The mole is under protection and must not be killed. Therefore, animal-friendly garden owners and lawn lovers set up live traps to catch the mole. But did you know that this is also forbidden? Find out why this is the case and what alternatives you have.
Can you catch a mole?
Catching moles is prohibited in Germany according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act because they are among the specially protected species. Alternatively, you can get rid of the mole using natural methods such as smells and noises. Unsuitable methods such as ultrasonic devices, carbide or submerging the gears should be avoided.
The most important things in brief
- The mole is one of the specially protected species and must therefore neither be killed nor caught.
- Trying with a live trap is also prohibited.
- Instead, a mole can be driven away with noises and smells.
- We advise against using ultrasound devices, carbide and water as measures against moles.
The mole under protection
The mole is one of the specially protected species according to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance § 1 sentence 1. As a result, it is prohibited according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) § 44:
- to catch, injure or even kill a mole
- removing a mole from its habitat or even keeping it as a pet
- to damage or destroy the resting and breeding place
- to disturb him in the reproduction or rearing of his young
You see, it is forbidden to catch a mole. But that's not the case without reason.
The mole's food requirements
A mole eats a lot - mainly pests! Moles feed on insects that cause damage to your garden like:
- Grubs
- Caterpillars
- Larvae
- Snails
Of course, a few beneficial insects also fall victim to it, such as earthworms.
The mole has to eat half of its body weight per day, around 50g. To achieve this, he has to eat constantly. Even a few hours without food can mean death for him. Catching with a tube trap placed in a mole's passage without bait therefore means death for the mole in most cases.
Excursus
High-quality soil through mole
In addition to its activity as a pest killer, the mole also ensures excellent soil quality by digging through the different layers of earth and ensuring a good supply of oxygen. Anyone who has a mole in their garden can be sure that the garden soil is of extremely good quality.
Catch a mole with a live trap and bait
If you set a live trap for the mole in the evening and it goes in early in the evening, it may have already starved to death by morning. You may now think that you can ensure its survival by stocking the trap with enough food. Just remember that a mole eats live snails and earthworms! In addition, the stress of transport can be so stressful for the mole that it does not survive being moved.
Permit to catch the mole
If you really want to catch the mole, you can try to get a permit from the state authority for nature and environmental protection. However, you need a really good reason for wanting to get rid of the mole. The fact that you don't like the molehills is not a sufficient justification. Danger to moles from pets on the premises can be accepted as a reason. However, you may also be required to keep your pets under control.
Pen alties for catching a mole
If you try to catch a mole without a permit, four-digit fines await you. Depending on the federal state, pen alties can be up to 10.000 or 50,000€ can be imposed. Especially if the mole is harmed or even dies as a result of being caught, you can expect serious consequences if you report it.
Anyone who kills a mole can face fines of up to €50,000
Alternatives to catching a mole
The fact that you are not allowed to catch the mole does not mean that you have to live with its presence - although its usefulness obviously speaks for itself. The use of home remedies and acoustic signals is permitted.
Repelling moles with smells
Since moles have an excellent sense of smell, strong-smelling substances are torture for them. Therefore, you can use a homemade scent bomb to drive it away.
Smells that have proven helpful are:
- Buttermilk or manure
- Mothballs
- essential oils
- garlic
In the following instructions we will explain to you how to build and use a scent bomb from these resources:
1. Make a scent bomb
Select several solid products (no buttermilk or manure!) from the products mentioned above and mix them together. Put your substances in a cotton cloth and tie it so that you can easily remove your mole remedy afterwards.
2. Stocking molehills
Choose several molehills in different places in the garden and dig them up a little using a small shovel.
Then put your bundles in and dig the pile back up.
Mark each loaded pile with a stick.
3. Use buttermilk
Add a good sip of manure (e.g. nettle manure or buttermilk) to the remaining mounds. Also dig up the mound a little so that you hit the passage.
4. Plant plants
You can also grow plants that the mole can't stand, such as fragrant herbs or imperial crowns.
5. Renew products
So that the smell doesn't wear off, it is important that you renew your scent bombs weekly.
6. Recognize success
When no more new molehills appear, the mole has moved. To prevent him from coming back, it is advisable to maintain the measures for a few more weeks.
Excursus
Lock out mole
If you are sure that you have driven away the mole, you can use a mole barrier to ensure that no mole ever sets foot in your garden again. Mole barriers are metal nets that are laid horizontally or vertically.
Noises against moles
In addition to its keen sense of smell, the mole also has an excellent sense of hearing. Therefore, sound can also be used against him. Ultrasonic devices from specialist retailers have proven to be less effective. In addition, such devices can also disturb other animals such as bats or pets.
Home-made wind turbines or cans on metal rods are more effective and cheaper.
Instructions for mole repellent
- You need a metal rod and a plastic bottle.
- Cut around the plastic bottle window in the neck of the bottle.
- Bend them outwards to create wings.
- Now you can paint the bottle as you wish.
- Remove the lid and place the bottle on the rod. Alternatively, you can also cut out the bottom and put the bottle with the lid onto the rod.
- Stick the pole into a molehill.
- Place multiple wind turbines in different molehills.
- Alternatively, you can also use a can.
You can easily build a mole wind turbine yourself
Tip
The more the merrier: Combine sounds with smells to target multiple senses of the mole.
We advise against these methods
Approaches can be found on the Internet that are either hardly efficient or harmful to the environment or even dangerous. We strongly advise against the following methods:
| Measure | Why not recommended | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Carbide/Fumigation | Dangerous to the environment, highly flammable, tearing | Smells |
| Submerge mole burrows | Not effective, damaging resting places prohibited | Pouring buttermilk into aisles |
| Ultrasound devices | Not effective, nuisance to other animals | Wind turbine against mole |
| Putting fish heads in passages | Smells barbaric | Buttermilk or interchangeable scented sachets |
FAQ
What is the best way to catch a mole?
It is forbidden to catch a mole. You may only be allowed to relocate a mole with a permit from the state agency for nature and environmental protection.
How do I get rid of the mole?
You can try to drive away the mole with strong-smelling home remedies such as garlic, mothballs or buttermilk, as well as with homemade wind turbines.
Why can't you kill a mole?
According to the Federal Species Protection Ordinance, Section 1, Sentence 1, the mole is one of the specially protected species. Therefore, not only must he not be killed, but he must also not be captured or disturbed.
