Garden Pests Moles Identification

Moles are carnivores that prefer to eat insects instead of your garden plants. Read The Old Farmer's Almanac Guide for tips in identifying, controlling, and getting rid of moles. Find out how to get rid of moles in your yard right now and how to prevent more moles from moving in.

Moles are small burrowing animals that can be both beneficial and troublesome in your yard. While they aerate the soil by feeding on grubs, earthworms, and other insects, their tunneling activity often creates unsightly raised ridges and soil mounds that disrupt the appearance of a well. But with so many different types of rodents, including moles, voles, chipmunks, white-footed mice, and house mice, it's essential to correctly identify the pest to control it effectively.

This article will help you learn the difference between moles and other rodents and how to get rid of moles in the garden. Moles primarily feed on insects, grubs, and worms, but their relentless digging can uproot plants, disrupt root systems, and lead to uneven ground that detracts from the beauty and functionality of a garden. As soil is displaced and vegetation suffers, understanding the implications of mole activity can help gardeners take timely action.

It is important to know what moles look like so you can tell them apart from other creatures that may be destroying your yard. Our Mole Identification Guide will help you distinguish moles and mole damage from other lawn problems so you can begin the right mole control steps. Discover effective methods for how to get rid of moles from your yard and garden.

Learn about mole habits, signs of mole activity, and practical steps to eliminate moles. Moles feed on grubs and other insects, tunneling through dirt to catch them. And while these are often the kind of grubs that can damage your garden or yard, in order to get to the grubs, the tunnels they dig create raised areas and mounds throughout your yard which loosens dirt and can easily cause lasting damage to your garden or yard.

Allowing moles to dominate your garden can help soil aeration and natural pest control. However, moles can also negatively impact your yard because they attract other garden pests, burrow in extensive tunnels, and damage your plants. Mole activity actually aids the gardener by consuming white grubs and other insects as well as aerating the soil.

The garden mole is often unjustly persecuted for the crimes of voles, white-footed mice, and the common house mouse, which adopt the mole tunnels as their gateway to feast on seeds, bulbs, and roots.