The short version
Moles are usually one to three animals. Find an active tunnel, then trap it. Repellents and sonic stakes rarely work.
- Usually one to three moles.
- Find an active runway first.
- Traps work best; repellents rarely do.
- Moles eat earthworms, not plants.
- Fix the lawn after trapping.
Anyone in Spokane watching their lawn get dug up.
What to look for
Moles don't eat plants. They hunt earthworms and grubs. Their tunnels lift turf, dry out roots and trip people up. Moles around Spokane are busiest in spring and fall. They tunnel near the surface after rain. One mole can dig a lot of tunnel.
- 1Raised ridges across the lawn.
- 2Round, volcano-shaped dirt mounds.
- 3Spongy patches underfoot.
- 4Tunnels along walkways and beds.
- 5Fresh mounds after rain.
- 6Dead turf strips over tunnels.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Tunnels spread across the lawn.
- Mounds make mowing harder.
- Ridges become trip hazards.
- New moles move into empty tunnels.
Treatment options and typical costs
Runway Identification and Activity Survey
$75–$200
A provider in Spokane starts by walking the lawn and separating active runways from exploratory tunnels. Surface ridges get pressed flat and checked the next day. The ones that pop back up are the tunnels worth treating in Spokane.
- Time
- 45–90 minutes
- Best for
- Every job; trapping fails without it
Mole-Labeled Baits
$100–$300 per application
Bait labeling matters in Spokane: products registered for moles must be applied by their label, with the stated amounts and placement. Ask to see the label and where bait went. Grain baits meant for other pests do not work on moles in Spokane.
- Time
- 30–45 minutes
- Best for
- Large or hard-to-trap areas; used exactly as labeled
Active-Runway Trapping
$150–$400 per visit; multi-visit plans $300–$900
Trapping in Spokane is a process rather than a one-time visit. Sets are checked, moved, and repeated until activity stops. Providers around Spokane usually price this as a plan with a set number of visits.
- Time
- 30–60 minutes per visit, over several visits
- Best for
- Most yards; the most reliable method
Follow-Up Monitoring
$50–$150 per visit; often included in plans
Some Spokane providers offer seasonal monitoring for properties that border open land. It is priced per visit or as a yearly plan. For Spokane homeowners with recurring moles, that is often cheaper than starting fresh each year.
- Time
- 20–30 minutes per visit
- Best for
- Every trapping job; confirms the yard is clear
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
Main runways often follow edges like beds, walks and fences. That's where traps work best.Which moles live around Spokane.
Around Spokane, Townsend's, coast or broad-footed moles do the digging. They push up more mounds than eastern moles. Moles are insectivores, not rodents. They eat earthworms and grubs, not roots.
When they tunnel.
Frozen ground in winter sends them deeper. Summer heat and drought also push them down.
Raised ridges are feeding tunnels just under the turf. Many are used once and abandoned.Finding an active tunnel.
Look for fresh ridges and mounds after rain. Step down a short stretch of tunnel and mark it. Check it in a day or two. If it's raised again, it's active. Main runways often follow edges: walks, fences and beds. Lawns from Spokane out to Spokane Valley show the same pattern.
A year of moles in Spokane.
- Winter: lows near 23°F in Spokane. Ground freezes; moles go deep. - Fall: a second burst near the surface. - Summer: highs near 84°F in Spokane push moles deeper. - Spring: peak tunneling. Best time to trap.
Mole, gopher or vole?
- Damage: moles don’t eat plants; gophers and voles do. - Vole: surface runways and small holes in the grass. - Gopher: crescent-shaped mounds with a plugged hole. - Mole: raised ridges and round, volcano-like mounds.
What works, and what doesn’t.
- Rarely alone: grub control, since they mostly eat earthworms. - Rarely: castor oil, sonic stakes, gum or flooding. - Sometimes: labeled baits, used deep in tunnels. - Works: traps set in active runways.
Protecting garden beds.
It's work up front, but it lasts for years. Raised beds can get a mesh floor before you fill them. Bend the bottom edge outward. Bury quarter-inch hardware cloth around beds, about two feet deep.
Lawn care that helps.
Grub control alone rarely moves moles on. Healthy turf recovers from tunnels faster. Constantly wet lawns draw earthworms, and moles follow. Water deeply but less often.
Signs the problem is over.
- New ridges? Another mole may have moved in. - Traps stay untouched for several checks. - Stepped-down runways stay flat. - No new mounds for two weeks.
Choosing a trap.
- Rules: check what your state allows first. - Placement: main runways beat fresh feeding ridges. - Tunnel traps: sit inside a dug-out runway. - Harpoon traps: set on top of a pressed-down ridge. - Scissor traps: set straddling an active runway.
Mole myths.
- Flooding tunnels: they just dig new ones. - Many mounds, many moles: usually it’s one or two. - Moles eat bulbs: no, voles using their tunnels do. - Castor oil: may move them briefly, not away. - Chewing gum in tunnels: no evidence it works.
Moles aren’t all bad.
