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Location
Jackson, Mississippi
Start Date
5-11-1995 12:00 AM
Description
A new product containing 65% castor oil with the trade name Mole-Med was evaluated for its effectiveness in repelling eastern moles (Scalopus aquaticus) from lawns. Seven lawns in southern Michigan during September, 1993 were selected as preliminary test sites, and the ridges over mole tunnels in the lawns were flattened each day for 3 days. If some existing and new ridges were raised each day, the site was classified as having mole activity and continuing damage. The repellent was then applied according to label directions, and ridges above mole tunnels were flattened as described previously. If no tunnels were raised on the test lawn after one week, the repellent was considered to be effective. The repellent was classified as effective on all 7 test lawns. In May-July, 1994, 17 additional lawns were selected in the same way as preliminary test sites and classified as having or not having mole damage. Eleven received repellent treatment, while 6 were considered control, 3 adjacent to a treated area, 3 not adjacent to treated areas. Raised mole produced ridges were flattened on all test sites. On any site where ridges remained flattened and no new ridges were created for one week, moles were considered repelled. Mole activity as indicated by raised ridges ceased on eleven treated sites but continued on 5 of 6 control sites. The effectiveness of the repellent as indicated by the lack of new ridges continued for 65 days on one treatment site and for 30 days on the remaining treatment sites.
Recommended Citation
Dudderar, G. R., Tellman, S., & Elshoff, D. K. (1995). The effectiveness of a new mole repellent for preventing damage to lawns by eastern moles. In Armstrong, J. B. (Ed.), The Seventh Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conference (pp. 149-152). Jackson, MS: Mississippi State University.
Included in
The Effectiveness of a New Mole Repellent for Preventing Damage to Lawns by Eastern Moles
Jackson, Mississippi
A new product containing 65% castor oil with the trade name Mole-Med was evaluated for its effectiveness in repelling eastern moles (Scalopus aquaticus) from lawns. Seven lawns in southern Michigan during September, 1993 were selected as preliminary test sites, and the ridges over mole tunnels in the lawns were flattened each day for 3 days. If some existing and new ridges were raised each day, the site was classified as having mole activity and continuing damage. The repellent was then applied according to label directions, and ridges above mole tunnels were flattened as described previously. If no tunnels were raised on the test lawn after one week, the repellent was considered to be effective. The repellent was classified as effective on all 7 test lawns. In May-July, 1994, 17 additional lawns were selected in the same way as preliminary test sites and classified as having or not having mole damage. Eleven received repellent treatment, while 6 were considered control, 3 adjacent to a treated area, 3 not adjacent to treated areas. Raised mole produced ridges were flattened on all test sites. On any site where ridges remained flattened and no new ridges were created for one week, moles were considered repelled. Mole activity as indicated by raised ridges ceased on eleven treated sites but continued on 5 of 6 control sites. The effectiveness of the repellent as indicated by the lack of new ridges continued for 65 days on one treatment site and for 30 days on the remaining treatment sites.