Question
I live in the outer Richmond District of San Francisco, one-half block from Golden Gate Park and one mile from the ocean. Two weeks ago mounds of earth began appearing on my lawn, and this has continued daily. I assume the damage is being done by a mole, although I do not know this for certain. I do not wish to harm or kill the creatures, as I am a vegetarian with empathy for animals. Is there any way that I can rid my lawn of the pesky mole without harming it? Any advice you have to offer will be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Getting rid of moles

The repellent information is included within my mole control information below.

Before anything make sure the problem you are complaining of is moles and not pocket gophers or voles. If the latter two visit http://www.wildlifedamagecontrol.com/solutions.htm and click on the appropriate species. Moles eat insects and worms. Voles eat plants and will work above and below ground. Pocket gophers eat plants and make numerous boils on the surface of the ground and live primarily in the Midwest to the west of N. America. Moles are twice the size of mice and rarely if ever come to the surface. Voles are the size of mice. Voles will use a tunnel dug by a mole. Make sure you know what the problem is.
First, don't bother with poisons, chewing gum, thumpers, sonic devices mothballs etc. There is little to no concrete evidence that they work. Gas bombs tend not to work because the tunnels are too long and the moles are too fast. It is like trying to push smoke through a 30 foot straw, very hard (mole tunnel networks are much larger than 30 feet). People who think they work often don't know that during dry periods moles move deep into the soil so they won't provide visible damage until rain or watering of the lawn. If you aren't sure if the tunnels are still being used, roll down the tunnels and wait to see if they reappear. The piles of dirt are indicative of deep tunnels as opposed to surface tunnels. You need to trap these with scissor traps or No-mole traps next spring after the ground softens. Surface tunnels can be trapped with harpoon, scissor, Nash traps or Nomol. Traps can be obtained at http://www.wildlifedamagecontrol.com/moletraps.htm
As for pets being used to control moles, I have my doubts. Certainly cats and dogs kill some but I question they would ever be efficient enough to satisfy the lawnowner.
There is a new pesticide on the market called Kaput but I have questions concerning its efficacy. By that I mean I would like to see dead moles autopsied to determine they were killed by the poison. The only registered repellent on the market is called Mole-Med It essentially uses Castor bean oil to allegedly drive the mole away. The evidence for this product is also debated.  I don't know if castor oil kills worms which are the primary food source for moles. There is no scientific evidence that any plant, chewing gum or thumping device will keep moles away.

The only concretely effective method (ie. dead moles) to control moles is trapping. 2. Use proper equipment such as harpoon, Nash or scissors traps or Nomol?traps. Traps cause minimal damage to your lawn and certainly not as much as a mole will. Nevertheless if you are worried about the traps damaging your lawn use harpoon traps. All the damage they do is poke holes into the grass. Nomol traps are the safest if you worry about pets etc. Third, get proper training, visit http://www.wildlifedamagecontrol.com/molecontrol.htm .  Many people mistakenly think that trapping is not effective because they tried it and it didn't work. What those cynics need to realize is that the trap is only as good as the trapper who uses it. Training and proper instruction is critical to success. Learn mole biology. The primary diet for moles is NOT grubs (although moles eat them, grubs are not their primary food. Their primary diet is earthworms. So even if you get rid of grubs you may still have moles who are seeking worms. Can removal of grubs work? Yes if you don't have enough worms to justify the mole's digging. However, I have heard that grubs are becoming resistant to some of the pesticides and/or that homeowners are not following the directions of the poison.  You can see my bias against unnecessary poisons. If you choose to use poisons contact your local garden supply. They should know what is effective in your area. The beauty of trapping is that it works, is safe and is poison free. As for prevention, the only thing guaranteed to work is to pave your lawn which is certainly not cost effective or environmentally sound. Finally, make sure trapping is legal in your state. Unfortunately, states like Washington and Massachusetts have listened to animal rights protest industry groups and banned mole trapping through the ballot box.


Disclaimer: As with any activity, remember that animal damage control comes with its own risks and problems which can include but are not limited to legalities, health threats, and personal liabilities. Be sure to follow all state laws governing wildlife and make sure you have a thorough understanding on how to resolve the animal damage complaint. My advice is only as good as your understanding of me and my understanding of your situation. If you have any questions be sure to write back.