In a front lawn or garden, most people want them gone. A mole in a field may be fine to leave. They eat grubs and other insect larvae. Moles loosen and aerate soil.
Fixing the lawn afterward.
Overseed bare spots in spring or fall. Water to settle the soil. Rake mounds flat and step ridges down. Wait until the mole is caught.
Moles, kids and pets.
Digging dogs can wreck a lawn faster than moles. Baits must go deep in tunnels, exactly as the label says. Keep kids and pets away from traps. Moles don't bite unless handled.
What a mole visit looks like.
They check traps every day or two. Traps go into the main runways. They test which runways are active. The tech walks the lawn and maps the tunnels.
Moles, voles or gophers?
- Chipmunks: small clean holes with no soil around them. - Gophers: crescent-shaped mounds with a plugged hole. - Voles: narrow surface runways through the grass. - Moles: raised ridges and round, volcano-shaped mounds.
Watering and moles.
Fix leaky sprinklers that leave soggy corners. Water deeply and less often instead of a little every day. Moles follow moist soil, where worms rise near the surface.
Flower beds and borders.
Press tunnels down firmly and water to settle the soil. Plants wilt when their roots are left hanging in air pockets. Moles tunnel under beds looking for worms, not to eat plants.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- Is lawn repair included? - What if another mole moves in? - How often will you check traps? - Which method will you use? - Is it a mole, gopher or vole?
Moles by the numbers.
In Spokane, moles do not eat plants; they tunnel for earthworms, grubs, and soil insects, and the ridges they leave behind are what most people notice. In Spokane, tunnels often run just under the surface, with deeper nesting chambers below, and a single mole can maintain an extensive system across a yard. In Spokane, because moles are solitary, several fresh ridges usually mean more than one animal. In Spokane, before you hire, walk the yard and flatten a few ridges with your foot, then check back the next day — the ones that are raised again are the active runs a plan should target.
What affects the price
- State rules that affect trap or bait choices.
- Number of moles present on the property.
- Number of follow-up rechecks included.
- Single visit versus a multi-visit trapping plan.
- Season, since spring and fall book fastest.
- Lot size and number of active runways.
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What bothers you most about moles?
When to call for help
if you can't find an active runway. A pro can usually catch the mole within a few visits. Call if new mounds keep appearing for more than a week.
What you can do yourself
Skip sonic stakes, gum and flooding. Set the trap exactly as the instructions say. Trapping yourself can work.
Moles in Spokane
In Spokane, comparing written quotes side by side is the easiest way to see what is actually included, because the scope, prep steps, and follow-up terms vary a lot between providers. In Spokane, the warm summer continental climate means moles activity tends to follow spring and fall; active year-round in mild soil, so scheduling the visit before the busy stretch usually means a faster response and a cleaner quote. In Spokane, parks, ballfields and watered yards see the most tunneling. Winter lows near 23°F in Spokane freeze the ground, so moles go deeper until spring. Spokane gets about 17 inches of rain a year, so moles favor watered lawns and shady beds.
Local research
Moles in Spokane, WA: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which moles actually live in Washington, when they are busiest around Spokane, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Mole species recorded in Washington
- Townsend's mole (Scapanus townsendii) — Largest North American mole (8-9 inches); lawns west of the Cascades.
- Coast (Pacific) mole (Scapanus orarius) — Drier, brushier habitats including interior sagebrush.
- Shrew mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii) — Smallest North American mole; does not make molehills.
When moles are busiest around Spokane
Wet season west of the Cascades.
Moles are unclassified; owners may trap or kill them on their property when causing damage, within the trap law.
Rules that apply in Washington
Sources: Living with wildlife: Moles; Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management; Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech). Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep moles away
- Edge beds with buried hardware cloth.
- Check for fresh mounds after rain.
- Act early in spring.
- Fix tunnels only after trapping.
- Skip sonic stakes and castor oil.
Ask what the quote covers if another mole moves in after the first one is caught.Did you know?
One mole can hold a territory over an acre
Moles can tunnel quickly through soft soil in soft soil
Questions people ask
Will moles come back after they are removed?
New moles can move into empty tunnels. Catching newcomers early keeps damage small.
Will grub control get rid of moles?
Killing grubs alone usually doesn't move them on. Earthworms are their main food. Rarely.
When is the best time to trap moles?
Spring and fall, when they're tunneling near the surface. Right after rain is ideal.
Do I need a permit to trap moles?
Rules vary by state. Ask a local company what's allowed in Washington.
Is the mole still in my yard?
Step down a short section of tunnel. If it's raised again in a day or two, it's active.
Is the GopherHawk trap popular for moles?
In Spokane, choose a trap you can set correctly and check daily, and focus on finding the active tunnel first. In Spokane, like any trap, it works only when set in an active run and checked often. In Spokane, the GopherHawk is a commonly discussed scissor-jaw trap, but popularity is not the same as effectiveness.
When are moles most active in Spokane?
Spring and fall, especially after rain. Frozen winter ground sends them deep.
Are moles common in Spokane?
Yes.
Nearby cities
Related guides
Sources (5)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Mole Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides