Notes On How To Set A Mole Trap

By Maria Robinson


Rodent infestation in farms is disturbing for every homeowner and farmer. Terminating rodents from a garden is most efficiently accomplished by setting these killing devices strategically. Strategic trapping requires proper equipment, skills, procedure and adequate knowledge about the correct steps of fixing the device. Trapping has proven to be the most efficient mechanism of controlling rodent infestation. This write-up explains how to set a mole trap in exemplary fashion.

Moles prefer staying in the underground because most of the prey they thrive on are burrowing microorganisms such earthworms and grubs. Often mole burrows have a main throughway commonly referred to as a motor way. Rodent motorways are the most strategic points to place the trap. Motorways source from the main nest, which in most cases is usually under a shrub or a tree.

Main passages are most strategic places for installations. Equipment necessary for setting rodents set-up include probing equipments, the trap, a hammer and a garden trowel. The garden trowel plays the role of excavating the ground to make hollow depressions across mole set-ups. Probing equipment can either be long screw drivers or the thumb can be improvised for a probing tool. The hammer is necessary to ramp the device into the solid ground. However the handle of any other garden tool can be replace the hammer.

It is important to figure out the most likely mole path before setting the trap. Connecting tunnels are usually between rodent hills. Interconnecting burrows usually divert from the main motor way. Usually branching burrows are six inches in length.

Moles typically hardly reuse branch tunnels. However, the main through way is the most revisited passage hence the most convenient location for traps. Fresh rodent hills are not convenient for mole set-ups since they are usually dug by moles in search of food. For this reason, locating the integral passage is necessary to increase efficiency of the trap as well as the chances of terminating the rodents from the premises. Most main motor ways are usually constructed along physical borders such as fences, drive ways or foot pathways since they are solid and provide more foundation for the burrow.

Typical rodents leave tracks of their passage on the ground. Above the ground ridges are usually above shallow feeding spots created by moles in their search of food. Mole mounds are usually formed when moles are excavating soil to deeper ends for nest building or in search for insects or microorganisms. Shallow passages are rarely revisited by moles compared to the deeper burrows. Deeper tunnels are the best locations for fixing traps for moles since they are often revisited.

Once the motorway has been traced, use the garden trowel to remove the top soil cover directly above the burrow to make a hoe into the ground. It is important to ensure the hole does not get bigger than the trap. Loose soil underneath the run gives the mole a loop hole for escape hence soil at the bottom of the motorway should be removed to reduce chances of escape. It is necessary to fortify the floor of the pathway as well.

Finally, setting any traps requires the incorporation of the appropriate tools and equipment and follow- up of proper setting procedures. Additionally, patent knowledge relevant to the behavior and ecosystem of moles is beneficial before fixing such traps.




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