How to deal with moles and shrews: 4 effective ways

Operating principle and purpose

When in contact with moisture underground, the tablets begin to synthesize a caustic gas that has an unpleasant odor. The substance spreads up to 4 meters. Its effect lasts for several days.

The pungent aroma clogs the mole's nose - this organ of smell in moles is very sensitive. As a result, the animals are forced to flee the site. After about 2-3 days there will be no moles left. Gas tablets are often used for preventive purposes. This must be done if there are rodents in neighboring areas. The drug is effective not only against moles. It can be used to combat the following categories of parasites:

rats;
hamsters;
mice;
gophers.

With the help of the substance it is possible to protect vegetables, cereals, and flower plants from rodents. The drug can also be used to disinfect grain stocks that are stored in warehouses. This helps protect them from ticks and weevils. The drug successfully copes with flies, ants and other parasites.

Instructions for use of DAKFOSAL Antikrot for the extermination of moles and rodents:

How to use DAKFOSAL Antikrot to fight moles:

first you need to find the hole,
immerse 2-3 tablets to maximum depth,
close the hole as tightly as possible with auxiliary material (stone, board),
cover tightly with soil.

DAKFOSAL Antikrot needs to be spread out in the maximum number of moves.

place the tablets around the perimeter and center of the building,
leave the building as quickly as possible,
close the door carefully behind you.

The consumption of DAKFOSAL Antikrot when treating grain is 3 tablets. based on 1 ton of processed material. The hopper is sealed with film. Duration of treatment is from 5 to 10 days.

When processing bulk potatoes packed in bags or boxes:

for 100 kilograms of potatoes 3 tables,
the tablets are laid out evenly and the entire mass of tubers is isolated with film material,
processing time from 5 days,
gas does not affect the germination of seed.

After treatment, people can be allowed into the premises after 11 days from the start of gas treatment.

Alphos Mole is a highly toxic product used in the fight against moles, insects, and rodents in areas, granaries, and basements.

Produced in China, Rhapsod Plus LLC is also a manufacturer. It hardly produces tablets, but rather packages them and sends them for sale.

The Chinese export the toxic substance.

The manufacturer knows: it contains poison that is deadly to others. The instructions are silent about the danger.

Pills that are dangerous to health arrive on the shelves without being controlled by Rospotrebnadzor (in Russia); a similar situation is in Ukraine, not controlled by various authorities.

Using them is strictly prohibited, but there are many alternative drugs that are completely safe to use at home.

Advantages and disadvantages

Insecticidal tablets have many advantages:

the substance helps fight rodents and insects;
the composition protects cereals, flowers and vegetables from moles;
The substance has a rapid action.

How to deal with moles and shrews: 4 effective ways

Oddly enough, moles and shrews usually do more good than harm. They eat pests and also loosen the soil, making it more fertile. But when there are too many diggers on the site, measures have to be taken

Unfortunately, there is no hope that predators will destroy uninvited guests. In general, moles and shrews have no natural enemies. In moments of danger, these animals emit a sharp, unpleasant odor that discourages the appetite of cats and dogs. Sometimes a person’s friends hunt underground inhabitants and bring them as gifts, but these are rather special cases. So you have to fight on your own.

Repellent

You can scare away moles and shrews using odorous substances

. The easiest way is to use castor oil. 200 ml of the substance are diluted in 4 liters of water and the solution is sprayed over the area. It is best to do this after watering or rain - the drug penetrates deeper into wet soil than into dry soil. Unfortunately, the “aroma” lasts only a few days, so the treatment will have to be carried out several times a season. This method has proven itself to be affordable and effective.

An alternative to castor oil can be gasoline, kerosene, naphthalene and other substances with a strong chemical odor. You need to soak rags in them and put them in molehills, and at the same time simply scatter them around the area. This method is also good, but with one caveat - unpleasant odors will annoy not only the moles, but also the summer residents themselves. This is not to everyone's taste.

Sometimes green spaces

. Moles and shrews dislike the smells of onions and garlic, as well as calendula, pepper mata, daffodils and marigolds. There is a fairly high probability that the aromas of these plants will drive away uninvited guests.

Traditional methods of repelling moles and shrews are best combined with traps, gas tablets, etc. Comprehensive protection works more effectively than single measures

If folk remedies do not help, you can use special gas tablets

. They are placed in molehills and covered with soil. When exposed to soil moisture, the tablets release a volatile substance with a pungent, unpleasant odor, which forces moles and shrews to leave the area. The substance works for several days.

