How to Kill Moles with Marshmallows – A Comprehensive Guide

How to Kill Moles with Marshmallows

Having a beautiful and well-maintained garden or backyard is already hard to keep up with. It requires a lot of time, energy, and finances to ensure perfection throughout the year. Now imagine getting all your efforts destroyed by colonies of moles that have infiltrated the area. These pests are a gardener’s worst nightmare. They can turn the entire greenery into filth within a blink of an eye.

These pests are not only masters in destroying gardens. Instead, they will demolish anything that comes their way. Be it flowers, fruits, vegetables, or plants, nothing would remain safe amidst their attack. These animals dig tunnels in the soil and leave the entire garden in complete havoc.

The only way to save your garden from these disastrous pests is by killing them. Go over this article to learn an efficient method of killing moles with marshmallows.

What are Moles?

Moles are tiny mammals with forelimbs and big paws. They use these features to dig underneath the soil and destroy anything in between. Their natural habit of destroying gardens, backyards, and agricultural lands terms them pests. Hence, they can never benefit human life.

Moles’ Breeding Season

These mammals usually breed between February to May. During this time, the males get into heat. They search for the female species by digging underneath any foreign land that they come across.

This period coincides with the beginning of spring. It is the time of sowing new plant seeds after the winter season comes to an end. The gardeners start rejuvenating their land with fresh plants that died during the cold. Once the mole infestation occurs, all the hard work done by the gardeners goes to waste. This is surely an infuriating situation. Hence, it is important to keep the lands safe from these destructive pests.

What do Moles Feed On?

These land-digging mammals are carnivores. Hence, they feed on earthworms and different insects that reside within the soil. They do not consume any plants, fruits, vegetables, or root crops. Their only job is to destroy these cultivating products by digging tunnels in the land. This causes the roots of the crops and other plants to get damaged.

The moles trap insects and earthworms by digging underneath the ground. After trapping their prey, they either consume them immediately or store them for the future.

Can You Get Bitten by a Mole?

These carnivorous pests are not only a major concern for the destruction of gardens and backyards. However, they can also be very injurious to human life. This is because these creatures can bite. These animals also carry rabies in them. Hence, if you are bitten by them, you can get infected with rabies as well.

Therefore, you must stay very careful while dealing with such harmful wildlife.

Can You Kill Moles with Marshmallows or is it just Fiction?

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to kill moles to protect your land. You may find various methods of doing so. One such method is using marshmallows to get the job done.

People often wonder if killing moles with marshmallows work or if is it just fiction. Some think of it as a tactic to poison wild creatures. While others are confused about whether these snacks scare these underground living mammals away.

Whatever the actual reason, it is found that this method reduces the activity of these creatures. This technique is cheap and does not have any side effects for men. Hence, it is recommended to give it a try.

What are Marshmallows Made Up Of?

Marshmallows are sweet snacks made for human consumption. However, these sweet treats act as a killing agent for moles. The question arises how come this snack is fit for human consumption but life-taking for moles? Well, the answer lies in the main ingredients of this food.

This sweet treat is made up of many different ingredients. These include sugar, gelatin powder, corn syrup or glucose syrup, and egg whites. These few, simple, and easy-to-find ingredients are used to make homemade ones. However, the ones prepared commercially use different flavorings, extenders, stabilizers, and whipping aids. These are used to make the mixture thick and stable. Some companies also use soy proteins in their products.

The making of this snack is a fairly simple one. It requires mixing water, glucose syrup, and sugar, and then boiling the mixture. The glucose syrup not only sweetens the mixture but provides texture to the final product as well. After boiling, gelatin is added to thicken and set the product.

Next comes a very important step. The mixture is whipped for some time using a beater. This incorporates air into the batter. The air is essential in giving a light, fluffy, and chewy texture to the final product.

Finally, flavorings and colorings are added depending on what kind of treatment is being prepared.

Which type of Marshmallows should You Choose to Kill Moles?

As mentioned earlier, these are of 2 types.

