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GrahamH

Joined: 23 May 2015
Posts: 523

Posted: Wed Sep 09, 15 9:22 am Post subject:
I seem to remember a device which was mounted on a spike which was stuck in the ground which transmitted pulses of sound. This apparently encouraged the moles to move on. But I can't remember anything about the name......age I suppose but I am sure someone on DS's has a better memory.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Sep 10, 15 1:48 pm Post subject:

Snap, GrahamH, I can't remember either, but there definitely was something that was sold and sent them-allegedly away to other pastures, never tried myself, but allegedly it was no good anyway!
The odds of the little dears moving on is remote, they do like permanent pastures which face south and warm up early in the spring. They are solitary animals and literally only get together for mating, then its back to the dungeons till next year.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 15 8:12 am Post subject:

I posted this on here back in 2008. Possibly a case of out of sight, out of mind?

Right here goes. Here are the pictures

The traps that I use are known as tunnel traps. There are another type known as pincer traps but I prefer these.
I've actually set two traps today and I hope that if I run the pictures in the correct sequence, that you should get a good idea as to how to set them.
The tricky bit can be actually locating the moles hole or run. You don't want to set your trap to close to the mole hill or you may find that the mole accidentaly sets the mole trap off by shoveling soil into it. For this reason, I always try and set my traps a fair way off from the hill. The mole hills are actually made from the soil that the little critter has dug out in constructing its tunnels.
Sometimes as you are walking on the grass, you will actually feel the ground give just a fraction as you take a pace and this is a sure sign that you have trodden on top of the mole tunnel. Otherwise I use a metal rod to thrust into the ground in likely spots and once again you will feel the rod 'give' as it breaks into the tunnel.

See if you can follow these photos, as I first of all set the trap and then position it into the run.

The trap before its been set.

Setting the trap, this is where you have to watch your fingers.

You get two chances with this kind of trap. I've already set one of the mechanisms and I'm still to set the other one.

Both ends set

I've located the hole and cut a piece of turf out, now I've got to carefully place the trap at the bottom of the run so that 'old Moley' unsuspectingly trundles along the hole and sticks his head into the trap. :smt103

The trap fits snuggly into the hole that I've cut out.

Then its pushed to the bottom of the run, so that the mole comes straight along it run from either direction and doessn't find any difference in the tunnel where the trap is set.

Then using the fine soil from one of the molehills, I cover the trap and exclude all the light.

Just to recap, heres the sequence of events as I set a second trap.

The set trap.

If you are lucky, you may catch the mole in a very short time but I wont be checking these traps until tomorrow. The mole lives on a four hour cycle and every four hours or so, it will do a whistle stop tour of its run system to check for juicy worms that may have fallen into the tunnels.
This sort of trap kills instantly by crushing the mole around the head or thorax with a steel band. The trigger mechanism is identical to that of a break back mouse trap. The mole trigger the trap by setting it off with its nose.

Fingers crossed and hopefully there will be a mole in the trap in the morning.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 15 9:32 am Post subject:
Thats a great posting Bodger. Ive had moles in two areas for 2 years- they just mine around the perimeter, not in the main areas, but they drive me daft. I dont know if its two unrealted moles or they are a family or how many there are, but Im thinking about your traps now. How much roughly?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 15 11:42 am Post subject:
Less than a fiver. https://www.pestcontrolsupplies.co.uk/pest-stop-traditional-barrel-tunnel-type-mole-trap

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45471
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 15 12:38 pm Post subject:
ace tutorial,unfortunately tis the only effective way to keep a mole free lawn if the location suits them.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 15 2:21 pm Post subject:
ordered, thanks

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 15 8:00 pm Post subject:
I don't get the lawn obsession. I get why they need to be killed in the silage field but why kill a small harmless creature for the sake of a lawn?

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Wed Sep 16, 15 8:39 am Post subject:
There's not in a lawn, they are undermining my fenceposts, so my livestock and in danger of escaping. Ive already had to refence one area.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 15 7:35 pm Post subject:
That's a lot of moles!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45471
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 15 7:44 pm Post subject:
or a chair shaking mole

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 15 8:28 pm Post subject:
Just when I thought that my 'mojo' had gone, I managed to catch my first mole in goodness knows how long. I got the little beggar that's been turning over my orchard for the last few weeks. :chufted:

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45471
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 15 6:03 pm Post subject:
i think it needs about 40 for a waistcoat front so keep at it ,they undermine trees,we are lucky the orchard does not seem to suit them.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 15 5:56 pm Post subject:
There's another little s*d moved in !

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