Moles are about six to eight inches long with slim snouts and small eyes and ears. They have gray or black fur and flat feet that look a bit like human hands. Gophers have gray, brown, or white fur, tiny eyes, ears, and whiskers. They do not have the same flat feet that characterize moles.
Full Answer
What is the difference between moles and Gophers?
Gophers can be larger than moles, with some species weighing between a half-pound to two pounds and lengths reaching up to 14 inches. However, it is important to note that overlap occurs between moles vs. gophers due to differences in age and species.
What do gopher mounds look like?
They eat roots, grass and the delicious other plants you grow in your yard. Gopher mounds look like a crescent or horseshoe shape with a hole in the middle.
How do you know if you have Gophers?
Gophers create their habitats in soil that’s firm enough to maintain their tunnels and will avoid rocky or swampy areas. A good indicator of gopher activity is the opening of the holes. If a hole is plugged with fluffy, fresh dirt that typically means a gopher is inside and still digging. Otherwise, the burrow system has likely been vacated.
What does a gopher tunnel look like?
Gophers make a horseshoe or heart-shaped mound of scattered dirt. The soil will be in bigger chunks than that of a mole mound. Gophers tend to create tunnels in a straight line between a tunnel and good feeding locations, such as a garden or fresh trees or plants.
How do you tell if I have gophers or moles?
Moles are typically smaller than gophers, measuring in at just six to eight inches long. The best way to visually distinguish between a mole and a gopher is to look at their snout. A mole's nose is pointed and hairless. Moles have small eyes and ear canals that are covered by their fur.
What is the difference between a gopher and a ground mole?
The Difference Between a Gopher and Mole They have short necks and strong forefeet with long claws used for digging. Gophers have small eyes and ears, whiskers and sparsely-haired tails to help them navigate through their tunnels. Moles are small mammals that belong to the shrew family.
What is the difference between a mole hole and a gopher hole?
While moles and gophers both dig subterranean tunnels, their tunnels appear quite different. Moles dig tunnels much closer to the surface, usually between 3-12 inches below the ground. For their tunnels, gophers tend to dig between 6-18 inches below ground.
What does a mole burrow look like?
Unlike vegetarian voles, moles dig deep. Their tunnels are usually at least ten inches underground, unless they're scanning the surface in search of a mate. Check your soil and lawn for their tunnels. They will look like raised volcano-shaped swellings in your yard.
What are the signs of moles in your yard?
Some of the most common signs of moles in your yard are:Raised ridges that crisscross across your yard.Areas of discolored or dead grass.Raised mounds of dirt (molehills) that mark the entrance/exit of tunnels, usually less than 6″ tall and shaped like a football or volcano.Areas of loose or squishy soil on your lawn.More items...•
What is the fastest way to get rid of moles in your yard?
Repel or eliminate moles in your yard by following these steps:Remove their food source.Avoid overwatering your lawn.Apply repellents.Poison moles with bait.Kill moles with traps.
How do I get rid of gophers and moles?
For a homemade remedy, mix three parts castor oil and one part dish soap. Add four tablespoons of the mixture to a gallon of water. Soak the tunnels and entrances to evict the moles and soak the holes to evict gophers. Castor oil is one of the most effective home remedies to get rid of these animals.
Are gophers worse than moles?
Damage of Gophers vs Moles Mole tunnels tend to cover more area underground than gopher tunnels. Gophers can produce up to 200 mounds in a year, using their claws and forefeet to construct their burrows, manipulating soil with their powerful legs and broad chests. Gophers generate more damage above ground.
What does a gopher mound look like?
Gopher mounds typically are crescent- or horse-shoe-shaped when viewed from above. The hole, which is off to one side of the mound, is usually plugged. A mole mound will be more circular and have a plug in the middle that might not be distinct; in profile they are volcano-shaped.
Will moles eventually leave my yard?
Unfortunately, moles aren't easily dealt with. Unless your yard is really showing damage, the best approach is to leave moles alone. They'll usually move on once they've eliminated their food source. You can keep your lawn in shape by flattening the runways with your feet or a lawn roller, or by raking out the tunnels.
What attracts gophers to your yard?
They love roots and tubers of plants and seeded acorns but sometimes resort to “grazing the lawn for grass, clover, and other snacks.” Soil composition. Because gophers love to excavate, they prefer to live in areas with loose, sandy soil that's easy to move. Shelter.
What do moles eat in your yard?
Since moles are insectivores, they don't chew plants or root systems. Instead, they eat earthworms, grubs, and centipedes. If you notice gnaw marks on your garden plants or vegetables, it's likely that voles or mice are responsible – not moles.
How to protect plants from gophers?
Wire Mesh -- Mesh buried a few inches below the surface can help prevent mounds and protect plants. Plastic Netting -- This method can help protect seeds and seedlings. Raised Gardens -- Building or buying raised gardens can prevent gophers from having access to plants at all.
What is a mound in a mole?
Mounds are a mole’s long-term solution for access to a food source. These tunnels are much deeper and are actively monitored for potential food that burrows into the mound. The mounds appear on the surface in conical shapes and are relatively uniform in shape. Mounds are notorious for killing grass.
What repellents moles?
Repellents like Victor® Mole & Gopher Repellent naturally drive out moles through its use of unpleasant scents and tastes. In addition to scent repellents, sonic repellents, like Victor® Sonic Spikes™, repel moles by using sonic pulses.
How fast can moles tunnel?
Moles can tunnel up to one foot per minute and can cause extensive damage to all areas of a lawn including grass, flower beds, tree roots, and gardens. There are two types of identifying marks moles leave in the ground, runways and mounds. Runways are long, shallow tunnels on the surface of a lawn and look like small ridges.
How do voles damage lawns?
Identifying Voles and Vole Damage. Like moles, voles also tunnel and create runways through your lawn. However, this is where the similarities end. Voles typically tunnel on the surface and eat their way through the grass to get to their burrows. They can also make small runways underneath the surface that are about two inches in diameter.
How to tell if a mole runway is active?
Open holes to the surface are rarely seen in mole runways. To determine if a runway is active, step on the entire length of the runway and leave it for a day. If the runway stays flat, it is inactive. If it has reopened and become rounded and tunnel-like again, it is active.
Do gophers destroy lawns?
Not only have gophers earned a reputation for destroying lawns but they have been known to destroy underground utility cables, sprinkler systems, and irrigation systems. Most gopher activity is noticed in the spring and fall when they are the most active.
What are the differences between moles and gophers?
For example, when trying to distinguish between gopher vs. mole infestations, one of the easiest points of differentiation is the pests' appearance . Gophers look a bit like miniature groundhogs, with small ears, beady eyes, and short, brown hair. Moles, on the other hand, have stocky bodies with very short front legs, large scoop-shaped claws, and gray fur. Their faces have pointed snouts, tiny eyes, and ears so small they can't be seen.
What do moles look like?
Gophers look a bit like miniature groundhogs, with small ears, beady eyes, and short, brown hair. Moles, on the other hand, have stocky bodies with very short front legs, large scoop-shaped claws, and gray fur. Their faces have pointed snouts, tiny eyes, and ears so small they can't be seen.
Do moles have ears?
Their ears and eyes are virtually nonexistent , and the pests rely heavily on their sensitive snouts for navigation. Since moles search for food and mates near the ground surface, homeowners will notice raised tracks of dirt around the yard when mole infestations are present.
What do gopher mounds eat?
They are herbivores and love to eat plants. Their lives are lived digging tunnels and hunting for food. They eat roots, grass and the delicious other plants you grow in your yard. Gopher mounds look like a crescent or horseshoe shape with a hole in the middle.
How to identify moles in yard?
Identifying Moles in Your Yard. Moles are carnivores – their favorite thing to eat is grub worms. Grub worms turn into emerald beetles and June bugs. Mole mounds are very different from gopher mounds and can be spotted by looking for pyramidal shapes. You can also spot a mole by how it tunnels in the ground.
How do moles dig?
Moles dig through the ground hunting grubs and the ground raises up as they dig. If you stick your finger in the ground where it is raising up, your finger will actually go right in the mole tunnel. 3.
Do gophers leave holes unplugged?
Keep in mind: gophers are very tidy animals and do not like to leave any holes unplugged. If you see an actual hole in the ground and no evidence of fresh activity, it’s likely an old gopher hole. 2.
Do moles dig in the ground?
Since grubs live only a few inches below the surface, you can expect to find mole tunnels in the same area. Moles dig through the ground hunting grubs and the ground raises up as they dig.
Difference Between Gophers and Moles in Appearance
Moles are about 6 to 8 inches long and belong to the shrew family. These mammals have long claws, paddle-like forefeet, pointed snouts and cylindrical bodies. Moles have tiny eyes and soft fur that varies in color from gray to brown. Their fur texture helps them back up through a tunnel without soil becoming trapped in their coats.
Diet
Moles are considered insectivores, meaning they eat insects. However, certain mole species, such as the star-nosed mole, eat aquatic invertebrates and fish.
