Mole control in Midrand starts with working out which animal is digging: a golden mole leaves raised ridges just under the turf, while a mole-rat throws up heaps of soil and eats roots and bulbs. Once we know which one it is, we treat or trap the active tunnels and advise on keeping them out of your lawn.
Why Midrand lawns attract digging animals
Most Midrand gardens were grassland not long ago. The animals that lived in that soil are still there, and an irrigated lawn on a new estate is the best feeding ground they have ever had. Watering keeps the soil soft and full of earthworms, grubs and insect larvae, which golden moles hunt. Bulbs, vegetable beds and the roots of young shrubs feed mole-rats. Homes that back onto open veld, plots in Blue Hills and Kyalami, and estates with large communal lawns see the most activity, especially after summer rain loosens the ground.
Golden moles and mole-rats are not the same thing
Golden moles
These are small, blind insect-eaters with shiny fur. They tunnel just below the surface while hunting, leaving raised, wandering ridges across the lawn that feel spongy underfoot. They rarely throw up big heaps. The damage is mostly cosmetic: lifted turf, dead strips where roots lose contact with the soil, and paths that trip people up.
Mole-rats
Mole-rats are rodents with big front teeth. They dig deeper tunnel systems and push the soil out in a line of mounds, often overnight. They eat roots, bulbs and tubers, so a gardener may notice plants wilting or being pulled underground before seeing the mounds. On plots with vegetable gardens and on estates with bulb beds, they cause far more real damage than golden moles.
A third possibility catches people out: bare, sandy patches with small open holes are usually harvester termites, not moles at all. That is a completely different problem, which our page on Midrand termite treatments covers.
How to read the signs
- Raised ridges with no heaps: almost always a golden mole.
- A row of fresh soil mounds, with plugged holes and no visible opening: mole-rat.
- Plants wilting, bulbs missing, roots chewed: mole-rat.
- Small open holes, cut grass and bare patches in winter: harvester termites.
What we do about it
Identify the animal and the active runs. We flatten a few mounds or ridges and check which are reopened, so we only work on tunnels that are in use.
Treat or trap the active tunnels. Depending on the animal and the site, we trap in the main runs or apply a registered treatment to the active tunnels. We take care around pets, children and any animals on the property.
Follow up. Mole problems are rarely a one-visit job. Neighbouring gardens and the veld can send new animals in, so we check after a couple of weeks and treat any reopened runs.
The mistake people make
Pouring diesel, pushing a garden hose into the tunnels or dropping home-made remedies down the holes. At best these move the animal a few metres. At worst they poison the soil you are trying to grow a lawn in, and diesel in particular kills grass and can harm pets. Ultrasonic stakes are another popular buy that rarely gives lasting results on Midrand soils.
A Midrand tip
If you are planting bulbs or a vegetable bed on a plot or an estate stand next to open ground, line the bed with fine wire mesh about a spade's depth down before planting. It is a simple job that keeps mole-rats from pulling the plants down from below, and it lasts for years.
Lawns, estates and sports fields
A single garden is usually a few visits. Estates with communal parks, schools with sports fields and large plots are better handled with a planned programme, because animals move from one section to another as you clear them. We work with estate managers and body corporates to treat the whole area in a logical order rather than chasing mounds wherever they appear.
What mole control costs, and why
The cost depends on the area affected, how many active runs there are, whether it is one garden or a whole estate, and how many follow-up visits are needed. A small suburban lawn is a modest job. A plot or a large communal area takes more time. Check our guide prices for Johannesburg pest control for the starting point, and the "from" price on this page. If you have one ridge that appeared once and has not come back, it may be a passing golden mole that moves on by itself, and we will tell you that rather than sell a treatment you do not need.
Owners in Blue Hills and on other Midrand plots see more mole-rat activity than most suburbs. The approach is similar to our mole control in Fourways, and the city-wide picture is on dealing with moles in Johannesburg. For other garden and house pests, go to our Midrand page.
Combat Pest Control is SAPCA registered, registered with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36, and owned and operated by Jason van Heerden, who has 25 years in pest control. We provide service within 24 hours and a 3-month guarantee. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of the mounds or ridges so we can tell which animal you have.
Questions we get asked
How much does it cost to get rid of moles?
It depends on the size of the area, how many active tunnels there are and how many follow-up visits it takes. A single lawn is much cheaper than an estate or a large plot. We quote after looking at the damage.
Is it a mole or a mole-rat in my garden?
Raised ridges with no heaps usually mean a golden mole. A line of soil mounds and missing bulbs or chewed roots point to a mole-rat.
Will the moles come back?
They can, especially if your garden borders veld or a neighbour has an active colony. Follow-up visits and treating neighbouring areas together reduce the chance.
Is mole treatment safe for my dogs?
Yes, when it is done properly. We work inside the tunnels and keep anything we use out of reach, and we will tell you if pets need to be kept off an area for a while.
Do ultrasonic mole repellers work?
In our experience they rarely give lasting results. Animals get used to the noise or move a short distance and carry on digging.
Can moles damage my house foundations?
No. Golden moles and mole-rats damage lawns, beds and irrigation pipes, not foundations. If you are worried about the house itself, termites are the pest to check for.