The effect area of the tablets is quite large. The gas spreads over an area of about 5 m² and penetrates an average depth of 4 m. Of course, you will need more than one tablet per area, but this is not a problem - they are usually sold in packs of 30 pieces.

There is reason to believe that gas tablets are the most effective protection against moles and shrews, despite the fact that they do not provide constant protection and have to be used several times during the season.

Being an active chemical reagent, gas tablets require compliance with safety precautions. When working with them, you need to wear protective rubber gloves.

For those who do not like aggressive “chemistry”, we can recommend tablets based on essential oils

, which also enjoy deserved popularity. They are placed in molehills and simply buried in the ground.

Another way to scare off moles and shrews is vibration

. Underground inhabitants are very sensitive to soil movements. There are special mechanical devices that create soil vibrations. They literally get on the animals’ nerves, forcing them to flee.

Repellers of this kind are small, battery-powered devices. They are turned on, buried in the soil and left to their own devices. Usually the effect becomes obvious after a couple of weeks. It is wise to use such devices throughout the entire summer season, changing batteries as needed.

Sound repellers emit vibrations of different frequencies to prevent the animals from becoming addicted. One such device operates within a radius of about 10 acres

Like most small animals, moles and shrews are afraid of noise, and this feature can be used to your advantage by making primitive sound repellers

. For example, bury glass bottles upside down, which will make an alarming noise.

Reinforcing rods stuck into the ground near molehills work well, onto which tin cans are placed, after first cutting off the top of them and giving them the shape of a bell. You can even insert reed stalks into the molehills, which will rustle in the wind. All the methods described above have only one drawback: the noise will irritate not only the moles, but also the legal residents of the site.

Determining how effective a particular method of combating burrowing animals is is quite simple. If the protection works, new molehills no longer appear on the site

Traps

If the area is occupied by surprisingly brave animals that are not afraid of smells or noise, you will have to catch them. You don’t need to buy any special devices for this—a few three-liter jars are enough. They are buried in the ground along the path of molehills, symbolically covering them with a plank. The animal crawls onto it and falls inside.

Having discovered a prisoner, it would be wise not to kill him, but to take him outside the site and release him to freedom. As mentioned above, in nature, moles and shrews are very useful.

Poison

Poisonous baits are not popular among gardeners. And this is understandable - this type of fight against moles and shrews is extremely cruel. Attracted by the appetizing smell, the animals eat the poison in the form of tablets, gels, granules, and die a painful death. The poison acts on the nervous system, paralyzing, suffocating or causing internal bleeding. Usually, poison is resorted to only when none of the methods of protection have helped, and the harm from underground inhabitants becomes catastrophic.

Barrier method

Scheme for laying plastic mesh
To conclude the topic, we will talk about perhaps the most effective, but at the same time the most labor-intensive method of fighting moles and shrews. We are talking about creating a barrier that will not allow them to enter the site.

Along the perimeter of the site, they dig a trench about 60-80 cm deep, put a plastic mesh there (there are several types of such products designed specifically for fighting moles and shrews) and cover it with earth. For greater reliability, you can lay a grid over the entire area of the site, at a depth of about 20, but this method of protection is used extremely rarely. Typically, mesh surrounds flower beds or garden beds.

Dosage and use of the drug

For the use of a substance to be effective, it is necessary to focus on the object of treatment. To get rid of moles, mole rats, and hamsters, it is recommended to remove the molehill with a shovel. This is done before the hole appears. Then place the composition in the hole to a depth of 20 centimeters and sprinkle with soil. To achieve quick results, it is necessary to treat all molehills.

You can also water the mound made by the mole. As a result, the soil will subside and the wormhole will be completely exposed. At this stage, you need to put the Alphos Krota tablet and push it with a stick to the bottom of the hole. Perform similar actions for all mole hillocks.

To destroy ants and other soil parasites, the tablet should be placed in an anthill. It is recommended to do this directly in areas where parasites accumulate at a depth of about 10 centimeters.

To destroy mites, weevils, and aphids, you need to use 3 tablets per 1 ton of grain. In this case, it must be covered with film for 2 days.

Expert opinion

Zarechny Maxim Valerievich

Agronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best country expert.

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It is important to consider that the drug cannot be combined with insecticidal substances, since its effect may be enhanced by exposure to carbon dioxide.

The rate of exposure of the composition depends on the gas content, air temperature, type of parasites, and soil structure. Processing must be done in the morning. It is important to ensure that there is no wind. Do not apply the composition immediately after precipitation. If the application mode is followed, the composition does not have a negative effect on the germination parameters of seeds of different types of crops.