Behavior, Living Areas, Breeding Season and More
Moles live most of their lives underground and are in a constant search for food. These creatures are nearly blind and solitary, with males and females coming together mostly to breed. Male moles burrow through foreign territory in search of a mate as breeding season approaches.
How to Distinguish Mole Mounds and Gopher Mounds
Moles leave two types of identifying marks in the ground, mounds and runways. Mounds are the mammals’ long-term solution for access to a food source. These tunnels are much deeper than runways and are continually monitored for potential food.
Damage From Moles and Gophers
Moles are notorious for causing damage to different areas of your lawn, including gardens, tree roots, flower beds and grass. These mammals can tunnel up to one foot per minute, so they have the potential to cause a lot of damage to your yard or garden.
Contact Urban Jungle for Removal and Exclusion Services
Wondering how to get rid of gophers and moles, now that you know how to distinguish them? Urban Jungle is a fully licensed and insured wildlife evacuation company committed to removing nuisance animals like moles and gophers from local businesses and universities throughout Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
How big are gophers?
They have small eyes and sensitive facial whiskers to assist their movements in the dark. Depending on species gophers vary in length from 7 to 12 inches. Gopher predators include snakes, owls, coyotes, weasels, badgers, bobcats and even herons. Yellow Faced Pocket Gopher.
What is a gopher mound?
Gophers Mound. Gophers make a horseshoe or heart-shaped mound of scattered dirt. The soil will be in bigger chunks than that of a mole mound. Gophers Tunnels. Gophers tend to create tunnels in a straight line between a tunnel and good feeding locations, such as a garden or fresh trees or plants.
What is the name of the mound that a mole makes?
Moles. Moles make a volcano- or cone-shaped mound.The soil of the mole mound is finer than that of a gopher mound. Moles rarely come out of their tunnels – they poke a hole in the ground and then push the dirt straight up. This is what creates the cone-shaped mound .
How many mounds do gophers make in a year?
Gophers seal the openings to the burrow system with earthen plugs. One gopher may create several mounds in a day or as many as 300 mounds per year. Mounds are crescent-shaped and appear at the end of short lateral tunnels. Identification.
Why do moles like aerated yards?
The mole simply circles around the tunnel system and picks up food. Moles like yards that are well aerated because they will tend to have more insects. Identification.
What do gophers eat?
These pockets are used for carrying food. Diet. Gophers eat vegetation, such as plants, vegetables, and roots of trees. Gophers are herbivores. They feed on a wide variety of vegetation, including plants, shrubs, and trees.
How long does it take for moles to make a yard look like a zebra?
For homeowners, that means within four weeks of being born, moles can quickly be on the way to making your yard look like a zebra. Mole predators include dogs, cats, large fish, raccoons, minks, owls, hawks, foxes, skunks, and more. Townsend’s Mole. Star Nosed Mole.
September 25, 2021
If you have piles of dirt around your lawn and flower beds causing havoc, you may have moles, voles, or gophers on your hands. Knowing the difference between these small animals can help you develop a game plan to completely remove them and keep your lawn and garden looking bright and lush.
How Can You Tell the Difference Between Moles, Voles, and Gophers?
When identifying your garden pests, keep in mind that you can have all three animals (voles, moles, and gophers) running around your yard and underground. However, you can identify your turf pest by looking at its appearance, behavior, and yard damage.
How to Get Rid of Moles, Voles, and Gophers
Getting rid of destructive wildlife such as gophers, moles, and voles requires identifying the active burrow sites in your yard and using the right pest control devices on the surface of your property.
Shop Pest Control Supplies at Wilco Farm Stores
Stop by Wilco farm stores to choose from a wide range of pest control options for gopher, mole, or vole infestations. We can help you regain control of your lawn and keep your garden free from pocket gophers, moles, and voles.
What are gophers known for?
Gophers, also known as pocket gophers, are burrowing pests named for the fur-lined pockets in their cheeks. Other rodents also have this feature, though gophers' pouches open on the outside. The pests are excellent at tunneling due to their strong claws, short limbs, loose skin, and small eyes and ears. Most gophers have some shade of gray or brown fur while their tails have little to no hair at all. Gophers use their large and ever-growing front teeth to break up soil and rocks while they dig.
How to capture gophers?
To successfully capture gophers, traps must be placed at each entrance to a presumed tunnel, which can be both costly and time-consuming. For humane removal of problem gophers from the property, contact the wildlife specialists at Critter Control.
Why are gophers bad for lawns?
They can also damage irrigation lines and sprinkler systems by gnawing on the plastic tubing. Gopher tunnels divert water and erode soil as well, causing even more damage. Their mounds are obstacles for property owners when mowing and can be an unsightly blemish on otherwise pristine yards.
