traps

By Rachael Gutierrez


There are many yards that have problems with moles and this is why mole traps have become a common tool used to get rid of these little animals. There are a variety of different kinds and you can find most of them at a store that sells gardening supplies and hardware.

In order for mole traps to be successful they need to be set up for the animal while under the ground. So, the goal is to kill the animal when it is trying to reopen its tunnels that it uses most often. When the mole tries to clear the tunnels, it will then push on the trigger pan of the trap and this then will release a spring and the animal is crushed by the trap.

Before setting a trap it is important that you find out which of the tunnels are permanent. These are the ones they use most often. There are both temporary and permanent ones so it is important that you know the difference between the two.

You can find permanent ones by see where there are areas that always seem to open up over and over. Another thing to do is look for mounds that follow straight lines. You will also notice that those that are permanent will generally have at least two mounds and this is often where they eat.

You will also notice that the main tunnels will seem to always follow fence lines if there is fencing in your yard, they will also follow your pathways and foundations along with any other kinds of borders that are man made. If the tunnels are deeper you might try finding them by taking a stick or metal rod and probe between fresh mounds or right next to a fresh mound. You can tell if they are fresh tunnels by stomping down on a mound one day and then coming out the next day to see if the dirt has been disturbed again.

There are quite a few traps but two of the more common ones uses would be the scissor jaw trap and the harpoon trap. Both of these can be found in many gardening centers.

If you decide to use the scissor version, for it to be successful you need to make sure it is put right in the main tunnel under the surface of your yard. You will more than likely have to dig a minimum of eight inches down. The is an out of sight kind of trap and when the mole comes to its active tunnel and tries to open it up the dirt will cause the trap to spring into action, killing the animal.

The harpoon variety sometimes called the spear trap is set when the tunnel is crushed with a persons hands or feet and then putting the trap right above the area that was destroyed. This will make the mole come to try and reopen their tunnel and the dirt will trigger the trap to spring into action.

A common mistake when people use mole traps is that they do not get enough of them. Once a trap is triggered this means the trap has been used up for that tunnel, so, if there are more than one tunnel in your yard, you need to get traps for each tunnel you have discovered.




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