Not like that! 8 prohibited remedies against moles

Once a mole has settled in the garden, it will soon be adorned with many molehills. This is annoying and sometimes destroys plantings. However, you are not allowed to kill or catch the animal. These 8 remedies for moles are strictly prohibited.

Prohibited remedies against moles

The European mole (Talpa europaea) is particularly protected by both the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (BArtSchV) and the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG). The Federal Species Protection Ordinance mentions it in Appendix 1 as “specially protected wild life Tierart ”, during the Federal Nature Conservation Act the killing and trapping of wild vertebrates forbids. So you are allowed to fight the animal

only indirect, expelling methods apply that won't hurt or kill it. In Germany, violations can result in high fines; depending on the federal state, a fine of up to EUR 50,000 can be imposed. In Austria and Switzerland even prison sentences are possible.

Note: In contrast to the German-speaking countries, killing and catching moles is not prohibited in the Netherlands and Belgium. Mole traps, poison baits and the like bought there ä. may not be used in Germany!

Caught in a live trap

In many a guide you can read that you can catch the mole in a live trap and then release it elsewhere. This remedy is just as wrong as it is dangerous for the mole, as it usually dies due to stress anyway - and catching the animal is also prohibited by law. So you are liable to prosecution if you set up a mole trap.
However, there are a few exceptions for which you can obtain approval from your competent authority for the environment and nature conservation. These can be, for example, these reasons:

• in case of infestation of sports and training areas
• when pets (dog, cat) endanger the mole
• when the tunneling makes the ground at risk of collapse

However, before you have the exemption, you are not allowed to set up mole traps. Once approved, it only applies to live traps. You are obliged to check these at short, regular intervals.

Note: The ban also applies to vole traps and other traps if they are used to catch moles.

Caught in a kill trap / mole clamp

If live traps are forbidden, killing traps are certainly not allowed to be used. These include the so-called mole clamps, which are pushed deep into the duct system and are intended to kill the animal immediately. In addition, such a trap can cause unnecessary agony for the animal. In many cases it does not die immediately, but only hours later with great pain.

Laying out poison baits

What works for rats and voles will certainly also help with moles, thinks many troubled gardeners and interprets poison bait as an effective means. But their use is strictly forbidden! Under no circumstances should you use poisons that are harmful to the health of the mole or even kill it. This also includes prohibited means such as:

• Rat poison
• special mole venom
• Vole poison
• toxic home remedies, e.g. B. cleanser

Mole venom is sometimes available on the Internet, for example at eBay or non-German online shops. Even if these pages appear serious and are written in German: The use of poison against Moles is and remains strictly forbidden in Germany and is subject to heavy fines punished. So don't be misled by online offers like this: not everything that is offered is legally permitted.

Admission of toxic gases into the duct system

The same applies to the use of poison gas, which is introduced into the duct system and is intended to kill the mole. Many a lawn owner came up with the idea of ​​introducing the car exhaust fumes into the mole tunnels and suffocating the animal in this way. Apart from the fact that this strictly forbidden substance means an agonizing death for the animal, the use of poison gas can also be harmful to human health. These funds are also harmful to the environment, as they also all other living beings in addition to the mole in the garden, for example

• small animals living in the ground such as beetles, hedgehogs, lizards
• Microorganisms in the soil (which are important for humus formation) such as earthworms
• and birds too

can affect or kill.

Note: Carbide gas is sometimes recommended to drive moles away, which smells terribly and does not kill the animals. However, this is a highly explosive agent that must never come into contact with water - so better keep your hands off it.

Filling in gasoline

Letting gasoline in the gear system is also a bad idea, as it is extremely harmful to the environment. If you contaminate your garden soil with petrol, you will no longer be annoyed about molehills - instead, the quality of the soil will suffer significantly below, microorganisms important for humus formation die and in the worst case no more blade of grass grows on such a subsoil. Then the mole is dead, but you can replace the bottom.

Flooding of the corridor system

A simple remedy against the mole, which is neither harmful to the environment nor harmful to human health, is flooding the duct system with water. Here you put the garden hose into the system entrance and turn on the tap - the mole drowns. But be careful: this method is also strictly forbidden by law and punishable by prosecution!

Use of smoke cartridges

In Holland or Belgium you can buy special sulfur-based smoke cartridges that are inserted into the tunnel entrances. A poisonous gas then escapes, which kills the mole. Quite apart from the fact that this agent is banned in Germany, it is also harmful to human health as well as to other mammals. Pets like

• Cats
• dogs
• Rabbits and guinea pigs
• Turtles

who are often in the garden can be damaged or even killed by the escaping gas. The same goes for young children.

Digging up the mole

Of course, excavation (e.g. B. with a spade) is a prohibited remedy for moles. Sometimes you can read on the internet references to:

• What times of the day moles are particularly active
• which digging signs to look out for
• how to dig up the mole

Because the animals can be killed by a groundbreaking (albeit unintentionally) and anyway not may be caught, this method also falls out of the repertoire of possible Control options.

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