I CANNOT emphasize enough that maintaining a lush lawn is almost impossible with ground moles in your yard. Unless you learn the tricks of killing moles with marshmallows, there is no way your family will enjoy living in an environment full of caves and tunnels.

Perhaps you’ve heard some homeowners say they can kill ground moles with marshmallows, and you are wondering if this is possible.

Killing moles with marshmallows starts with:

1. Removing foods that moles love
2. Inserting marshmallows into the holes
3. Repeating the exercise until the moles are gone

What Happens When Moles Eat Marshmallows?

It was in the early 80s when animal scientists discovered that the marshmallow delicacy could get rid of ground moles. The simple trick starts with inserting marshmallows into the tunnels, expecting moles to eat the delicious cubes.

When a mole eats marshmallows, carrageenan, an added ingredient in most commercial-grade marshmallows, starts to work inside the mole by slowing down the digestive system. Because the mole cannot digest the marshmallow, the rodent dies within a few days.

Also read: How to Get Rid of Ground Moles with Dawn Soap

A Step-by-step Guide to Killing Moles with Marshmallows

As mentioned at the beginning, moles can break a family – kids cannot play freely on the ground because the yard is full of holes and tunnels. You run short of vegetables because moles have devoured the family garden.

Besides, you cannot enjoy a good breeze with your partner because the backyard is a total wreck. Thankfully, this blog will show you how to get rid of ground moles with marshmallows in three simple steps:

Step 1: Remove Foodstuffs That Moles Love

The first step to killing moles with marshmallows is ensuring no other food sources are in the yard. It doesn’t mean you uproot your plants because moles feed on roots, but ensure there are no other easy-to-access foods.

Remember that most lawn pests have extremely poor eyesight. However, they have a unique sense of smell. So, your effort to eliminate any mole food source from your yard is worth it. 

Have a structured routine for cleaning your lawn. By doing this, you can remove any foodstuff that might attract moles. Besides removing foods that moles love, routine lawn cleaning and maintenance make your yard look beautiful, lively, and habitable.

Also read: How to Get Rid of Armadillos in Your Yard

Step 2: Identify Holes/Tunnels and Insert Marshmallows

During your routine lawn cleaning and maintenance, you will also identify holes that moles have dug. Once you’ve marked a few holes and tunnels, you start killing moles with marshmallows.

Place 3–5 marshmallows into the holes or tunnels. You can also put a few more marshmallows in areas you believe moles use as entry or exit points. Give yourself a break, but keep monitoring the marshmallows.

If you notice a few missing pieces, you know the moles or other pests have eaten the marshmallows.

Step 3: Repeat the Process of Inserting Marshmallows into the Holes

Even if you do not find any marshmallows left in the hole, that does not mean all the moles ate them. It could be one mole. Because of this, repeat inserting 3 to 5 marshmallows into the holes for a few more days.

Keep putting marshmallows into the tunnels until you reduce the number of ground moles or eliminate them from your yard.

Also read: Can You Ride a Lawn Mower While Pregnant?

How Marshmallows Kill Ground Moles

Typically, marshmallows are sweet. That is why humans enjoy eating them. But what is sweet for humans can be poisonous and deadly to other animals. Because of their sweet nature, moles tend to fall for marshmallows.

Carrageenan, an added ingredient in most commercial-grade marshmallows, is the main recipe for killing moles. The carrageenan slows down the mole’s digestive system after swallowing a marshmallow.

After a few days of a corrupt digestive system, the mole lacks energy and dies.

Also read: How to Get Rid of Ground Moles with Vinegar

Hitherto, killing moles with marshmallows is not official, but farmers who have used the method say it is one of the most effective in removing ground moles from the yard.

The Main Ingredients of Marshmallows

Corn syrup, gelatin, and sugar are the main ingredients in marshmallows. Whipped air gives this delicacy its unique texture and winds up the list of main ingredients. Many homemade marshmallows do not contain carrageenan, the ingredient that kills moles.

Marshmallows also have additives, artificial flavors, and other foaming aids for marketing purposes.

Most commercial-grade marshmallows contain carrageenan, Arabic gum, and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, among other additives. With these ingredients, commercial-grade marshmallows are more stable, thicker, and emulsified, making them the best treat for moles.

How to Make Marshmallows at Home

To make marshmallows at home, you need the following:

• Water
• Corn syrup
• Gelatin 
• Sugar

Procedure

• Mix all the ingredients in a cooking pot
• Allow them to boil at a moderate temperature
• After the mixture has cooked, add gelatin
• Let the mixture set up to preserve to make them chewable
• Whip the concoction and let it settle
• Add flavoring and colorings (optional)

What Should You Do Now?

You have read the simple process of killing moles with marshmallows. You can go to the shop for commercial-grade marshmallows or make your own at home.

While homemade marshmallows can eliminate moles, commercial-grade marshmallows have proved more effective thanks to industrial carrageenan.