How to Identify Gopher Damage: Signs to Look for on Your Property
Gophers can be a major headache for property owners. These pesky creatures burrow tunnels underground and create unsightly mounds of dirt, ruining the appearance of yards and gardens. Worse yet, they can wreak havoc on plants and vegetation, leaving homeowners with damaged crops and wilted flowers. Fortunately, with a keen eye and some basic knowledge, you can quickly determine whether gophers are the culprits behind the destruction of your property.
Gopher Damages Your Lawn and Garden
Gophers may seem like harmless creatures, but they can wreak havoc on your lawn and garden. With their burrowing habits, they can uproot and damage plant roots, which can ultimately lead to plant death. Gophers also have a voracious appetite and are known to eat plant bulbs, stems, and leaves, causing further devastation to your yard.
Mounds
To identify the presence of gophers, it is important to look for certain tell-tale signs. The most obvious sign is the presence of soil mounds near the surface of the ground. These mounds are created as gophers dig their burrows underground, pushing the excavated soil upwards. These mounds can vary in size and shape, but they are typically crescent-shaped with a hole at the top.
Tunnels
Another way to identify gopher presence is to look for tunnels and burrows that connect the mounds. Gophers are known to create networks of tunnels that allow them to travel around their underground homes. These tunnels can be complex and extensive, reaching depths up to three feet below the surface. You may also notice fresh soil around the entrance of these tunnels, as the gophers push soil out as they dig.
Missing Plants
Finally, gophers may leave evidence of their eating habits. Look for missing or damaged plant roots, stems, and leaves. Gophers can cause significant damage to plants in a short amount of time, so it is essential to act quickly if you notice any signs of gopher presence.
Gophers can cause significant damage to your yard if left unchecked. Identifying the signs of their presence is crucial in preventing further damage. If you notice any signs of gopher presence, it is recommended to enlist the help of a professional pest control service to remove these critters from your yard. More about Gopher and controlling them.
When Gophers Damage Your Property
Gophers are notorious subterranean rodents that pose a severe threat to your property, especially regarding underground wires. These small but mighty creatures are capable of causing extensive damage to your electrical, telecommunications, or irrigation systems, leading to costly repairs and disruptions.
These pesky rodents, also known as pocket gophers, are burrowing animals and utilize their sharp teeth, nimble paws, and powerful front legs to dig complex tunnel systems. Unfortunately, their quest for food and shelter can lead them to encounter underground wires, exposing cables to accidental cuts, tears, or chewing. This can not only result in system malfunctions, but it also create a potential hazard to life, causing electrocution or even fires.
Preventing Gopher Damage
Due to their rapid reproduction rate, expansive burrowing activity, and adaptive nature, gophers are challenging to control. Traditional methods such as trapping, fumigation, or repellent devices often fail to eradicate the problem. As gophers can cover up to a thousand square feet of territory, if left unchecked, they can cause long-term damage and even threaten the structural integrity of buildings.
Therefore, it’s essential to employ preventive wildlife pest control to ensure your underground wires and property remain safe from gopher damage. This can involve removing them from your yard, such as clearing debris, filling holes, and using fencing or mesh barriers. Additionally, seeking professional help from a pest control specialist can provide effective solutions, including trapping, baiting, and vegetation management.
To prevent gopher damage, several measures can be taken. Fencing vulnerable plants and areas, such as vegetable gardens, can keep gophers out. Gopher-resistant plants include lavender, rosemary, sage, and other herbs, as well as agapanthus, society garlic, and yarrow.
Trapping And Removing Gophers: Rid An Infestation
For larger infestations or areas, professional wildlife control can be employed. These may include trapping and removing gophers, utilizing chemical deterrents, or creating a barrier around the perimeter. While these solutions may be more costly, they can help protect larger areas from severe gopher damage.
It is also important to note that other critters may cause similar damage. Moles, voles, and ground squirrels are other common burrowing rodents that cause damage to lawns and gardens. However, each species has unique characteristics and behaviors that can help differentiate their damage from that of gophers.
OMNIS Pest Control Removes Gophers
If you suspect that gophers are causing damage to your property, it’s important to take control quickly. Not only can their burrowing lead to erosion and other types of structural damage, but their constant feeding can decimate gardens and crops. Fortunately, there are humane solutions available. Expert wildlife control at OMNIS Pest Control is equipped to safely and humanely remove gophers from your property so that you can enjoy your beautiful landscape.
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