Got Moles? What to Know About These Yard Pests in Western Washington

A common sign that moles are active in your yard is the appearance of cone-shaped mounds of cloddy soil — these are molehills. Unlike gopher mounds, which are typically crescent-shaped with a plugged lateral hole, molehills are rounder and lack visible openings at the surface.

Moles are prevalent across Western Washington and, while they don’t eat plants, they can damage lawns, plant roots, and soil structure as they tunnel through the ground searching for earthworms and insects.

Can You Legally Trap Moles in Washington?

The most effective mole-control method — body-gripping traps such as scissor-jaw or harpoon traps — has been banned in Washington State since 2000 under RCW 77.15.194. Only certain types of traps, such as box-style or snap traps intended for rats and mice, are legally permitted. However, these are generally ineffective against moles, which are not bait-driven.

What About Repellents and Home Remedies?

According to Washington State University Cooperative Extension, mole baits and chemical repellents have not shown consistent results. Other commonly suggested remedies — like castor oil, chewing gum, windmills, ultrasonic devices, and mole-repellent plants — have little scientific support and typically don’t work.

Manually digging moles out while they’re actively creating mounds can work, but it’s time-consuming and requires patience and precision.

So What Can You Do?

Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix. The best long-term approach may be to tolerate the occasional mole activity, especially if it’s not causing serious harm. If you must intervene, consider trying one of the legal, non-body-gripping traps recommended by Washington State University Extension.

For more information, visit WSU’s Vertebrate Management resource page:
https://extension.wsu.edu/snohomish/garden/gardening-resources/vertebrate-management-links