Voles and moles might ruin your plants and the appearance of your yard.
However, there is a Juicy Fruit method to kill them. Does it even work? How does it kill moles and voles? Keep reading to find it out!
Does Killing Voles and Moles with Juicy Fruit Gum Work?
Although it’s not scientifically proven, many gardeners claim that Juicy Fruit is an effective way to kill voles, and moles. In order to kill them, cut several sticks of Juicy Fruit up into pieces, and place the pieces in the area where voles and moles reside.
The method isn’t guaranteed to work, but there is a chance to get rid of voles and moles to a manageable level.
Juicy Fruit is cheap, so why not try it?
How is Juicy Fruit Gum Supposed to Kill Voles and Moles?
Juicy Fruit is supposed to kill voles and moles by clogging up their digestive tract. If those animals eat chewing gum, it will eventually kill them.
Moles and voles are attracted to the gum’s scent and will devour it. After they find the gum and eat it, they won’t be able to digest it, which will kill them.
At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work.
Naturally, moles eat only plants, and voles are carnivores, which might indicate that this method won’t work. However, from my own experience, I know that for example, voles can eat meat, or cheese when they’re at home, so they often make exceptions.
The other theory says that Juicy Fruit is effective when it comes to fighting with moles and voles, because placing it where these animals reside indicates that a human intruded on their territory, and they often abandon their places.
Is Killing Voles and Moles with Juicy Fruit Gum Effective?
Killing voles and moles with Juicy Fruit is a relatively new method that hasn’t been proven yet. However, there are many gardeners who claim that it works.
Nothing is certain in life. The same is with this method. Some people will succeed, and others will fail. When doing research online, I found out, that this method works for about 40% of people, and 60% fail.
Most people get rid of moles and voles on a manageable level. You will probably not kill every single mole or vole from your yard.
Is it worth trying? Definitely. A pack of Juicy Fruit gums costs maybe $1 or $2. If you succeed, it will be the cheapest way to get rid of moles and voles from your yard, greenhouse, or home.
Also, it’s important that you buy the pack of Juicy Fruit Gum, not other types of gums from a different company. For some reason, moles and voles prefer the scent, and taste of Juicy Fruit, and they tend to stay away from other chewing gums.
How to Use Juicy Fruit Gum to Kill Voles and Moles?
To kill voles and moles with Juicy Fruit Gum, follow this procedure.
- Buy Juicy Fruit gum in the form of sticks.
- Cut 4 pieces of gum from each stick.
- Put the pieces of gum into moles tunnels, or somewhere where voles prowl.
It’s important that you buy Juicy Fruit gum in the form of sticks. They’re easier to spot and easier to devour by voles or moles.
To cut the stick, don’t unwrap it. Cut the gum while it’s still in the aluminum foil. You can do it with a knife. If you touch the gum, you will decrease the chances that voles and moles eat it, because they will smell a human scent, and will stay away from the gum.
Once you cut 20-30 or more pieces of gum, you should find the tunnels made by moles. They’re easy to spot. We all know what molehills look like. So, just dig into a mole tunnel using a small hand spade or shovel, and try to remove the top layer of soil, taking care to disturb the rest of the tunnel. Put the gum there, by releasing it from the aluminum foil, and leave it as it is.
When it comes to voles, it’s not that easy to decide where they are. They usually like to live under ground, next to mulch, or grass piles, but they can be almost anywhere. As a rule of thumb, leave the pieces of gum strategically in every corner of your yard to increase the chances that they find them.
Then, you should wait a few days. When you see that the pieces of gums are eaten away, it’s a good sign. It means that a vole or mole that ate the gum died. They die within a few hours, and you might even notice some dead voles on your lawn, or somewhere else in your garden, but they can also die in their tunnels. Moles will usually die in their tunnels, so you probably won’t be able to see them.
If you see the gums disappearing, you should definitely repeat the process. You never know how many of them live in your yard.
Does Juicy Fruit Gum Kill Other Pests as Well?
Besides voles and moles, Juicy Fruit is also an effective way to get rid of:
- House mouse
- Wood mouse
- Rats
- Gophers
Killing Voles and Moles with Juicy Fruit Gum: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- It’s cheap
- You don’t use chemicals
- Everyone can do it
Cons:
- Not always effective
What are the Other Ways to Get Rid of Voles and Moles in Your Garden?
If you find this method ineffective, you can always try something different.
To get rid of voles, try these methods:
- Traps. Probably the easiest way to kill voles. Remember to bait the trap with peanut butter, or oatmeal. Keep in mind to check and change traps frequently, and dispose of dead voles. As an alternative, you can use baits- check them here on Amazon, they’re very effective.
- Poisons. Vole poison mimics the smell of popular food that these rodents eat. After a vole eats it, it dies within 24 hours. If you don’t have one, you can buy it here on Amazon.
- Hot peppers+water+dish soap. Mix chopped hot peppers with water and biodegradable dish soap. Spray vole hotspots in your lawn and landscaping with the mixture to prevent voles from nibbling on your plants.
To get rid of moles, try these:
- Castor oil. Moles hate the scent of castor oil. In the effect, it upsets their digestive system, and they tend to abandon their tunnels.
- Grow certain plants. Moles don’t reside in the area where the following plants grow: marigolds, alliums, fritillarias, daffodils, garlic, shallots, castor bean.
- Household items. Sprinkle household items, like cat litter, cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, or red pepper, wherever you see signs of moles. Prevent moles from returning by sprinkling these substances in your yard and on lawns.
Sources
colonialpest.com, thedoorstep.org , hunker.com, smithspestmanagement.com, mymove.com