Precautionary measures

The drug is suitable for limited use. If it enters the digestive system or respiratory organs, it is very dangerous. When using the composition, do not pollute water bodies or food sources. The area needs to be treated in the morning. This is done only in calm weather.

The product belongs to the second hazard class. If the composition enters the body, there is a high probability of acute intoxication. In such a situation, you need to immediately consult a doctor. If the composition gets into the respiratory system, it is necessary to remove the person from the danger zone.

All work related to the use of the drug must be carried out using protective equipment. Drinking, eating or smoking is prohibited during work. After completing the procedures, the face and hands must be washed with soap.

The substance must be kept in a dry and cool place. This is done separately from medicines and food. It is important to keep the substance out of the reach of children and animals.

Alfos, 30 tabs

ATTENTION! This product is available ONLY FOR PICKUP from a retail store. APPLICATION AREA:

For personal subsidiary plots, for agricultural production.

PURPOSE:

Fumigant insecticide. The drug is intended to protect plants, vegetables, cereals and flower crops from moles, gophers, hamsters, as well as rats and mice. For disinfection of grain stocks in warehouses against granary weevils and mites. The drug is also effective against garden ants, cabbage flies and other soil-dwelling pests.

OPERATING PRINCIPLE:

When grain enters the soil, a heavy gas is released - alphos, which, displacing air, settles to a depth of 4 m, thereby repelling pests.

MODE OF APPLICATION:

From mole, mole rat, hamster

Remove the molehill with a shovel until a hole appears.

Place the tablet in the hole to a depth of 20 cm and cover it with earth. To achieve the effect as quickly as possible, it is necessary to treat all molehills.

From ants and other soil-dwelling pests

The tablet is placed in the anthill directly in places where pests accumulate to a depth of approximately 10 cm.

Weevil, aphid, mite, pest bug

3 tablets per 1000 kg of grain, covered with film for 48 hours.

Compatibility with other pesticides:

It is not recommended for use with insecticides; the effect of alphos may be enhanced under the influence of increased carbon dioxide content.

Period of protective action:

The speed of action is determined by the gas concentration, air temperature (above 15C), the type of pests, and the soil moisture structure. (IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO APPLY THE PREPARATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER RAIN).

Phytotoxicity, crop tolerance:

If the recommended fumigation regimes and technology are followed, Alfos does not have any negative effects on the germination of seeds of various plant species.

Possibility of resistance:

When the recommended regulations are applied, the emergence of resistance is unlikely.

Recommendations for the protection of useful flora and fauna:

Drug of limited use. Dangerous for inhalation and oral use. Avoid polluting water bodies and bird sources. Carry out processing in the morning in calm weather.

Hazard Class:

Hazard class 2. Dangerous if inhaled or orally entered into the human body in an enclosed space.

First aid for poisoning:

In case of drug poisoning, consult a doctor immediately! In case of poisoning through the respiratory tract, it is necessary to remove the victim from the danger zone.

DO NOT USE IN RESIDENTIAL PREMISES

Safety measures during operation, transportation and storage:

Method for destroying pesticide containers:

Opened packaging cannot be stored; after use, dispose of it as household waste.

What can be replaced?

Effective analogues of the product include the following:

Detia is a biological substance that is produced in the form of balls soaked in essential oils.
“Phostoxin” – the active component of the drug is considered to be aluminum phosphide. According to the mechanism of action, the drug is completely identical to Alphos Krot.
Klaus - the composition is produced in the form of a liquid concentrate, which is made based on castor bean and citronella oils.

"Alphos Mole" is an effective remedy that helps cope with many pests. In order for the use of the drug to produce results, you must strictly follow the instructions.

Alphos Krot - tablets dangerous to human health! Using it yourself is DANGEROUS to life!

