As a garden owner, I have often found myself in a dilemma when it comes to pests. One question that has been on my mind for a while is whether moles eat slugs.
Yes, moles do eat slugs. Moles are opportunistic feeders and primarily consume insects, worms, and other invertebrates found in the soil.
Slugs are part of their diet, but they are not the main food source. To control slug populations, it’s essential to focus on other methods, such as natural predators, traps, or barriers.
After all, slugs are one of the most annoying pests that can wreak havoc on your garden. So, I decided to do some research and find out the answer.
Do Moles Eat Slugs?
The answer to this question is a bit complicated.
Moles do eat slugs, but they are not their primary source of food.
Moles are insectivores, and their main diet consists of earthworms, grubs, and other insects that live underground.
However, in the absence of their preferred food, moles will eat slugs and snails as well.
Moles have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell.
They use their sensitive noses to detect the presence of insects and other small creatures in the soil.
When they find a target, they use their sharp claws to dig tunnels and burrows to reach their prey.
They can consume up to 70-100% of their body weight in food every day!
How Do Moles Eat Slugs?
Moles are not picky eaters and will consume slugs in the same way as they eat other insects. They will use their teeth to crush the shell of the slug and then swallow the soft body.
Moles have a high metabolism, and their digestive system is adapted to process a large amount of food quickly.
Why Do Moles Eat Slugs?
Moles are not actively seeking out slugs in your garden, but they will eat them if they come across them. Slugs are a good source of protein, and moles will consume them to supplement their diet.
In fact, moles are beneficial to your garden as they help to control the population of other pests such as grubs and earthworms.
Implications for Backyard Owners
If you’re a backyard owner, you may be wondering if moles are a threat to your garden. While moles can cause damage to your lawn and garden, they are not the primary cause of damage.
Moles are actually beneficial as they help to aerate the soil and control the population of other pests. However, if you have a severe mole infestation, it may be necessary to take steps to control their population.
Other Animals That Eat Slugs
Moles are not the only animals that eat slugs.
Other predators include birds, hedgehogs, and some species of beetles.
However, these animals are not as effective as moles in controlling the population of slugs and other pests.
How To Keep Moles Out Of Your Yard!
There are several things that can be done to prevent moles from digging and eating stuff in your backyard. I will list some of the strategies below.
Also, you might want to check out all the things that attract moles to your yard in the first place!
1. Using ultrasonic sound (Best option)
Moles, have a very good hearing as they need to navigate with a very poor sight. This means that loud or consistent noises will scare them away or at least shorten their visits.
Check out my full buying guide for these ingenious ultrasonic repeller devices here!
One of my favorite technologies to keep moles away from my backyard is these cool solar-powered ultrasonic sound emitters that you can buy right from Amazon!
Because they sit in the ground where the sound waves are propagated downwards, they are perfect for scaring away moles!
In my experience, they really work, and the solar panels on top save you the time and money of changing batteries all the time.
My favorite ultrasonic emitters. Click to read more at Amazon.
They will also work against other rodents like groundhogs, mice, and rats!
2. Motion-activated sprinklers (Most efficient)
Like most animals, moles hate surprises, and they will run away if suddenly sprayed with water. I like this solution because it is humane, simple, effective, and does not require much time to set up.
My favorite sprinkler option here is the Havahart 5277.
The Havahart 5277 is a motion-activated sprinkler that is activated by the movement of animals up to 25 feet away and sprays them with a harmless water jet, frightening them off and keeping them at bay.
The included metal stake makes it easy to install in your garden, and the sprinkler can be rotated 180 degrees for maximum coverage.
Whereas it may not deter them from you yard all together, it will at least keep them in their tunnels!
3. Sprinkling natural repellents
Moles may be scared off by using natural scents such as coyote urine or predator scents.
They may also cause them to leave if there is a combination of sounds being played from a radio. The sounds include the sound of barking dogs and coyotes.
You can sprinkle dog hair, cayenne pepper or strong enteric oils and other natural repellents around the garden to keep the moles away.
See my complete list of humane ways to keep moles away from your yard for more tips and tricks!
4. Fencing around the garden
You can also fence around your garden to keep moles from entering the garden. It should be at least 3 feet deep and have a double row of fencing.
A good deep (underground) fence will keep moles out!
Moles are good diggers so it has to go underground or they may find a way into the garden even with the fences in place!
5. Using live traps
You can use a live trap to capture moles and move them to another area. Live trapping is currently the most humane way of mole control. Once you have removed all moles from an area, it is important to ensure that they do not come back by using fencing or other barriers to block access.
You can also just buy a live trap, as the sturdy metal ones shown here:
A live mole trap is a humane way to get permanently rid of moles in your yard.
A version with thick gloves for safe handling.
To lure the moles in, you can use one of the numerous favorite foods of moles or an optimized extra attractive formula like this one to make the catch even quicker!
## Conclusion
In conclusion, moles do eat slugs, but they are not their primary source of food.
Moles are beneficial to your garden as they help to control the population of other pests.
If you’re concerned about mole damage in your garden, it may be necessary to take steps to control their population.
However, before taking any action, it’s important to understand the role that moles play in your garden ecosystem.
