Getting rid of moles yourself

Start by tolerating them

A mole is a harmless animal that eats worms and grubs, and it is not eating your plants. The RHS suggests tolerating moles where possible, because a vacated territory is usually taken over by another mole. If the hills are in a part of the garden you rarely use, the easiest option is to rake the soil flat and carry on.

If the lawn matters to you, or you keep livestock or sports turf, you will want more. The sections below set out what works and what does not.

Netting and barriers

Mole netting can keep moles out of a new lawn, but only when it is installed before turfing. It goes under the turf, so it is a plan for new ground, not a fix for an existing lawn. For a raised bed, the same logic applies: it works when laid before the bed is built.

Buried mesh around a small bed is a larger job than it sounds. If you already have a mole, a barrier will not move it out.

Repellents and buzzers

Electronic buzzers and vibrating stakes may only push moles elsewhere. Repellents, and plants such as caper spurge, have doubtful value. The RHS calls the evidence weak. You may be lucky, but do not count on it.

If you do try a device, give it a few weeks and watch for fresh hills. If they appear a few metres away, the mole has simply moved. Your neighbour may not thank you.

Traps: what is lawful

Trapping is the method that works, but the law is strict. In England and Wales, spring traps must be approved under the Pests Act 1954 section 8, and using unapproved traps or leghold traps is an offence. Cruelty to wild mammals is also an offence under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996.

If you set an approved tunnel trap yourself, find the run first, set the trap in line with the maker's instructions and check it every day. Moles are not protected, but a trap that is badly set can cause suffering. Many people decide this is a job for a professional. A catcher knows how to read the runs and set traps quickly.

What not to do

Do not use poison. Strychnine has been banned since 2006. Gassing, flooding the tunnels and smoke bombs are not sensible or legal routes either. They can harm other animals and pets and rarely clear the mole.

Do not flatten tunnels if you plan to hire a catcher. The catcher reads the fresh runs to place traps. Wait until the job is finished and then repair the lawn.

When to call a catcher

Call a mole catcher if fresh hills keep appearing after a few weeks, if the lawn is valuable or if you do not want to handle traps. Many work on a no-mole, no-fee basis, and a typical job costs about £150. See what mole catching costs.

Not sure it is a mole? Check how to identify moles and molehills first.