Homemade Ones

As the name suggests, this treat can be prepared with a few simple ingredients easily at home. The mixture is prepared using sugar, liquid glucose, gelatin powder, egg whites, and sunflower oil. Homemade ones do not use any synthetic ingredients for stabilizing and preserving their products. Hence, they cannot be preserved for a long time. They must be consumed within a few days of preparation.

Industrial Ones

Apart from the basic ingredients, industrial marshmallows have some extra ingredients. These ingredients include carrageenan (CR), tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSP), and gum Arabic (GAR). Such ingredients thicken, stabilize, and preserve the product. Hence, it makes commercial packaging, storage, and transportation easier. The shelf life of these industrially prepared products is also much longer than the homemade ones.

For the method of killing moles with marshmallows, you must use an industrial product. The reason lies in their ingredients like carrageenan and tetrasodium pyrophosphate. These are fit for human consumption but toxic for these pests.

How can Marshmallows Kill Moles?

The ingredients used in the industrially prepared marshmallows are responsible for killing moles.

Carrageenan

Carrageenan is used as a thickening and emulsifying agent in the preparation of this snack. This ingredient has been used for ages. The latest research indicates that carrageenan is responsible for many health problems. These include bloating, allergic reactions, cancer, inflammation, swelling, etc. When moles consume large amounts of marshmallows, a lot of carrageenan goes into their bodies. These animals cannot digest this ingredient. Hence, carrageenan will slow their digestive system and intoxicate them. This would ultimately lead to their death.

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate

A lot of manufacturers use tetrasodium pyrophosphate to produce this snack. This is also used as an emulsifying agent, just like carrageenan. TSP is a reactive ingredient towards absorbents of cellulose, mineral, and clay-based products.

Moles consume worms and insects that live under the soil. Hence, while feeding on them, they also ingest dirt and soil. When these pests consume the marshmallows, TSP also goes into their digestive system. This ingredient reacts to the dirt inside their body, causing their death.

Artificial Flavorings

Moles are unable to process artificial flavorings and other synthetic ingredients. Hence, these ingredients also act as poisons for their bodies.

Steps of Killing Moles with Marshmallows

How to Kill Moles with Marshmallows

Killing moles with this food item is a fairly simple task. Just follow these few easy steps to get rid of these pests.

Clean your Garden

Before you start the killing process, it is important to clean the land. Remove all the dirt, debris, and damage done by these rodent-like creatures. This would give you a clean slate to work with. It will not only help restore your land but also help you find the holes dug by these pests easily.

Eradicate the Moles’ Food Sources

Give a good inspection of your land. Eliminate any food sources that these pests feed on. These include getting rid of any worms, insects, snails, and other invertebrate animals. By removing their food sources, the chances of them feeding on the laid-out snack would increase.

If these creatures find their food supply in your land, it is possible the next steps would fail.

Locate and Count Gopher Holes

Next, you must find all the gopher holes. Count each one of them properly. Ensure that are no potential forms of hazards around them.

Insert Marshmallows in the Holes

Finally, it is time to put marshmallows in the holes. Place 3 to 5 pieces of this snack in every open hole or underground tunnel that you come across. Don’t be stingy while spreading them around. This is because the lesser these treats are present, the lower the chances for the moles to eat them.

Be strategic while placing this food item. Put them especially in the exit holes of the pests to make them run away.

After you are done, wait for the results. There might be a need to repeat this procedure a few times to completely get rid of the pest infestation.

Do Marshmallows Kill Moles?

Yes, marshmallows are an effective method of killing moles. The ingredients in this snack mainly attack the digestive system of these rodents. They also cause them to bloat. These pests eventually drink more water which adds to their distress. Hence, causing more problems that would eventually kill them.

This technique is great compared to the use of poison or other toxins. The poison can harm both human life as well as plants and vegetation. On the other hand, marshmallows would only harm the pests.

Disadvantages of Moles Killing with Marshmallows

How to Kill Moles with Marshmallows

The method of killing these rodent-like animals with marshmallows has many advantages. Not only is it simple and cheap to carry out, but it is also very safe. Hence, it can be used around kids, pets, and vegetation.

