Do Mothballs Repel Snakes? [Alternatives To Keep Them Away]

Will mothballs repel snakes? Here is all about using this repellent to keep them away.

Mothballs have been widely used for combating a variety of pest issues. These white crystal balls are chemicals made from either paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene and are known for their pungent smell.

Speaking of their pest-repellent effect, will these insecticides like Snake-Away keep snakes away?

This is all we’ll be discussing. Sometimes, you may be unfortunate enough to experience an increase in snake presence within your community.

This is a scary prospect for any homeowner and immediate solutions such as this are sought. Any homeowner will want to keep these reptiles as far off as possible.

Here is a practical guide to getting rid of snakes completely.

Using Moth Ball For Snakes

When it comes to finding out why mothballs are suggested as snake repellents, you’ll need to consider how this pesticide works. Mothballs are known for their characteristic pungent smell.

Now pests having an excellent sense of smell will find such pungent odor overwhelming.

• Do mothballs keep snakes away?

Snakes are undisputed heavyweights when it comes to smell detection. Using their tongues, these reptiles pick up on all sorts of scents in the air. This alerts them to the presence of potential prey.

Such ability also enables snakes to sense danger and take cover.

Now, it’s easy to see why a lot of people consider mothballs as an effective snake repellent. However, is that true? You should know that not all pungent scents will repel snakes and other reptiles.

While some may be quite effective, others simply aren’t worth the try.

Do Mothball Deter Snakes?

No, they don’t! It’s as simple as that! Mothballs have no repellent effect on snakes as such when using it, you’d only be wasting precious time while these reptiles have a field day.

Asides from the inefficacy of mothballs on snakes, there are other reasons why you shouldn’t consider using it.

These reasons include violating mothball product labels and creating a toxic environment for beneficial insects.

Mothballs also have the same toxic effect on mammals. More worrisome is the fact that the main chemical constituent of these insecticides has been linked to death in children.

• Violating Moth Ball Product Labels

What’s this about? How does using a mothball on a snake violate product labels? Well, if you have some mothballs around, you only need to read the use instructions on the product label. It’s not designed to be used outdoors.

Now we all know that snake encounters are mostly outdoors.

As such, the logic would be that mothballs will be placed around your home to serve as a deterrent. This is where the violation of use instructions arises.

• Creating a Toxic Environment for Beneficial Insects

Beneficial insects around your garden or surroundings are known to help with pollination as well as pest control.

Such beneficial insects include damsel bugs, braconid wasps, minute pirate bugs, lady beetles, lacewings, ground beetles, soldier beetles, bees, tachinid flies, and spined soldier bugs just to name a few.

Mothballs are toxic to such beneficial insects and either repels or kills them. You don’t want to cause a problem while seeking to apply an ineffective pesticide.

• Toxic to Mammals

Mothballs are toxic to mammals and will cause all sorts of health issues or complications when significantly inhaled. Its key ingredients are naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene.

These are known to have toxic effects on both humans and animals.

Such mammals include dogs, cats, and livestock among others. To save your pets, you’ll need to avoid using mothballs.

• Potential to Cause Death in Children

No sane individual wants to apply an insecticide that‘s known to be deadly to infants simply because they want to get rid of snakes. This is exactly what mothballs do.

They’re toxic and could cause death in infants.

Mothballs Are No Longer Popular Insecticides

Due to the toxic effects of mothballs, they’ve been restricted in a lot of regions. In the European Union (EU) for example, mothball use is banned across all member countries.

This shows a clear sign of its dangerous effects on humans and animals.

We’ll also reiterate the fact that these insecticides have no repellent effect whatsoever on snakes. So, you’ll need to look for something else that works.

Mothball Alternatives To Keep Snakes Away

With mothballs proven to be ineffective on snakes, what alternatives are there? This is a vital question that enhances your response to an existing snake problem.

Luckily there are several ways to go about solving this problem.

The methods included here are mostly natural and safe.

• Instead of Moth Balls, have a Perch Pole Installed

Here, you want to attract predators to your yard or surroundings.

Excellent snake predators include owls and hawks. Where the pole is installed should be such that provides a clear view of your surroundings.

• Ditch Moth Balls and Trim Your Lawn Short

Mothballs will do nothing to solve your snake problem. So, rather than wasting time on what doesn’t work, why not have your lawns well-trimmed?

This action helps eliminate any hiding spots used by snakes to stick around your property.

• Moving your Bird Feeder is a More Reliable Way to Handle Snake Problems

Another effective, yet simple approach to snake control involves moving your bird feeder. You’ll need to understand the connection between such feeders and snakes to appreciate this action.

When birds feed, they litter the ground below with their food.

Now, rodents come around to feed. When they do, snakes find the area inviting due to the presence of prey (rodents). By simply removing such feeder, you’ve succeeded in eliminating the incentive for snake presence.

• Removing Clutter is Way More Effective

Rather than spend time on something that won’t work, why not have clutter removed from your surrounding?

Clutter is a broad term that refers to wood stockpiles, rocks, and so many other objects piled too close to your home. These are potential hiding spots for snakes that may attract them.

• Landscape Materials Matter

Snakes will seize the opportunity to come around when perfect conditions are present. One of them is the material used for landscaping.

Certain materials like large rocks and mulch could provide harborage to overwintering snakes.

The idea of using mothballs as snake repellent is faulty and won’t give any results. Rather, it will create all sorts of problems as highlighted above.