Moles in the garden: Unexpected allies against pests

Molehills often worry garden owners. They don't look aesthetically pleasing and cause concerns about the state of our crops. However, an expert explains that the presence of moles should be seen as a good sign.

Combating moles in the garden is not recommended. Professor Karol Zub of the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences considers it cruel and pointless. In an interview with PAP, he stated that moles should not be perceived as pests. As he noted, their presence brings us more benefits than losses.

This is because moles consume insects and other invertebrates, which in turn can help eliminate animals that pose an actual threat to our crops, such as the mole cricket, which eats plant roots, as well as various types of grubs, wireworms, and slugs.

"These small mammals clean the garden of animals that destroy plants and crops. Although they also eat earthworms, they perform a similar role because they dig and loosen the soil, making it better aerated and irrigated," explained the biologist.

Moles also hunt smaller mammals, such as mice and voles, which brings additional relief to home gardens. As noted by Prof. Karol Zub, moles may sometimes damage the roots of plants we grow or dig a mound in the middle of the lawn, which can be a concern for its owner. But in principle, the presence of a mole brings more benefits.

According to the biologist, using poisons and traps on moles is inhumane. He believes using other methods to scare them away is better, although he called it "fighting windmills." Once one mole is gone, another will quickly appear in favourable terrain. Besides, Prof. Zub reminded us that moles are under protection outside of developed areas.

"The natural mortality rate of moles is still very high. This is especially true for young individuals who come to the surface after leaving the nest and migrate, searching for their territory. They often fall prey to predators at that time," the expert pointed out in an interview with PAP.

In his opinion, these animals are dying out so rapidly that soon, the problem will be maintaining a reproduction rate that covers the extinction rate. He noted that in 2024, biologists observed large numbers of insects, which may be related, among other things, to the reduction in insectivorous species.