However, this method used to kill these wild beings has some disadvantages as well. Some of them are discussed below.

Process Requires Immense Patience

If you use this method to eliminate pests, you need to have tons of patience. You cannot expect to get immediate results just after finishing the process. This technique also requires you to block the exit holes of the creatures. Hence, you might not even witness any dead moles on your land. You can find out if the marshmallows are working fine by noticing lesser molehills as time passes by.

Difficult to know the Progress

You cannot keep definitive progress regarding the elimination of the moles. A proper track record cannot be maintained. You would have to assess the results based on your judgment. Hence, there are some chances of errors in this method.

Seeing lesser molehills does not mean that these animals have been eliminated for sure. This might mean that they have temporarily migrated elsewhere and might return.

Daily Maintenance is Required

This method requires daily maintenance of your lawn. The holes that were stuffed with marshmallows have to be checked regularly. They would also have to be replaced if they are empty or damaged. You shall also be required to check for any new molehills or tunnels that might have appeared. Treating them efficiently would also be required regularly.

Other Ways to Get Rid of Moles

While killing moles with marshmallows might be an effective method, there are other ways to kill moles. Some of them are discussed below.

Chewing Gum

You can kill moles by using chewing gum. The juicy fruit gums work best in this regard. As these pests feed on the gum, they often choke on it. This blocks their windpipe and hence, prevents them from breathing. This ultimately causes them to die.

Castor Oil

Some people have used castor oil to get rid of these pests. Castor oil disturbs the digestive system of the moles and causes them to get sick. This makes your garden or agricultural land very unappealing for these wild animals to reside in. Hence, they would ultimately migrate to other places.

Removing Food Supply

Another method to keep moles away from your land is by removing their food sources. Moles feed on grubs. Removing all the grubs from your land would eliminate their food supply. Once these pests find nothing to feed on, they would eventually go away. 

Make your Land Dry

You can get rid of these animals by not watering your land for some time. These mammals dig underground tunnels to find their food. If the land is dry and hard, insects and worms would get chased away. Since these pests will not find anything to eat, they would leave that area.

You should note that this would only be a temporary solution. Once you start watering your land again, these pests might re-infiltrate the area.

Replace Grass

Replace the grass on your land with cacti. The grass is home to many insects and worms. By having cacti on your land, insects would not get any place to harbor. Similarly, these rodents would neither find their food nor would be comfortable dealing with the sharp cacti. Hence, they might disappear from your territory.

FAQs

Why should moles be killed?

These wild creatures must be killed to protect your lawn, garden, and agricultural land from damage. Their habit of digging deep tunnels all around the land can destroy it completely. The grass, plants, shrubs, fruits, and other vegetation all get ruined. This would not only deteriorate your outdoor space but would be a menace to your outdoor space. Hence, it is necessary to kill these pests immediately.

What things are hated most by moles?

These land-destroying animals hate strong and pungent plant smells. These include the smell of daffodils, marigolds, and plants belonging to the allium family. You can grow such plants in your garden to naturally prevent these pests from infiltrating your land.

During what time are moles most active?

The rodent-like animals are most active during the early morning and late evening during the spring and fall seasons. They come out especially during cloudy weather since they prefer moist and soft soil. You can easily spot these animals during light rain showers in spring and fall. 

Is it a good idea to flatten molehills?

No, it is not a good idea to flatten molehills. This is because flattening them would prove to be a waste of time. These pests are natural diggers. Even if you flatten the molehills, they would either dig them up again or make some more.

Would flooding mole tunnels work?

Yes, flooding the mole tunnels would work in getting rid of them. The water would force these pests to come up to the surface of the land. As soon as you see them, attack and kill them using a shovel. You can flood their tunnels using a five-gallon water bucket. If you have access to a running hose, this would make the process a lot easier.

Read more about how to get rid of moles in your yard with juicy fruit gum here.