Mole Pest Control in Southern California

Moles are one of the most frustrating lawn pests in Southern California. Their tunneling pushes up ridges and mounds across turf, damages plant roots indirectly, and can spread across an entire yard in days. Standard mole pest control requires specialized methods — the rodenticide bait that works for gophers does nothing to moles because moles are insectivores that eat earthworms, not grain-based bait.

Rodent Guys provides professional mole pest control throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. We use chemical-free trapping and carbon monoxide — no poison, safe for pets and children, backed by a 60-day guarantee. Call 909-599-4711 for a free estimate.

Why Moles Require Specialized Pest Control

Most general pest control companies that claim to handle moles reach for the same bait they use for gophers. This does not work. Moles are insectivores — their diet consists entirely of earthworms, grubs, and soil insects. Grain-based anticoagulant bait is simply not food to a mole and will be ignored.

Effective mole pest control requires physical trapping or carbon monoxide treatment applied directly in active tunnel systems. There is no shortcut. A company that tells you bait will solve your mole problem either does not specialize in moles or is not being straight with you.

See our guide to gopher and mole control differences for a full breakdown of why the two pests require completely different approaches.

How Professional Mole Pest Control Works

Step 1 — Identifying active tunnels. Moles create two types of tunnels: deep runways 6-10 inches below the surface used for regular travel, and shallow surface tunnels just below the turf used for hunting earthworms. The surface tunnels are the ones that leave visible ridges in your lawn. Not all surface tunnels are active — moles abandon sections regularly and create new ones as earthworm populations shift.

Identifying active tunnels is the critical first step. Our technicians press down sections of raised tunnel and return the next day to check which sections have been re-raised by the mole. Traps go into the active sections only — placing traps in abandoned tunnels produces no results.

Step 2 — Trap placement. Specialized mole traps are placed in confirmed active tunnels at the correct depth and orientation. Moles are sensitive to disturbance and will avoid sections of tunnel where they detect changes. Proper trap concealment and placement technique is what separates effective professional mole pest control from failed DIY attempts.

Step 3 — Follow-up and confirmation. Mole pest control requires follow-up visits to check trap results, remove caught moles, reset traps as needed, and confirm that activity has stopped. A single visit is not complete service. Rodent Guys includes follow-up visits in every mole service and backs the work with a 60-day guarantee.

Carbon Monoxide for Mole Control

Carbon monoxide treatment is highly effective for moles with extensive tunnel systems. CO is injected directly into active tunnel openings and fills the entire tunnel network. The gas dissipates naturally within the tunnel — there is no surface residue and no exposure risk to people, pets, or wildlife after treatment.

CO treatment is particularly useful for large properties, HOA common areas, and situations where multiple trap placements would be required to cover the extent of tunnel activity.

What Causes Mole Problems in Southern California

Moles follow earthworm concentrations. Properties with healthy, moist soil and active earthworm populations are the most attractive to moles. Year-round irrigation in Southern California keeps lawns green and earthworm populations active through all four seasons — which is why mole pest control is a year-round issue rather than a seasonal one.

Properties that have recently added new sod or overseeded lawns often experience sudden mole activity. Fresh sod laid over existing soil creates an ideal hunting ground — high earthworm density near the surface, loose soil easy to tunnel through, and the warmth generated by decomposing organic matter. New landscaping projects frequently trigger mole infestations within weeks of completion.

Properties near golf courses, parks, and open space tend to have persistent mole pressure. Moles from large maintained turf areas migrate into adjacent residential yards when population density increases or food sources shift.

Moles vs. Gophers — Do You Have the Right Pest?

Moles and gophers are often confused because both create soil disturbance in lawns. Calling the wrong pest control method wastes time and money. Here is the quick way to tell them apart:

You have a mole if: You see raised ridges winding across your lawn like someone dragged a finger under the sod, or volcano-shaped mounds of soil. Surface ridges are the signature sign of mole activity.

You have a gopher if: You see fan-shaped or crescent mounds of loose, fluffy soil with a plugged entry hole off to one side. No surface ridges — just discrete mounds appearing overnight.

For photos and a detailed comparison, see our gopher vs. mole vs. vole identification guide. If you are still not sure, call us — our technicians identify the pest on the first visit and apply the appropriate treatment.

Pet-Safe Mole Pest Control

One of the most common questions we receive is whether mole pest control is safe for dogs and cats. With Rodent Guys, the answer is yes — because we do not use rodenticide bait.

Some companies use worm-shaped bait containing bromethalin, a neurotoxin marketed specifically for moles. This bait is toxic to dogs and cats that find and consume it. It is also not consistently effective because moles do not always accept artificial food sources even when shaped like earthworms.

Our trapping and carbon monoxide methods eliminate these risks entirely. There is nothing on the surface of your yard after treatment, and no residue that could harm pets. Read more about why pest control poisons are dangerous for pets.

Service Areas for Mole Pest Control

Rodent Guys provides mole pest control throughout Southern California including:

• Los Angeles County: Los Angeles, Pasadena, Long Beach, Burbank, Whittier, Torrance, and more
• Orange County: Irvine, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, and more
• San Bernardino County: San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Upland, Chino Hills, Redlands, and more
• Riverside County: Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Eastvale, Lake Elsinore, and more

View the complete service area list for all cities.

Related Articles

• Gopher and Mole Control — Differences and Methods
• Gopher vs. Mole vs. Vole — Identification Guide
• Do Moles Damage Plants?
• What Do Moles Eat?
• Carbon Monoxide Treatment — How It Works
• Gopher and Mole Control Methods Compared
• Why Pest Control Poisons Are Dangerous for Pets
• What Does the 60-Day Guarantee Cover?
• Pest Control Cost Guide

Call 909-599-4711 for professional mole pest control anywhere in Southern California. Free estimates, chemical-free methods, 60-day guarantee.