“As every compatriot knows, in Russia there are a dime a dozen controlling authorities, unlike the damned Bolsheviks. It’s hard to even imagine how many inspections, supervisions and security services ensure our safety, guard our Fatherland, or even simply look into the wallets of citizens in order to facilitate them from time to time. Tax officials are trampling on one square meter of those under their care with firefighters and Rospotrebnadzor; The FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Russian Guard are cooking together in one pot - and somehow there is enough for everyone. Violent activity is visible to the naked eye, only splashes fly. However, when it happens that there is an urgent need for an urgent response from the controllers, you either cannot finish shouting at them, or they turn a blind eye to the outrages with other senses. “I don’t see anything, I don’t hear anything, I won’t say anything.”
This is an egregious example, although this is a specific area, which is probably why they don’t ring much bells. Over the last couple of years, this kind of crap has appeared on the virtual shelves of online stores selling agricultural chemicals for gardeners.
The drug “Alphos-mole+” is advertised as a remedy for moles, is sold freely, and none of the Rospotrebnadzor officials have yet fainted at the mere thought that a pesticide of the FIRST HAZARD CLASS is on free sale. The link and the annotation shown in the photo contain a bunch of factual errors that misinform the buyer. Firstly, preparations based on aluminum phosphide do not emit “alphos” (this is just a trademark of these tablets, one of many in China) or “gas with the smell of karbofos”, but the monstrously poisonous phosphine gas. In its pure form it is colorless and odorless, but technical, “dirty” phosphine, used in the agricultural sector, has an unpleasant putrefactive odor.
For your information, BOV Sarin and Soman are phosphine derivatives. But phosphine itself is poisonous (a dangerous concentration that can lead to death is 0.05 mg/l), and at a concentration of 2000 ml/m3 (2 l/m3) it causes instant death. In agriculture, it is used for disinfecting granaries and protecting grain from mites, weevils and other pests, when transporting crops, etc. The norm for thick grain is 9 grams per 1 ton of grain, for unloaded storage facilities (calculated based on the volume of the room) - from 3 to 5 grams per 1 cubic meter. A typical tablet of a phosphine-containing fumigant is exactly 9 grams, so it is easier for an agronomist or grain processing plant worker to calculate the consumption per ton of grain. They work with it only in personal protective equipment (preferably RU-67M with a “B” brand cartridge, or better yet, a gas mask), and people must first undergo appropriate instruction. The fumigation process itself lasts from 5 to 9 days (this period is called “exposure” by experts), and degassing (i.e. ventilation) lasts at least 10 days.
Phosphine preparations are produced only (I emphasize, ONLY!) in metal tubes with hermetically sealed closures. Most often they are 1 kg, but there are also metal bottles of 0.3 kg. The aluminum phosphide that these tablets are made of is an extremely unstable compound. As soon as you opened the tube, the reaction began. When interacting with water vapor in the atmospheric air, aluminum phosphide (magnesium phosphide is used less frequently, but it is more expensive and rarely used) begins to decompose according to a simple formula: poisonous phosphine is released in the form of a gas, and aluminum hydroxide remains in the solid powdery residue, which is completely harmless. I emphasize once again, once you open the tube, you need to use ALL the tablets! The reaction is unstoppable. Therefore, you cannot take 2-5 tablets from the plastic ampoule in the picture and leave the rest “for later.” They must be used immediately, no capping will save you, the gas will ooze out and poison everything around... for example, in the shed where you threw an ampoule with underused Alphos-mole+.
Among other things, phosphine has another nasty feature. Accumulating in small spaces and reaching a certain concentration, it spontaneously ignites. I personally saw this when, when opening an industrial package (21 tubes of 1 kg each in a cardboard drum), as soon as the lid was lifted, a tongue of flame erupted from inside - the warehouse worker’s face was almost burned. It turned out that one of the tubes had slightly lost its seal, the gas was leaking and during transportation it filled the entire volume of the drum. When the lid was abruptly torn off, an influx of oxygen began and a fire occurred.
Thus, I state that the sale of individuals. I cannot regard phosphine-containing drugs as anything other than sabotage. The population should absolutely not be given class 1 poisons; they will poison each other completely (C). The likelihood of poisoning due to negligence is very high. Let me remind you that in the fall of 2008, in the Vadsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region, an alternatively gifted family of morons stole a bottle of phosphine from the warehouse of an agricultural enterprise in the village of Lopatino and decided to get rid of insects and rats in the cellar. In total, eight people were poisoned, two died - children. A two-year-old boy and his six-month-old brother. I remember later drawing the investigator a diagram of the breakdown of aluminum phosphide and the mechanism of action of the gas... the local Lopatinsky collective farm purchased pesticides from our company, so the investigative authorities immediately came to us with a request for consultation and, at the same time, told such details that it makes me sick to remember. So, believe me, I know what I'm talking about. And reading reviews of summer residents praising “miracle pills”, laying out aluminum phosphide with their bare hands and sniffing it uncontrollably - the hair on my head is moving with horror.
Fucking morons. And those who allow this extremely dangerous rubbish into the private household plot market are accomplices in the preparation of a crime. Rospotrebnadzor, ah!”