Can't see the molehills in your lawn anymore and want to kill the mole? You should definitely avoid doing this, because killing moles is strictly forbidden! Find out below what alternatives there are to get rid of the mole legally and what pen alties await you if you destroy the mole.
Can you kill a mole or what alternatives are there?
Killing moles is strictly prohibited as they are protected. Instead of killing, moles can be legally driven away using alternative methods, such as noise and smell. Depending on the country, failure to comply can result in severe pen alties, such as fines or imprisonment.
The most important things in brief:
- Since the mole is a protected species, it is forbidden to kill or catch a mole.
- Alternatively, a mole can be driven away with noises and smells.
- It makes sense to combine different methods to guarantee success.
The mole as a beneficial insect
Despite all the molehills, the mole is an important beneficial insect. A mole in the garden has several positive effects:
- It eats insects that can be dangerous to our plants, such as grubs, caterpillars or larvae.
- It digs through the layers of earth and thus ensures good soil quality with good ventilation.
- It keeps voles and other harmful rodents away.
If you have a mole in your garden, you can basically consider yourself lucky.
The mole under protection
Due to its usefulness, the mole is one of the specially protected species. It is not (yet) threatened with extinction. But you are not allowed to catch, torture or even kill him. Paragraph 44 in the Federal Nature Conservation Act stipulates:
It is forbidden to: 1. stalk, capture, injure or kill wild animals of specially protected species or to take, damage or destroy their developmental forms from nature. (Regulations for specially protected and certain other animal and plant species, paragraph 44, 1 from Dejure.org)
Furthermore, its resting and breeding place must not be damaged or even destroyed. So this affects the molehills and the tunnels underneath.
Pen alties for killing moles
Anyone who still dares to harm a mole must expect hefty pen alties.
InGermanythe fines depend on the federal state and vary from 10,000 (Saarland) to 65,000€ (Brandenburg).
InAustriayou can expect up to two years in prison or a fine of several thousand euros.
Inthe Switzerland the mole is not protected.
Tip
Catching the mole with a live trap is also prohibited. Since the mole has to constantly eat, catching it can also lead to its death.
Killing a mole can result in a hefty fine
Repelling moles: Alternatives to killing
If you have a mole in your garden, you don't necessarily have to put up with the mounds, although many nature-loving gardeners prioritize the benefit over the purely visual damage.
Instead, you can use gentle expulsion methods, some of which we will introduce to you below.
Repel moles with noises
Moles have very good hearing - a compensation for their almost blind eyes. Therefore, it can easily be disturbed with noise. No matter which method you choose, what is important when using noises against moles is:
- Always mount your noise source directly into a mole burrow. You can stick them directly into a hill or find a passage between two hills.
- Attach multiple soundscapes at different points so that the sound comes from multiple sides.
- Keep the measure in place for a while, even if there is no more digging activity, to prevent the mole from coming back.
- To increase effectiveness, it is advisable to combine different methods.
You have these options:
Ultrasound device from specialist retailers
Specialist retailers offer ultrasonic devices for mole control. However, their effectiveness is more than questionable. In most cases, users report that the mole is not impressed by the device and disappears for a few days at best. In addition, although ultrasonic waves cannot be heard by us, they do disturb other sensitive ears such as those of our pets or useful bats.
Homemade wind turbine
If you like crafts, this option is a good option for you: you will need a metal rod, a plastic bottle and scissors. You can find out how to build a wind turbine against moles from these materials in our instructions.
You can get rid of a mole with simple home-made equipment
Cans on metal rod
If you're looking for a quicker solution, you can opt for this slightly louder but simpler option:
- Stick a metal rod into a molehill.
- Attach a short, horizontal pole to the top.
- Tie one or two cans to this pole. These should be mounted so that even in light winds they hit the pole and cause it to swing.
Putting a bottle in a molehill
This method is even easier than the previous ones: Insert a bottle - without a lid! – upside down into a molehill. If the wind passes over the bottle opening, noises are created that are directed directly into the mole's burrow.
Excursus
The name of the mole
Have you ever wondered why the mole is called a mole? The word “Maul” comes from the Old High German word “Molte,” which can be translated as “earth.”It has absolutely nothing to do with our current term “mouth”. “Mole” can therefore be translated as “earth thrower”.
Repelling moles with smells
In addition to its extremely good hearing, the mole also has a very keen sense of smell. Therefore, it can also be driven away with smells. The following have proven to be efficient:
- Mothballs
- garlic
- Buttermilk
- Essential oils
Butyric acid against moles
In internet forums you can often read that butyric acid is a good method against moles. We would like to advise against this and recommend using buttermilk instead. Butyric acid is corrosive and forms smelly gases when it comes into contact with oxygen and water. These gases are also corrosive and can irritate both our mucous membranes and those of the mole. Buttermilk is a less aggressive and also effective alternative.
Gas a mole with carbide
We would also strongly advise against using carbide against moles. Unfortunately, this substance is not officially banned, but it is extremely dangerous and highly damaging to the environment. Carbide is reminiscent of a gray rock and gives off strong smelling gases when it comes into contact with moisture. These gases are highly flammable and corrosive. In addition, carbide reacts at high humidity, which makes storage a challenge. Furthermore, the use of carbide produces highly toxic substances that harm microorganisms and animals. Therefore, carbide is prohibited near water sources.
